I opted to walk ahead again today, covering the same route up to Bank Dole Junction that I’d walked a few days ago. Then onwards crossing over Trundles Lane Bridge turning left to walk along the towpath towards Ferrybridge. A lady walked her three dogs, all pretty strong. Other dogs made a beeline for them, smaller dogs barking and straining on their leads for blood! Just what was it about these woofers to cause such a fuss?
Freda’s garden is an immaculate length of the towpath. Roses, Lilies, shrubs all very pretty and cared for by the community in Freda’s memory Freda used to live in a cottage by the canal and she treated the stretch of towpath between Cow Lane Bridge and Shepherds Bridge as if it were her own garden, it is now tended by volunteers in her memory.
Hello!
As I approached the flour mill Oleanna was catching me up, Mick knocked back the revs to accompany my pace. Boats were moored by the amphitheatre, rope added to old mooring ring fixings to make this possible.
The path up high
The path then moves to on top of the bank, a narrow strip of land separating the canal from the River Aire with it’s weir. The flood lock would be open today, so I’d arranged to be picked up just before it, my brisk minutes done for the day.
Ferry Bridge
Out onto the River Aire, under Ferry Bridge designed by John Carr in 1797. This reach of the river used to be interesting, but since the cooling towers of Ferrybridge Power Station were demolished it’s just another river with willow trees exploding their seeds everywhere, the air thick with them.
Someone has tried to add a bit of interest by building a wooden structure, possibly for a tree house or just a good place to launch oneself into the river. Under the A1M, the railway bridge. Then Bulholme Railway Bridge came into view, the lock off the river just beyond it.
Key of Power in hand I emptied the lock, a cruiser was getting ready to come down, so the lady pressed the buttons at the top end for us. Now to find a mooring.
The bank is high here
We didn’t want to be too far along and be near the permanent moorings as the boats there tend to run their gennies late, very late at night. So we were pleased to see plenty of space nearer the lock to tie up to. Tilly got to have an explore, her second outside of the day, before we headed out to do a bit of shopping in Cas (Castleford).
The nearby Premier shop didn’t have anything for my lunches, todays special had been a foot long hot dog, so we had to carry on into town to the supermarkets. Morrisons did it’s best for us and a red onion was purchased off a green grocer. We made sure we crossed the river on the curvy bridge so we’d get some respite from the cars.
Curvy
On our way back to the boat we called in at what we’ve always thought was a garden centre. They had a Thyme plant, my old one bought from a boat had finally died last year. There was also a big bag of kindling which Mick picked up. They also sell a LOT of booze, kegs of beer and bottles of all sorts of flavoured spirits.
This afternoon I went through CV’s of potential props makers and put the top six in order of preference. Then I started to collect reference pictures for Panto. Set in 1890’s France I had a lot to look through on Pinterest and set up a board to look at later.
Just by the dry dock a pretty car
2 locks, 1 open, 8.2 miles, 1 left, 0 cooling towers, 1 lovely garden, 2 outsides, 1 pooped cat, 1 sunny day again, 1 thyme plant, £6 bag of kindling, 1 heat wave now guaranteed to continue, 1 PA catch up, 6 possibles, 6.43 miles walked, 53 minutes briskly, 1 warm chicken salad.
Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal to Stubbs Bridge, Aire and Calder Navigation
Shore leave was granted this morning for 90 minutes. 90 BRILLIANT!!! As we finished breakfast Tilly got a call from the hatch, this was shortly followed by me putting on my shoes to do the mad cat woman up and down the towpath. Yesterday we’d been joined by NB Ampere so I even had witnesses to my calling into the friendly cover.
We’re seeing lots of big broods this year
After five minutes or so I thought I heard Tilly’s bell. It gradually worked towards me and she popped out from between the nettles. You said 90! It’s no where near 90 hours yet!! She reluctantly headed towards Oleanna, her moves suggesting that if I didn’t grab hold of her soon then we’d be waiting for quite sometime whilst she decided whether to use shore based facilities or not! Thankfully I managed to pick her up quickly without too much of a Rugby tackle, the onboard facilities used quite promptly and would have ended up being her choice anyway.
Lots of egg shells and skeletal remains on the towpath
I clicked the Nebo link to on and then headed off to walk ahead with the key of power in my pocket. Along the New Junction to the bridge over the Went Aqueduct then along the towpath towards Pollington Lock. Back in December 2020 or January 2021 Mick and I walked the last stretch of this trying to get to see the slipped banking that happened after the big breach on the Aire and Calder. A pleasant walk with only a couple of slight bends, no sign of Oleanna following me though until I’d got quite close to the lock.
Lots of flowers on the banks
Two boats were just coming into the lock, three people wearing life jackets walked from one end of the lock to the other, there were volunteers on duty. The area around the lock always looks smart so I suspect they spend most of their time cutting the grass etc, but today they were being kept busy with boats.
