Bears on a Boat Lift.

After breakfast, we continued our journey onwards from the nice mooring at the flash, where Hanley Bear had seen the kingfisher. 

At one point we seemed to be cruising right through the middle of a chemical works.  It wasn't very pretty but it was interesting, especially to Hanley Bear who likes science and wondered what was in all the pipes and tanks. 

Soon we were out in the countryside again, passing along the north side of a town called Northwich.  When he came inside to make a cup of tea, Grizzly pointed out the Lion Salt Works, which is now a museum about the salt industry.  Our human guardians had visited it on a previous trip and said it was very interesting.

'We can't stop there today, bears,' Grizzly told us.  'We're on our way to the River Weaver.'

'Do we have to go through more locks?' asked Hanley Bear.

'Wait and see!' said Grizzly.

Soon we moored again and Polar brought our basket in from the cratch, just in case naughty human cubs tried to bearnap us.  Polar and Grizzly left the boat for a little while.  We thought they might have gone shopping again so read some more of our small bear library books.  

They were soon back, however and, when the engine started, we dashed back to the cratch to see where we were going.  Uppie made a sharp turn under a bridge and suddenly, right in front of us, we saw the strangest thing.  The canal went out over a valley far below on what looked like a wide metal aqueduct, except it was blocked by a metal gate.  Beyond the gate was a funny metal structure with lots of cogs and wheels.

'Polar must have made a wrong turn,' said Endon Bear.  'This looks like another sort of factory.'

But he was wrong.  This was the Anderton Boat lift - our way down onto the River Weaver.  As we watched, the gate in front of us was lifted out of the water and Uppie chugged forward, underneath it and into what looked rather like a metal lock chamber, wide enough for two boats.

'Polar and Grizzly will get dripped on as they go under the gate,' chuckled Hanley Bear.  'While we are nice and dry!'

'They will be wet anyway,' I said.  'It's raining.'

A little while later, we heard clunking and swishing noises and guessed they had closed the gate behind us.  We expected the water level to start falling after that, as it does when you are in a lock.  Instead, the whole chamber shook slightly, as if it was starting to move.  Hanley Bear stopped laughing and looked anxious.  Little Endon Bear held my paw and whimpered slightly.  I tried to be a brave bear but we were definitely moving, even though the boat engine was off and the water level was steady.

'I'm going to ask Grizzly what's happening,' said Hanley Bear.  He jumped down from the basket and raced to the back of the boat.  I gave Endon Bear reassuring hugs and looked forwards, as a big industrial building came into view ahead of us.

Suddenly, Hanley Bear rushed back, leaping back into our basket with a big smile on his face.  'It's brilliant, duck!' he cheered.  'This is a boat lift.  We're in a big metal bath, called a casson, and we're being lowered down to the river, while there's another casson balancing us coming up on the left.  Here it is!'

We looked out of the side panel and, just as Hanley had said, there was a huge metal box passing us, going up.

'Wow!' cried Endon, who had stopped being scared now.

After a few more minutes, everything stopped moving.  We could see the big building across the river very clearly but we couldn't see the river any more, because there were still metal gates between us and the open water.  After more rumbling noises, the one at the front of the casson started to lift and we saw the river properly.  It was much wider than a canal but didn't seem to have much of a current.

'You little bears will need lifejackets out on the river,' I said to Endon and Hanley.  I fetched mine from the top of the settee and put it on.  'Polar and Grizzly always wear theirs on the river.  I'll remind Polar that she needs to make some for you.'

For now, we would all be safe in our bear basket as we sailed out of the boat lift and onto the river.