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Monday 14th October 2013
The weather forecast for the day was a right mixture of rain and showers. For a change they didn't get it too wrong.
We got up at just gone 8 this morning. It was raining a bit, but it soon stopped. There was even a hint of blue in the sky.
This prompted us to take the chance, cast off and head for Leeds. The plan was to keep going and see what happens.
The first three locks were on the Aire & Calder from Stanley Ferry to Castleford. Just a little light shower here, nothing to put you off.
As we turned the corning at Castleford on to the Aire, the sky was looking quite threatening and Cath nagged me into putting the full wet gear on. Boy, was I glad of that!
We had a bit of luck at Lemonroyd Lock, there was a keeper in the box and as we approached he gave us the green light. That's the first time we've ever been let through that lock. At Woodlesford Lock the heavens opened and poor Cath hadn't taken a waterproof with her to operate it. She got a bit damp.
The next lock, Fishpond, she did 'gear up', and it was worth it. Nostropp Fall appeared and it wasn't looking too threatening so once again she didn't take her raincoat. Yes, it started tipping down just as the lock emptied and she was opening the gates. By the time I could get stopped in the lock and in a position to hand her the coat she was well wet.
It stopped again for the time it took to get to Leeds Lock, but that ended as we pulled in to the service pontoon so we could throw some rubbish. Luckily it gave warning so that she could put the coat on again. It chucked it down from then until we were actually tied up back on our mooring here in Clarence Dock.
We are now tied up, plugged in, and snug.
The blog will be sparse now for a while, but I hope to add some words on my attempt to change the Vetus seal on our propellor shaft some time soon.