Pollington Lock, mob handed today
The bywash pushed the exiting boats towards the towpath, not enough umph applied, where as Mick knew what was coming so upped the revs and zoomed through into the lock.
I’d achieved my brisk walking for the day, but was short on steps, however over the last couple of days my right calf has been complaining, I think after trying to open Beal Lock, so I decided that that would be it for today, leaving some stretches of the Aire and Calder yet to be walked.
Different surfaces and textures around lock gates
No volunteers at Whitley Lock, Mick hovered in the lock so the paddle held him to the side, it’s a side filler and if you stay on the left hand side going up it’s easy. On past Eggborough moorings, the same boat still moored here. We are getting to recognise the local boats that nudge up and down the Aire and Calder and wonder if we’ll be considered to be one of them in the coming weeks.
Whitley Lock
We pulled in a little earlier than we had done the other day, managing to find rods in the chunky armco to use chains to moor up. Tilly was given 4 HOURS shore leave. The roof here was a very good vantage point, but before I could make the most of it I had to make sure everything on the roof was still mine. Strange noises of cat scratching came from the roof as Tilly made sure that pesky grey cat’s scent was eradicated from everything.
Lists time
Work wise I worked through my annotated script adding my notes to a list, from this I now know where each scene is set, what it requires set pieces wise and whether it is a front cloth scene or full stage scene. Some of the scenes may reuse the setting from an earlier scene, but they also may require different bits and bobs of dressing.
Yesterday outside the Houses of Parliament
The campaign cruise left West India Dock this morning and most probably split three ways, some back in at Limehouse, others Brentford and the rest up to Teddington to head up stream on the Thames. Petition if you still haven’t signed it.
2 locks, 8.2 miles, 2.98 miles walked, 48 minutes briskly, 2 outsides, 1 cat who only works in hours, 1 mad cat woman, 5 pages notes, 2 scenic breakdown, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Spicers Auctioneers to Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal
Was it a cat last night or the ghost of one?
With the washing drawer now empty and socks and pants fully dried in the tumble drier we could move on. First to the water point to fill with clean water, empty the yellow and put our first food waste into the new bins. A bag of coal was also purchased from the marina.
As I sat waiting for the tank to fill I watched social media following the campaign boats now out on the River Thames. So many boats had moored at Limehouse Basin last night there were quite a few lockings required. Once outside the Houses of Parliament the boats winded and stemmed the tide waiting for 11am when all 27 boats sounded their horns. King Charles went past them on an Uber Boat, he was there to look at the new super sewer really. They then all headed back down stream to West India Dock where they all fitted into the one lock to get off the tidal waters.
Boats all gathered in Limehouse Basin ready for the off
We winded again and headed down to Viking Marina service mooring. Here we pulled alongside NB Felix that was having some work done by Alastair to it’s gear box. The diesel tank was topped up, not quite to the top, when it reached 100 litres the pump stopped automatically, 89p a litre. We were actually a day early tomorrow the price will go down to 82p with the next delivery. A bottle of gas was manhandled along the gunnels to the bow, we were all topped up and ready to go again.
A sailing ship
Ahead in the docks were a couple of new boats. One looked a touch strange and a bit too tall! Amadeus Saffir is a modern boat, built last year, with a wind-assist system, basically it has sails to help reduce it’s fuel consumption further than it’s diesel-electric propulsion can. An interesting boat.
Off Roader about to pass Oleanna
Time to head off. I hitched a ride to Rawcliffe where I jumped off behind Syntan to walk the remainder of the way to Sykehouse Junction and the New Junction Canal. Mick headed off at usual cruising speed along these deep wide waterways, far quicker than I could walk, so he soon vanished into the distance after passing Off Roader that was on it’s return trip from Leeds. As it approached the anglers all shouted to each other to grab their keep nets, otherwise their catch would be dragged away from them as the big boat passed.
Not much grass growing
The area where the bank has been mended seriously needs a good water to help the grass grow. A nice aspect for a mooring, just a shame the M18 was audible and the cooling towers of Drax were just out of view.
As I approached the houses by Beaver Bridge a security system sprung into action. A loud BEEP then the camera with two flashing white lights followed my every move along the towpath. I wonder whether it caught me pausing for a quite a while at the bridge.
Look at these beauties
Here a pair of (I think) juvenile Peacocks were just as interested in me as I was them. Where had they come from? We’ve passed a barge with a peacock on it’s roof before at Rawcliffe and there is a peacock farm in Holme on Spalding Moor, but surely that’s too far away for them to have escaped from. All the same they kept me captivated for quite a while.
Chocka block
A big fishing match was taking place at the reservoir, anglers crammed in next to each other. As I turned onto the New Junction Mick messaged me saying Tilly was coming to find me. Well I was obviously too scary and she ran away back to Oleanna despite me calling for her. Hey ho! She did go back out and enjoyed much of her four hours, in fact she needed quite a bit of encouragement to come home!
