Narrowboat Burnt Oak: Easter at Ellesmere Port

We had an excellent Easter at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum where there was an historic boat gathering and a sea shanty festival. It was mainly bright with heavy rain at night, however, the sea breeze made it feel quite cool. We stayed there for a week and offered to help. There's a huge bunch of volunteers at the museum many of whom were in the working party to get it started 40 years ago. The museum is over a large site, which includes warehouses and dock buildings that have exhibits in them in addition to many historic narrow boats. It is at the end of the Shropshire Union Canal and there are two locks to get into the lower basin where the ships docked and then a sea lock that leads to the Manchester Ship Canal. We moored in the lower basin along side two old ships awaiting funding for restoration. We were hemmed in when all the historic boats arrived Good Friday.

John did lock keeping Good Friday and Easter Monday as there were lots of boats arriving and then

leaving. Saturday he spent on car park duty I helped in reception checking everyone had admission arm bands on and spent a lot of time clearing tables & washing up in the café. My favourite job was accompanying one of the museum staff at 'Porters Row', four 1830's restored terraced houses that have been decorated in 1830's, 1900, 1930 & 1950's style. I stood outside the cottages & spun with my drop spindle and chatted to the visitors, some who remember the row when it was complete with 12 houses.

I had a last minute knitting frenzy to make some bunting to decorate the boat and had 8 triangles at each end as well as fairy lights. Sadly we didn't get around to taking many photos at 'The Port'.

The Shropshire Union Canal between Chester and Ellesmere Port is incredibly dirty, literally thousands of plastic bottles, cans and rubbish. We think it's the dirtiest bit of canal we've ever seen.