Wednesday 5th September 2012

We had a quiet night at Stainforth and set off about 8.33 with a lock and several swing/lift bridges to do.

Bramwith Lock is a strange one, a double chamber, hand operated. I suppose the double chamber allows longer boats where needed.
Turning on to the main line heading north we started the bridges, they're all powered, so no muscle needed. Here we joined a plastic boat and they opened the first bridge for us, in the usual style we did the next, but on reaching the third, Kirkhouse Green Lift Bridge, we hit a snag They got to it but when they tried to open it all that happened was that the road warning lights started to flash, then nothing. Unfortunately at that point it won't let you have your key back and you can't stop the lights. So, while we waited for help someone had to stay on the road and tell the traffic that the lights didn't mean anything.
By the time rescue arrived we had amassed quite a flotilla of boats. The next lock was a big one and took all the boats on one go. The last bridge was ours to open so we ended up tail end as we finished the South Yorkshire Navigations and turned onto the Aire and Calder. The convoy broke up here and some moored up, some turned for Goole and two of us headed west. We travelled as far as Pollington Lock and have moored here for the night and have been joined here by Geoff and Margaret on Seyella, who we shared to trip down the Trent with.

Tuesday 4th September 2012

Being a bit unfair maybe, but Keadby seems to be the end of the world. I took a wander around last night and there didn't appear to be anything there except the lock and some marine services.
About 1/4 of mile along the canal from our mooring there is a railway bridge across the canal. In the book it's marked as a "sliding bridge". it's the noisiest thing you can imagine when a train goes over it. Although it was a fair way from us, whenever one of the long freight trains crossed it there was an almighty clang, clang, clang sound that seemed to carry a huge distance.
When we got to it this morning I was intrigued to find out how it worked, but unfortunately I couldn't get to watch it because I had to move the boat fairly smartly so as not to hold up any trains. I did see though, that it definitely does appear to slide back into itself. I was also surprised to see a house next to the track. How anyone could live with that noise I don't know.
This place is full of surprises, as well as that interesting sliding bridge I've seen several manned level crossings. I thought they had all gone.
We're on the Stainforth and Keadby canal, part of the South Yorkshire Navigations. For the most part it is straight line boring, linked by the occasional corner. But at least you can see over the banks. This time of year the scenery isn't that inspiring, the fields are mostly hay bales and the trees haven't turned to colours yet.
We've moved down as far as Stainforth and moored up for the night. I took a walk into town, it appeared pretty dead, but when I asked someone local about shopping I was pointed to a shopping centre about a mile out of the village which appeared to be quite thriving, there's even a small Asda.

Monday 3rd September 2012

This morning dawned bright, just as promised for a change. There were three of us preparing to head down river this morning, 2 of us to Keadby and the third was stopping at West Stockwith. The lock keeper had advised us that between 10.30 and 10.45 was the best time to start our journey. This would would put us pushing against the incoming tide for around the first hour, then, as the tide turned we would be riding ebb flow.
At about 10.45 we headed into the river. As expected, the early going was a bit slow against the tide. At high speed cruising revs we were only making about 3mph. After about an hour, the incoming flow eased and our speed over the ground increased steadily. About an hour later we were flying along at 8mph.
The river was at its best today, and we couldn't have wished for better weather as we cruised along under clear sky and only a gentle breeze.
By the time we reached the M180 bridge over the river, our landmark to call the Keadby lock keeper with about 2.5 miles to run, we were bang on time.
Luckily, the boat we were with was experienced with how to enter this lock. It's tricky. Heading downstream, as we were, you first had to pass the lock entrance, and then wind so that you're heading into the flow of water. Then you must move in close to the wall and fight the current as you creep forward. At the last second you turn hard to get your bow into the lock. Luck was with us and we made it perfectly. The lock keeper reckons it's not often he gets two boats that come in without hitting one of the sides.
We're now moored up just past the lock for the night. Tomorrow it looks like we'll be facing a lot of swing and lift bridges.
On a note of interest we once again came across something that has me intrigued, the maps call them "mooring dolphins". I was expecting to find something that floated, but no, they're just like large fencing to moor against. Why are they called dolphins?