I’d planned to go through the panto script again today making lists, but emails came through from John (writer/director) with various notes about the show and then a long list of people who have applied to be props maker this year. Sadly the wonderful Jo can’t give enough time to the show anymore, I knew this was likely as we’d chatted last year, so I wasn’t surprised. So now I need to go through CVs to see who should be considered. There is one name I know in the pile, but would they be the best person for the job?
This evening I’ve tried out a new gluten free pasta recipe, I made up a lasagne which we haven’t had for ages. A third each instead of half proved to be ample portions, one third left over for a working girl when she’s on her own.
0 locks, 6.6 miles, 2 winds, 1 left, 25kg coal, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 100 litres diesel, 1 gas bottle, 0 Alfie, 4.28 miles walked, 71 minutes briskly, 2 sails, 6 prop makers, 3 emails, 0 notes, 4 hours shore leave, no you can’t give this mooring yet another stamp of approval Tilly!
At around 2am I was woken by a noise. The sort of noise that Tilly occasionally creates when she pears out of the bathroom porthole and moves the glass a little and it clinks against the frame. There was no Tilly curled up on the bed with me, maybe she was peeking out of the porthole. I went to see what was happening asking her to keep the noise down.
She was curled up on the sofa, nowhere near the porthole.
The lights at the auctioneers are really quite bright, I’d considered putting a bung in the bathroom porthole but hadn’t got round to it. I could see the shadow of a figure sat outside. I peeked round the glass just how Tilly does.
Sat staring straight at me was a smoky grey cat. I said hello, it didn’t reply. It leant forward and tried to open the window again, no luck. It peered over it’s shoulder then back at me. I closed the window expecting it to run away, but no it just sat there.
“Sorry Tilly’s not coming out to play tonight, she doesn’t like cats“, I said. It still didn’t reply. I closed the porthole and put the bung in, that should stop it from trying to break in again.
Across the docks
A walk after breakfast for some supplies. Down to Ocean Lock, across the top gates then into town. A stop off at Boyes to see if they had a caddy for our food waste, they did. Then on to Morrisons for the rest of of the shopping and some suitable liners for the caddy. Goole has the first food waste bin we’ve seen, (CRT is introducing better recycling across the network) so we need to start doing our bit, not that we didn’t before. Just need to find somewhere in the small galley to keep the caddy!
A small caddy in a small galley
An email came from John Terry at Chippy regarding a scene in panto with a link to show what was meant. When reading the script yesterday I’d got a little confused at a scene in Act 2, things seemed to jump, then jump back. A previous version of the scene had somehow got mixed into the pdf I’d been sent. By lunchtime I had a tidied up version of the script 10 pages shorter. John had been in a rush to get a script to me before last weekend. Time to sit down and re-read the script this time highlighting bits as I went on the computer, I’ll print it out later.
Hope the slate floor survives!
Mick arrived back from Scarborough, the next stage of works completed at the house and an annual check up at the doctors all done. He was told he needed to be quiet as I still had more to read, this time it making a lot more sense, well as much as a Panto ever does!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 train, 1 new caddy, 1 rucksack not zipped up properly, 0 shopping lost, phew! 1 cat burglar, 1 sleeping guard cat, version 1.2 of panto read and noted, 2 ships, 4.12 miles walked, 65 minutes briskly.
Tilly was allowed some more shore leave as we had breakfast, She could have taken the full 90 minutes, but chose to come in a while before it elapsed, the doors did not reopen. Overnight the laptop had finished doing what it had been doing for over 24 hours and thankfully all the folders and photos had synced too!
Yesterday the temperature had dropped, today it came accompanied by quite a head wind as we moved off. Blimey oh riley it was perishing out there! Extra layers had been donned but really weren’t enough, I looked forward to getting back inside to be by the stove.
Approaching Whitley Lock
At Whitley Lock we’d just been beaten by the crew from a small cruiser, he’d not seen us approaching and had just started to drop the full lock for his boat. Oh well. I asked how far they were going today, he said ‘we’re aiming to get to Manchester’. He did know that would be impossible to achieve today! He wasn’t sure which route they’d be taking, although the Leeds Liverpool is the only route across the Pennines that is currently open.
Anglers as far as the eye could see
By the time I’d penned them up another boat was arriving below so I could hop onboard and let the next crew operate the lock for us. It seemed to be getting colder as the morning continued, a little jig was required to keep from getting frost bite or so it seemed. Along the next three miles or so, anglers lined the banks, a chilly pass time for this Bank Holiday Monday.
Off Roader the new working barge on the Aire and Calder
At Pollington Lock a lady beat me to the top lock panel, she opened the full lock for us. Below there were two boats waiting to come up, a narrowboat just appearing in the distance and the huge Off Roader Commercial Barge moored up on the lower lock landing. I opted to get back onboard and travel down with Oleanna, resting my key of power.
A lovely little boat waiting to go up
A cruiser was clinging onto the side of Off Roader just where the strong bywash wanted to send us. Mick had to seriously up the revs to avoid any possibility of contact.
