When we got back I discovered that we had a leak from the roof in the engine room, and it seemed most likely that it was coming in where the phone aerial was so it was out with the silicon next day. By Thursday 22nd we were in Todmorden and Friday we went for another long walk up the top again, but we were back in time to greet Lyn and Mike who arrived about 2.00pm. As a trial M & I slept in the engine room to see how it was……a bit tight but at least we know we can sleep 3 couples. We had a lovely weekend with them and visited Hebden Bridge but unfortunately they had to leave us on 
Sunday morning but not before we’d had a cooked breakfast. Then we did another lovely walk up to Hardcastle Crags and Gibson Mill which is N.T 
We spent 3 days in Hebden Bridge doing yet more lovely walks then moved on to Mytholmroyd for yet more. Meanwhile the next boat problem seems to be looming. I have rope cutter fixed on the shaft just behind the propeller and it has 2 nylon bearings which when worn create a clicking sound as the two parts start to touch each other. I did try and see what was required to change them with the aid off a pringle tin with cling film over the end, but the water was to murky. The previous owner had told me about this and said it is best to take the boat out of the water to change them but that he had done it through the weed hatch but it was not to be recommended. By Saturday 31st we were in Luddenden Foot ready to do Tuel lock at Sowerby Bridge which was then just a short trip away. 
This lock is the deepest lock on the entire canal system at 19’ 6”. It used to be 2 locks but they were combined into 1 when the canal was restored back in 1996. It is operated by a lock keeper because it so deep, and a couple of weeks ago it was closed for a week while they organised temporary pumps because of the water shortage. Straight out of that lock we had to go through a tunnel, under a couple of roads, that had a 90 degree bend in it but it turned out to be quite easy to navigate. Two more locks straight after that and we were off the Rochdale Canal after spending 2 ½ weeks on it. Our next problem were the locks on the Calder & Hebble Canal which we were then on, as they are only 57’6” long, and as we are 60’ we knew it was going to be a bit tricky but we really didn’t want to turn round and go back via Manchester. They are 14’ wide locks so the trick is to take the fore and aft fenders off and go in one at a time diagonally. The first 2 are the shortest and we did those by 
going in backwards thus gaining an extra couple of inches with the curved bow on the lock cill. Another oddity with this canal was the way some of the paddles are operated with a spike, which is just a 3ft long piece of 3x2 hardwood and tapered at one end, (see photo ). 
On Tues 3rd August as the water was much clearer I decided to attack the rope cutter on the prop through the weed hatch. With a lot of care and bits of string (in case of dropped tools etc) and aching back and knees I managed to removed one half so that it didn’t make a noise anymore. I also found that one of the bearings had disappeared completely causing too much play and hence the clicking noise. On Wednesday we had arrange to meet my cousin Rosy, who lives in Pudsey, whom we had not seen for about 20 years. They drove over and met us for lunch in a pub near Dewsbury and then we took them for a short trip before they left for home. During this trip the end of the boat hook snapped off but luckily the metal end stayed stuck in the lock gate that I was pushing so I was able to retrieve it and refix to a slightly shorter pole. Thursday saw us finishing the Calder & Hebble 
and begin the Aire & Calder which in contrast to the short locks had locks of 20’ wide and 200’ long which were all electric. M broke another 15” off the 
newly repaired boat hook and we also put the fenders back on. Friday we arrived at Castleford and we ended up with a route change. We had spoken to a lady that had just come off the River Ouse from York. She said it was horrible, very messy and she even saw a dead cow floating in it. Also the tidal flow was quite bad and she couldn’t wait to get off it. We spoke to the lock keeper about tide timings and he said we would have to be at Selby Lock ( that takes you on to the Ouse) for 6.00am on the Monday. After that there was at least 3 days of higher than usual spring tides and the lock would be closed and we might not be able to come back until the 16th or 17th. 
As we were due to have my nephew Michael and his to lads for a week and then Amy and Co for a week straight after we thought it best not to venture out on to a fast flowing river. The new plan was to go up the Leeds & Liverpool on the section that was not closed and go up to Skipton instead. On Saturday 7th we said goodbye to Sue and Clive who also were not going to York but instead going down the River Trent to Lincoln on the River Witham. By 4.45pm we were moored in the centre of Leeds. On Sunday we arrived at Rodley by 1.30pm and waited for Michael to arrive which he did by 2.00pm. Michael had brought 2 life jackets and a service pack for the rope cutter that I had ordered and in the evening I tried to fit the new bearings, but alas I failed. Monday we didn’t move until 12.30pm as I had another go at the rope cutter and after 2 hours I finally succeeded, (much cheaper than taking the boat out of the water). Another boat problem solved. We had a great week with Michael and co 
and arrived at Skipton on Thursday afternoon, but by then the next boat problem had manifest itself. The generator was playing up and kept stopping, the first time was in the middle of making a loaf. The next loaf proved a problem and
we had to finish it off in the oven. Mike and the boys were leaving us on Friday and so Mike borrowed a bike and cycled back to Rodley to
get the car while we went up to Skipton woods with Charlie and the boys. I had arranged to take Charlie to the vets for his annual jabs and had to leave before Mike left us, as it took hi a lot longer than he thought to cycle back to the car. Once I had got back we set off back to Bingley 
to meet Amy & Co who were due on Saturday afternoon. When we came to do some washing the same thing was happening just as we needed to get all the washing up to date before Amy came. The generator seemed to be over heating so we just managed to get one load done by doing it in stages and letting it cool down in between.With Amy & co safely aboard we turned and headed back to Skipton. They all stayed with us on Sat & Sun then on Monday 16th they took the girls back to the cottage that they had rented ( it being decided that having Emmy Lottie and Jago
on board for a whole week was too much). The plan was to swop Jago for Lottie for a couple of nights on Wednesday and do the Bingley 5 rise with them all We took the opportunity to order another couple of bags of dog food and get them sent to Amy’s cottage. By this time I had found the problem on the generator and also got the new water pump impellor sent to her as well.