Mooring dolphin?

Heading into the river

Not to be argued with

West Stockwith power station

What a carpet of weed we faced once off the river

Saturday 1st September 2012
We set off from Cromwell Lock, accompanying RAGGED ROY. The trip took us just under 3 hours, and the charts we got from Roy were very useful.
Arriving at Torksey, Roy went straight into the ready lock while we winded and moored up on the tidal river.
Our plan had been to spend tonight here at Torksey, then move on to Gainsborough for Sunday night, and finally on to Keadby Monday.
Talking to the Cromwell lock keeper this morning things changed. The tides are presently in spring mode, and this means there is a chance of an aegir, the local name for a tidal bore. With this a possibility, we were advised that Gainsborough was not an ideal place to moor up. After seeing the pictures of what happens to the floating pontoons as the bore passes I can understand the warning!
It looks now as if we'll spend tomorrow here and then run up to Keadby on Monday. Once again on the lock keepers advice, we will set off about 10.45 for the approximately 4 1/2 hour trip in order to reach Keadby at the right tide time to get into the lock.

Friday 31st August 2012
Hazelford Lock let us through at just gone 9.30 this morning. We were joined by Ragged Roy, another narrow boat for the journey. he's heading for Torksey so we'll stay together until then.
Our next stop was for Newark Town Lock at Newark on Trent. This is a lovely place, we've been before but would like to stop again. Not so this time, as we want to get home to Leeds, this time it's only a bit of shopping and then off again though Newark Nether Lock, heading for Cromwell Lock.
At Cromwell the moorings are full, so we breasted up to Ragged Roy for the night. He's very kindly lent us his Trent Navigation Charts to photo copy, they look very helpful.
The lock keeper tells us the best time to leave tomorrow is between 10 and 11 o'clock so hopefully we'll get to Torksey in plenty of time to find an overnight mooring.
The Trent around here is lovely (when it isn't raining). In today's sunshine with no wind it was glorious.

Thursday 30th August 2012
Just gone 08.00 this morning we set off from our mooring in Nottingham heading for the first lock. We did notice that the only 48 hour moorings were the ones very close to the supermarket. The rest, and there are quite a few of them, are 14 days. For a city mooring that was unusual. 
The second lock is where there are services and we dumped a can and some rubbish before going through to rejoin the river. These are new services, when we were here before they were on the other side of the water. Sad to relate though, the showers already had a notice on them "out of commission due to vandalism". 
On the river I was pleased with our speed, we seemed to be making about 6-7 mph towards the first large river lock. Here we joined a convoy of about 6 other boats heading our way. A big contrast to the last time we were here 6 years ago when we were the only boat into all the locks.
My pleasure at our speed was soon taking a knock. We were the last boat out of the lock, and were soon being left behind. Increasing the revs to keep up with them my satellite speedo was showing 8mph, positively flying, but we felt that we should keep up so as not to hold up the next lock.
The weather was once again deteriorating, the wind got up and was whipping up white horses on the river. There was the occasional flurry of rain, but not a huge deluge. If it wasn't for the weather this would be a pleasant trip because, unlike the Severn, you can see over the banks to open countryside. All you need is sunshine.
Our intention had been to get to Gunthorpe and moor up for the night, but when we got there all the mooring was taken so we pressed on to Hazelford Lock, hoping to find some there. luckily we did and we're now tied up ready to take the first cycle of the lock at about 9.30 tomorrow morning, so we'll get a lie in.

Wednesday 29th August 2012
With one wary eye on the weather forecast we decided to get an early start, get to Nottingham, shop and then see what the sky was doing.
We got going before 8.00 o'clock and were only about 5 minutes down the canal before the first drops were falling. it didn't amount to much, thankfully, but tried several times during the trip.
Once we got near the city we found a good spot to moor up, not too far from the local Sainsbury's, and an open view of the sky to see the satellite. Most of the mooring around here is enclosed by trees so we were lucky there.
Just after tying up the rain started in earnest, so we grabbed our brollys and set out to make a raid on the supermarket.
With that finished, we trundled back to the boat and put everything away. It looks as if the weatherman was right and it's set in for the day so we'll stay here and see what tomorrow brings.