The rifle range was very busy, we could hear them from miles away. Zooming in, there seemed to be crowds lining up to shoot guns, not an obvious choice for a Bank Holiday Monday for us. At Sykehouse Reservoir windsurfers zoomed across the lake with the force of the wind.
NORF!
Straight on for us today, round the corner to face Drax Power Station. This is normally a sight we see at the end of our boating year, but it’s far from that now.
Syntan
Heading towards Rawcliffe we could see quite a big boat approaching us. Was this Syntan, one of the Beverley Barges? I’d spotted on their Facebook group that they have moved their boats to Rawcliffe as the River Hull is currently closed due to collapsing banks. They must have sneaked past the banks to have got to the Aire and Calder. They are running boat trips for members from Goole throughout May. To become a member is only £10 which includes a ride on Syntan, we may consider joining.
Hard to recognise under all the layers
As we passed we waved and had our photo taken. Hang on, did we know the chap at the helm? Jeremy used to be the Production Manager at Watford Palace Theatre when I worked there many moons ago. He’s lived in Beverley for some years now and I knew he was connected to the barges. We last saw him at Lizzie’s 50th last year. I waved even more, but then Mick pointed out that he’d have no chance of seeing who we were due to all our layers!
They came into Goole to wind later, I wasn’t quick enough to say hello.
On into Goole. Where to moor? We ended up opting for a paid for mooring outside what used to be the Waterways Museum, now Spicers Auctioneers. The office was closed but word was to pay in the pub at the marina, £15 a night including electric. The stove could be allowed to go out and the Alde boiler could take over the heating whilst plugged in, the washing machine could also go on too.
Mick packed a bag, another trip to Scarborough tonight. We walked into town, Mick to the station and me to Tescos for something to eat this evening.
Back on board it was time to do some work. Whilst this lot prints itself out I’m going to take you back to the beginning of February when I received a two sentence email.
How was life without a panto?! Would you be interested in discussing this coming winter’s show, or was life better without?
When this arrived we were on our way back from visiting boat painters in Cheshire. Mick immediately and rightly reeled off the cons for doing panto again. The way it takes over both our lives for months and me being away for four to five weeks during rehearsals were the main ones. On my next walk I thought about it. I realised I’d been hoping such an email would land, but did I want to do panto again?
If it was possible to get the show designed earlier in the year, that would free up more time for boating in the summer. The first few years of working on Panto we were living onboard full time so Oleanna was on the South Oxford Canal, meaning I could return home at weekends. Maybe this would make sense to do again and then work our way back north around stoppages to reach the boat painters at New Year (rivers dependant). This would mean Oleanna could be lifted out, saving us some money on our CRT licence until she’s been painted. Also being there a few months before our slot means we might be able to be painted earlier if someone gets stuck because of flooding.
We don’t like leaving the house unoccupied during the winter, but if we can get some actors from the Christmas show in Scarborough that would be perfectly timed. In the last month we’ve already got one of our favourite actresses booked in! Just need another to bring the plan fully together.
With building work happening at the house over the next couple of months, we’ll have quite a few days where we won’t be cruising. So instead I can spend days working, spread out in the boat, whilst Mick is at the house overseeing things.
So, I have obviously said yes to Chippy Panto.
So today I started work. Time to read the script for Beauty and The Beast. Tilly wasn’t too enthralled so decided to empty the washing drawer instead! Thanks Tilly! It took me until 10pm to read through the first draft of the script.
On work days I’m wanting to concentrate on working, so we get to enjoy full days boating when we can. I’m hoping to still post everyday, but they may well be short posts, we’ll see. I’m aware that some of our readers now attend Chippy Panto on an annual basis, who knows more may go this year too, so I’ll do my best not to post too many spoilers.
2 locks, 14.7 miles, 1 straight on, 24567 anglers, 1 bitter day, 2 many layers, 4 sails, £15 a night, 0.75 of water, 1 load washing, 1 train, 3.29 miles walked, 43 brisk minutes, 1st reading of 128 pages, 1 panto out of the bag, 1 model box still in the cupboard, 1 Indian meal for 1, 1 bored cat, 1 woofer in Panto, 0 cats in Panto, She should have turned it down!
Haddelsey Flood Lock, River Aire to Stubbs Bridge, Aire and Calder Navigation
Possible contestants for Race Across The Earth, Spiders Lairs, Richard’s President Elect and Pocket Cameras were the subjects of discussion this morning in the Geraghty zoom. As we chatted away to the family the first boat came past, NB Tetheys who’d been moored on the other side of the lock last night, we’d be seeing them later.
As we were rolling up the covers, layered up against the wintery weather that greeted us a second boat came past, NB Wrights on Water, we’d been moored next to them in York a few days ago, they weren’t keen on the weather today.
