Trent & Mersey Canal - Middlewich Locks

This could easily have been a Promotional Video for Black Prince Narrowboat Holidays rather than a documentary about a flight of locks. Anyroadup, this is short stretch of the Trent and Mersey Canal (Mail Line -- Middlewich to Preston Brook) from King's Lock No 71 to Middlewich Big Lock No 75 (Quite why this last lock is a broad one when every other lock on the Trent and Mersey is narrow we have no idea). And fun and games it was too. While navigating from Lock No 72 to Lock No 73 around the 90 degree left hand bend, I had people from the bank, people from other boats and my crew on the walkie talkie screaming instructions to "STAY RIGHT", "GO THIS WAY", and "GO THAT WAY". I ignored every bugger and powered me way round regardless. I reckon the guy coming out of Lock No 74 should have "Lock Lurched" rather than being led out on a rope. He ended up against the towing path with his crew seeming to think they should push off the pointy end but couldn't reach it. Then came the wonderful sequence of "Give me the boat hook, never mind I'll do the splits and get it myself" and then the young lady, almost treading on her camera, proceeded to use said boat hook, holding it pike like and ran their narrowboat through! We moored for the night just below the Big Lock. I was sitting there, as you do, contemplating the peak of me cap and anticipating dinner, while the good lady wife was black leading the cat, when I was suddenly aware of a mighty and violent jerking. Leaping onto the pointy end, I saw we were being passed by two Alvechurch Narrowboats, side by side, both doing six mph and each determined to prove to the other that they could do seven. By now we had been dragged from our moorings and were in the middle of the cut while the all male, inebriated teenage crews of the speeding boats sprayed each other with water pistols. "I say you fellows do have a care (or words to that effect)" I hollered as their lager fueled but otherwise empty juvenile heads receded into the distance, found the barge pole and managed to get us back to the towing path. I have vague memories of dinner in The Big Lock pub which is a dark, barn like place serving chain pub food at Mayfair prices. The soundtrack was chosen as it seemed to fit in with the wind rustling the leaves on the trees, running water, revving of marine engines and the camera wind smear.