Lyra's Travels

Wednesday 8th May 2013
Last night we checked the weather forecast and it said that a 20% chance of rain would start around 10.00, rising to 60% by around 1.00pm.
As usual it was the proverbial pack of lies. We were ready to go by about 8.30, and the rain started. We had planned to run up to Drakeholes Tunnel where there is a 24 hour C&RT mooring with a power hookup. The lock keeper at West Stockwith had sold us a card for this very purpose. Our hope was to do two wash loads using the hookup.
We ploughed through the rain, stopping at the Retford & Worksop Boat Club to dump rubbish and a can, and then continued through improving weather to the mooring. Pulling up to the power pole I had a look at it to see where to put the card. Nowhere! Just a keypad.
A call to the C&RT office was no use at all. The first person I spoke to said that the pole was for permanent moorers. This is a 24 hour visitor mooring! When pressed she tried to pass the call to someone else, but that person wasn't available. Finally I did get through to someone who said that it was for winter moorers and a trip boat! There is no trip boat that I know of, and the guide does state that power is available, so what's going on?
It turns out that C&RT are modifying their power poles to a keypad system, but cannot give out the pin numbers. It would be a good idea to at least tell their lock keepers that the system has changed to stop us from buying useless cards. They say we should get pin numbers in the fulness of time. But what about now?
Who is making a fortune out of modifying these power hookups? Why?
I'd like to know.