We followed on soon after them, knowing we’d have a locking partner. Round and round the bends of the River Aire to reach Beal Lock. Here there was activity, I hopped off the bow and went to see what was happening as Mick hovered in the river. A boat was currently in the lock, the lock almost empty, however the amount of water bubbling up from beneath the top gates was stopping the lock from equalising. The crew had tried refilling the lock, opening the top gate and prop washing the cill. A log had bobbed up, they thought that was the problem, but it wasn’t.
Swapping after opening the bottom gate
We tried four of us on the heavy gate, it wouldn’t budge. Mick brought Oleanna up to gently add extra umph to the situation. The gate moved and eventually with four bums and a boat we got the bottom gate to open enough for the levels to equalise. The lady from NB Tetheys was still there, she’d had a bit of difficulty, but nowhere hear as much as this.
Boats swapped positions and we were on our way up with NB Wrights on Water. They opted to moor up for the day above the lock, the wind too chilling to make cruising pleasant, we carried on, still in need of covering more miles today. It was chilly and a touch damp out on the river, I think if we’d not wanted to be somewhere in a few days we’d most probably have stopped too.
No problems at Bank Dole Lock today
At Bank Dole Lock we arrived as NB Tethey’s were making their way up the lock. They were heading the same direction as us, but stopping off for some shopping first. The lady had checked out on line if Knottingley was a nice place to stop, what there was to do etc. Well her opinion wasn’t good, she pointed out the bonfires on the lock side and the small amount of broken glass. My thought was that they’d most probably never been through some parts of Birmingham and certainly hadn’t done the Rochdale 9!
We took our turn next, The top paddles sending out a plume of water, Oleanna was kept well back and the water helped keep her to the side without too much effort.
Left please!
Now I’d considered walking some of the next stretch, turning left at the junction and heading to the east. However neither of us quite believed that there would be a towpath running alongside what used to be Kellingley Colliery, so I stayed on board. Soon it was obvious that we were wrong and our map was correct, there was a path, it’s just we’ve always been too busy looking beyond it to see it.
A couple of boats were moored up along this stretch, possible ease of getting a car close to your boat an attraction. As we passed the main colliery sight I could hear what I thought might be a generator. Two men stopped close to a car with it’s boot open part way across the site, just what were they doing?
This looks GREAT!!!!
A thought of having lunch on the go was put on hold as Mick decided to pull over and see if we could moor soon after Stubbs Bridge. We got into the side easily and found the bank peppered with mooring spike holes. Plenty of friendly cover to keep Tilly occupied for the afternoon.
Solar farm near our mooring
After lunch I walked back to the junction along the well trodden path. Fence panels that were installed to keep nosy parkers out of the demolished colliery site have long since been moved and bent out of the way. I could still hear the generator so went in to see what the chaps were up to.
Mining for coal again
No generator, but two hand held pneumatic drills. They were drilling for coal. Shovels alongside them and a pile of already filled bags stood by a wall ready to load into the 4×4. When I returned they and the coal had gone, small piles of slag evident where they’d been.
The walk was an interesting one, industrial, over grown and covered in Hawthorn which now covers the landscape. Mostly the path was walkable, under one bridge someone had left some bricks as stepping stones and in another place it heads away from the canal alongside a drain by the solar farm. It was still interesting.
Can you spot us?
The lap top had been left on all night and all day, still processing whatever. Still quite annoying as none of my folders/photos would sink with OneDrive. It’s a good job I publish the blog a few days out of sink with ourselves.
New Walk, York to Haddlesey Flood Lock, River Aire
As we laid in bed with our morning cuppas we could feel Oleanna moving, no sign of a boat anywhere, it had to be the effect of a speedy boat’s bow wave. A few minutes later one of the big trip boats came motoring past at great speed totally empty. This was to be todays River Bus and it’s first pick up was most probably at Naburn Lock.
Picking up passengers from campsites on it’s way back into the city
Soon after breakfast we pushed off, winding and headed down stream. This stretch of river now feels like we live here, so it was time to put some distance between us and it. The River Bus was on it’s way back up stream, having picked up from at least two campsites by the river already, at least it was doing a more reasonable speed now!
The old railway bridge at Naburn
A cruiser just beat us to the water point above Naburn Lock, Mick laid out our hoses to show intent another boat sat between us and the tap, we’d be sharing the trip down the Tidal Ouse with this boat today. Kenny , the Lockie, said he’d open the lock at 12:15 and he’d set us off down stream around 12:45. Water topped up, rubbish disposed of, yellow water sorted we were ready and waiting as the top gates opened up for us.
Goodbye Naburn see you in a few weeks time
Mick discussed who would go first with the other boat, we’d lead the way, apparently we’d be faster, we weren’t sure about this, but led the way from the lock. From Naburn you punch the incoming tide for what feels like an absolute age. We’d been warned that a boat was coming towards us and sure enough they came round a bend leisurely at speed as we fought our way.
After a short while we started to meet a lot of detritus in the river. You expect it on the Ouse, but today there just seemed to be so much of it. A constant flow of branches, rafts of twigs, it was a whole floating forest. It kept on coming mile after mile of it. Mick did his best to avoid it all, the cruiser generally following us. Maybe this is why they wanted to be behind us, we’d part a way through it all for them. Trying to avoid it meant sticking to the edges, hoping there was enough depth. Then cutting right across the stream of it all to find more water before we were forced into the bank.
At the water ski club two boats were being put into the river. How would they cope with everything in the water? I’d certainly not want to be on a ski being dragged through all this stuff! Well to be honest I’d not want to be on a water ski in the first place. Onwards we battled, weaving our way slowly forwards, this is our fourth time of visiting York and we’ve never seen it this bad.
Then from nowhere behind us the two speed boats arrived and over took us. Filled with people and towing no skiers, as soon as they were past us they opened up and soon vanished into the distance leaving us in their wake with trees bobbing up to say hello left right and centre! Thanks guys, this was stressful enough without you adding to it.
More and more detritus
The flow was pretty strong, Mick had upped the revs, we were only managing 2mph, the engine temperature was gradually creeping upwards. I opened a tap in the galley to run off some hot water. The sink steamed away for a good ten minutes. The engine temperature dropped a few degrees. Mick knocked the revs down.
A clearish patch ahead, the cruiser chose it’s moment and passed us. They could go faster than us and now we’d got through the majority of the detritus they cranked on ahead.
Cawood Bridge
Cawood Swing Bridge, manned today, we wonder what they do all day if it doesn’t need to swing for boats? Maybe they have other jobs to do, totally unrelated to the bridge. Now the tide stopped coming towards us, soon it turned and aided us down stream. We were now using fewer revs than when we’d been doing 2mph and we got up to nearly 8mph.
Clearer skies and water
Once round the steep bend and out of all the floating logs we had lunch on the move. The kilometre marks on the banks were moving past much faster now. The river wider, the sun showing itself. We radioed ahead to the lock, Nigel was just penning the cruiser up, he’d be ready for us in ten minutes, perfect.
Under the bridges
Soon we reached the big final bend before Selby. Mick slowed the engine, kept to the middle of the spans of the bridges and then bided his time to come level with the modern flats. Time to turn to face the tide and drift back towards the lock.
A couple of blasts from the bow thruster helped us to turn, then we drifted back to about level with the lock. Nigel stood on the bank chatting to someone. Mick waited until it felt right, then swing the bow round to face the lock, turning up the revs, Nigel pointing to keep going, keep going, into the lock. Job done another perfect entrance.
A carpet of willow fluff
We wanted to get a bit further today, so as soon as I could step off the bow I headed off to work the swing bridge on the canal. The key of power only held up a couple of cars. Onwards, I opted to walk whilst Mick brought Oleanna along. New boats sat on most moorings, including a Mr Whippy boat!
Mr Chilled Medication
Under bridges, some curvy, some narrow to walk. A wide beam had nearly got into the side at Burn Bridge. A boat was at the high mooring, someone must have persevered more than us to removed all the branches. It was warmer now the sun was out and I was striding along. Two boats came past us. How much further? I really could do with a wee. A bridge hole up ahead gave me the opportunity to jump on board, then once I’d added to the yellow water tank I hopped off again to finish walking the Selby Canal in one go.
Curvy bridgeness
Ahh! Of course it’s bank holiday, that’s why all the moorings were full, including the ones at the end of the canal at Haddlesey Flood Lock. Well that’s not strictly true, there was a gap, only 22 paces long and we needed 26! Argh. We’d had enough for the day now and really didn’t want to risk getting to Beal Lock and there being no space there either. A lady stuck her head out from her narrowboat, ‘you won’t fit in there!’ We knew that, Mick was just picking me up. We crossed our fingers that the lock landing for the flood lock would be unoccupied and headed out onto the river.
Strictly speaking we shouldn’t have moored up on the lock landing, but as the flood lock is open at the moment and you can just go straight through it we didn’t feel too bad mooring up for the night. Only one boat came past us after we’d moored up, the cruiser we’d come down the Ouse with, they were hoping to reach Staniland Marina this weekend.
For some reason this evening the laptop has decided to process over 200,000 items! Because it is doing this it won’t sync things and therefor is hiding things that were synced from elsewhere! Very frustrating especially when there are lots of photos to go through. The IT department has looked into it and it seems to be a problem other people are having also. For now we’re leaving the laptop on so that it can continue processing things, it could take up to 56 hours!
Not a bad view for the evening
Apart from the computer it was a quiet evening with a good view along the River Aire, who knew a pipe bridge could actually be picturesque!
Alarms set both in York and Scarborough. When I woke up I wondered if I’d survive the day! My cold now a touch chesty, should I really be beathing in peoples faces at the hospital? I tried ringing for advice, but when I’d only moved one place in the queue I decided I should head for the hospital before ran out of time, if I was turned away so be it.
Bluebell workshop
In Scarborough Mick greeted a chap who’d come to clean the oven, it’s now all sparkling and gleaming for our next lodgers. We’ve decided to get someone in to do this every year rather than Mick spending a whole day doing it. There was also a chap who came to replace the glazing in one of our recently double glazed windows. We’d noticed it was going cloudy when the sun hit it on very cold days. He made himself a workshop in amongst the bluebells of the front garden, I suspect his touch up paint went off quickly. The lean too out the back also needed clearing out, Tilly’s tree and our barbeque were moved and Mick worked his way through washing the towels and bed linen from our last lot of lodgers, an hour on the line and they were dry.
An empty waiting room
At the hospital I wore a mask and awaited my turn in the Ophthalmology Department. Area B, to A, to C, then back to B for a very long wait. In fact I was the last person sat in the waiting room before lunch. The doctor looked deep into my eyes, then added stinging yellow drops. Her comments were that I had no signs of glaucoma and maybe it’s just the way my eyes are that things aren’t totally visible. But my vision is good, very good, even though I know I miss quite a lot on the periphery vision test. I’ve not been discharged, but will have a recall in ten to twelve months, so I’m happy with that.
A Japanese tourist posing in front of the Minster with hat and glasses on she could have been anyone.
In Scarborough today it’s polling day for our new Town Council. Mick went to put crosses in boxes for the both of us. We must remember to reapply for our postal votes next time.
The river was busy with day boats pootling up and down in the sunshine. Tilly was chased by a couple of woofers, one who wanted to follow her onto the boat, so they got short shrift from me.
An hour of engine to charge the batteries up, I suspect if we’d been sat in direct sunlight all day the solar would have done it for us, but I’d rather have a cool boat.
Sunny tree gobos on the New Walk
Thursday. An earlier start for me to beat Frank to the hospital where he had another appointment today, I really didn’t want to miss this one and arrived before most of the staff. My cold was still loitering so it was another morning wearing a mask. There was lots to absorb and questions to ask, then lots to talk about over a cuppa afterwards. We then walked into town where Frank headed off to peruse the vinyl in HMV and I managed to tick off the start to some secret shopping, it’s May and there’s quite a lot of birthdays coming up.
He’s out sailing again
I returned to Oleanna. My PA role for Frank needed to be handed over to the Scarborough PA. Then some knitting in front of a film which kept on being interrupted by the amount of traffic on the river, you could tell it was a Friday of a Bank Holiday weekend, lots of cruisers heading into town.
I think I’ve had enough of this outside now
In Scarborough today our lean to was dismantled (it would have done it itself before too long), and the now exterior walls have all been covered in black plastic to protect them from the elements for a while. It doesn’t half make the back of the house dark! Mick was back a little after 6pm, so tomorrow we can make a move again.
In flotilla news, all the boats are now in London. Those that hadn’t made it through Maida Tunnel are settling themselves in at Little Venice for Cavalcade this weekend. This did mean they had to get the bus round to St Pancras Cruising Club for a Fund Britain’s Waterways do. Two boats had already made it there, the tunnel is still closed, so they may stay there until they head down to Limehouse to muster for the cruise to the Houses of Parliament next week. Other boats will be heading to Brentford to cruise down the Thames, through the barrier then back to Limehouse when the tide suites. Link to petition, please sign it if you haven’t already.
Blue Bridge over the entrance to the River Foss
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 sparkling oven, 1 newly glazed window, 1 clear lean to, 2 appointments, 2 yellow eyes, 10 months, 2 annoying woofers, 37 day boats, 1 M&S sandwich for lunch, 1 dismantled lean to, 6 loads washing dried, 2 PAs, 1 afternoon knitting, 9.31 miles walk over 2 days, 96 minutes briskly over 2 days, 128 pages, 2 boaters ready to move on.
Tilly was given shore leave, she could have most of the day if she wanted it. We settled down and enjoyed poached eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms on toast, oh and some black pudding sneaked in there too, yummy.
Sunny Naburn
Then a phone call made us reconsider our existing plan for the next few days. Mick needed to be at the house, I needed to be at York Hospital for an appointment and now there was another appointment which if I could attend it would be a good thing. We’d planned on staying in Naburn until our booked passage back to Selby. Yesterday I’d taken photos of the bus timetable, only every two hours. If we headed back into York however, we’d both be able to walk to the station and hospital making things much easier. Decision made, we’d be heading back into York.
Next pair finished
We emptied the yellow water into our container and Mick walked it to the elsan hoping to catch the Lock Keeper to check on times for our departure in a few days time. The number of boats that had arrived in the last hour suggested Kenny might be busy penning them all down and sure enough he was.
A second trip to the services proved better timed. Our locking would be at 12:45. Mick also enquired about passage from York to Barmby Lock where you gain access to the River Derwent and the Pocklington Canal. When he’d asked about this in Selby, Nigel had said levels were low, but hopefully by the time we wanted to head that way they would be improved. Kenny however said the Pocklington was now closed until October! Someone had left a paddle up and drained the canal and with little water available to top it up…. well!
Time about to tick away in the breeze
We may need to replan our summer. That is the second waterway we’d hoped to cruise this year closed until October. We need to confer with Graeme and Vicky, if we can get hold of them.
Tilly was encouraged home. It’s good this outside, can we keep it for a while? Sorry!
We untied and pushed off, heading back upstream. We’re getting to know these five or so miles very well! A Kingfisher decided to escort us after we’d passed Bishopthorpe Palace, staying until I’d got a reasonable photo of it.
Hello
Where should we moor? We’d only just pulled away from Museum Gardens and the mooring there has very little shade for the increasing temperatures. Or should we pull in on the rings by Millennium Bridge where the Chilled Medication boat moors during the day, there was lots of spare room there. With the sun out the medication would be flying out of the boat, hardly a good place for Tilly to get shore leave. So a touch further on where there was currently shade, also the rings in the bank were big enough to pass our ropes straight through, so not too much hassle mooring.
I had a slow walk around the block, but my cold meant I fell far short of minutes and steps today. I called into Alligator to see if they had any millet flour, but sadly they didn’t. The lady tried her best to sell me other gf flours or even some bread, but all I wanted was some millet flour to try out some recipes for myself.
Lines in the sky
Mick headed off late afternoon to Scarborough. He caught the train he used to catch when he worked in York 11 years ago, in case any of the regulars were still traveling, but no-one was familiar. Tilly and I had a quiet evening, the boat cooling down after the high temperatures today, I got on with blowing my nose and knitting whilst Tilly got on with her cat naps.
News on the Strawberry Island Cruising Club flotilla to London. All boats have arrived in London, but a fire at Maida Tunnel has split the flotilla in two. Some have remained in Little Venice where Cavalcade is this coming weekend, whilst others are on the Eco Moorings nearer Kings Cross. Here’s hoping the tunnel reopens on Friday so they can all make Cavalcade.
0 locks, 4.9 miles, 1 more river and canal closed this summer, 1 shady mooring, 1 wee tank empty, 2 outsides for Tilly, 1 train, 25 minutes late, 1.98 miles walked, 22 minutes briskly, 1 pair of socks ready for hand delivery, 1 pair of socks finally designed, well 1 more alteration from heel up, 9pm generator stopped, 10pm generator started up but on the move.
Tuesday and the world was that bit quieter. This morning the rowers were from the older end of the spectrum, grey haired and not quite so feisty with their strokes. I was also not so feisty about anything, a sore throat I’d hoped was hay fever was turning into a cold. This meant cancelling our morning coffee meet up with a friend.
Choochoo
Several boats left the moorings, Mick headed off to stock up on Lemsips for me and also pick up a fresh box of tissues. I then set off to pop two pairs of socks in the post. Being just across the river from the main sorting office in York should have made it easy to drop the parcel off, but I stuck to the river bank instead of walking down a path at the back of the building, so ended up walking all the way round under the bar walls, along the road that had been worked on last night to find the post box.
I then headed to have a look at the old station and The Grand Hotel with it’s fab weather vane on top. Round the corner seems to be a small Chinese area, several restaurants and supermarkets. We’d run out of rice paper to make spring rolls so I was keen to replace them. Job done I walked back round the other side of the river to get back to Oleanna.
Leaving Earnest behind
A supermarket delivery arrived at the bottom of Marygate for us, items stowed a bite to eat for lunch. There was no reason to stay put in York for another day so we rolled up the covers, waited for day boats to pass, then pushed off, winding and heading down stream.
As we approached the University Rowing Club moorings we could see that Philli’s smaller boat was end out into the river. Had someone untied it? Well yes, Philli! She was turning it round , so another chance to say hello, have the boat pointed out that we should be able to breast up against when we’re next in York so that we can enjoy a glass or two of wine on Sabrina W.
Millennium Bridge
Another pause to see our house then on past numerous young people who’d been swimming. Archbishops Palace where the flag had returned to the top of it’s flag pole. What a lovely day to be on the river cruising.
Philli pulling round Ryan J
We pulled down the lock cut at Naburn, the floating pontoon by the weir was full. Straight to the water point to fill up and put a load of washing on. We’d survived a full week on one tank of water so really needed a refill.
Fulford Hall with swimmers
Whilst at New Walk, Oleanna had got seriously dripped on by trees, she’d become so sticky. Then with all the silty sand that gets blown about along with bird deposits she needed a wash. Well she didn’t get the full works but a rinse off with river water, twice to get rid of the worst of it, the windows will need a touch more attention when the bank is at a better height.
That’s more like it!
We moved back along the moorings, other boats pulling up for water or to await the lock tomorrow. Time for some quality shore leave for Tilly.
0 locks, 6 miles, 2 winds, 1 pack of papers, 1 bottle soy sauce, 2 pairs socks posted, 1 pair ends woven in, 1 Earnest, 10 lemsips, 1 box tissues, 3.28 miles walked, 34 minutes briskly, 1 owl for company.
