With a lovely day bringing in spring we had to cruise somewhere. Tilly was allowed out whilst we had breakfast, but came home on time so that we could make ready.

Lovely day for a cruise

Just as we dropped the clean pram hood a C&RT boat cruised past towards the lock. We were uncertain as to whether both boats would fit in the lock at once, I walked ahead and left Mick to bring Oleanna. The chap with the key of power waved us in as their big boat nudged up, plenty of room!

New crane

Sharing Pollington Lock

A shiny brand new crane had been fitted onto the boat, they had been to Goole to get it fitted and were now heading back to Heck where there is a big C&RT yard.

Ferrybridge ahead

Once up they pulled over and let us past. No coats required today, sun, sun, sun. Ahead of us Ferrybridge cooling towers, just to the right Eggborough and now just behind us Drax, the only one left generating. 

Pollington Hall

As we passed South Yorkshire Boat Club a 1970’s cruiser was pulling out and fell in line behind us.  One of those with a sliding roof, perfect for a day like today.

Approaching Whitley Lock we pulled in at the end of the visitor moorings, hoping that the noise from the M62 wouldn’t be too much. A low rumble in the background, it was acceptable.

The doors opened and our little thug went off to explore, the steep sided drain covered in duck weed did give me slight cause for concern. But if she got in there she’d have a better chance of getting out by herself than with one of us trying to help!

Fields of fun across the drain

After lunch Mick walked up to the bins with a bit of rubbish, still plenty more which we’ll off load when we go through the lock tomorrow. Tilly had been gone just a little bit too long, so I had to do my mad cat woman calls. It took a while for me to get a response from her, but when I did I could see her on the other side of the drain! Well there were trees over there and tallish grasses which looked much better. No idea if she’d jumped across or if she’d found the footpath with it’s bridge. Making sure she knew about the bridge to get back I was a lot happier about the drain.

Late morning C&RT notices had started to come through. At 11:30 Thornes and Wakefield Flood locks had been opened and within another half hour the hole of the navigation was open again the levels now in Amber. Checking the webcam in York the pavement was visible again and a chap was busy spraying the silt back into the river to tidy things up for the tourists. By the evening  people were sat out on chairs watching the river go by.

Thinking of Christmas

Our summer chairs were dug out from under the bed as it was such a lovely afternoon. Mick pottered with the MPPT controller, he lengthened the time that the system is in absorption mode. I sat out and read through the script for this years Chipping Norton panto, Puss In Boots. The sun must have shone so brightly out of my bum last year that I’ve been asked back. This year I’ll be absorbing myself in anything 1960’s East End. A very amusing read, the fisherman across the way kept giving me looks. 

Tilly also busied herself by bringing friends home. One was a playmate. Tilly was removed inside so that it could make it’s escape, but it seemed reluctant to. I offered to lend it a hand, but I must have been very scary as it decided to leap into the canal. Luckily there was a ledge, with the aid of Mick being more scary than me and a plant pot I managed to catch it and set it free in the friendly cover to dry off. 

This evening we’ve been deciding which way to go. In past years when we’ve planned on heading south to the Kennet and Avon Canal, we’ve always ended up going north. We seem to be doing this again! Selby, York, Ripon? Over the top on the Rochdale? Decisions decisions decisions!

At 9am on the 6th March we had a C&RT notice come through informing us that the flood locks along the Aire and Calder had been closed due to rising waters. The level at Ferrybridge at that time was around 0.5m. It had risen quickly from a level of about 0.15m over night. So far they have not updated the notice, the level being at 0.9m this evening it’s no surprise. It’s slowly going down, but now we have an idea of how low it will need to get before the gates are opened again. This of course doesn’t mean that the river is necessarily closed, the level markers are likely to reach amber before the locks are opened. 

With this in mind we decided to stay put for another day, there was the cratch cover to clean! 

In the afternoon we went for a walk into the village to see what we could find. Walking through the farm yard from Swing bridge 3 we were watched by the cows in the shed.

When we reached the main road we turned left thinking that there might be more to look at in that direction.

Most houses were newish, boiler flues instead of chimneys. Across from the village hall was a stall outside Lock Farm. Bunches of daffodils, rhubarb and eggs for sale. We picked up a box of eggs, but left the rhubarb for others, not our favourite! 

A big notice on the side of the hall told us some of the history of the village. There had been an RAF base RAF Snaith (called this to avoid confusion with RAF Pocklington). After the war the buildings on the site became an open prison. By 1957 the camp became a borstal, the young inmates helping to clear up the airfield. 

Pollington Olympics were held for several years from the 1970’s. A torch processed around the village, races, vegetable competitions and floats, a usual village fete. Football, tennis and cricket have had grounds in the village. A fairly normal village which started off life as a settlement around farms and now houses people who commute to work.

There used to be a row of shops and three pubs, only one pub remains The King’s Head. The George and Dragon still stands proud on a corner. This was once the Greatest Pub in Britain according to Radio 2, but in 2009 it turned into an Indian Restaurant and sometime since the information boards were put up it has become a house.

Walking back along the canal by the lock we peered into the little sheds. On one side of the lock is a diesel generator, presumably used if normal power is cut to the lock. On the other side you can see the hydraulics just waiting for someone to press the buttons.

The lock has four pairs of gates. Normally the bottom two sets are used, but when longer vessels pass through the lock can be lengthened. This can only happen with the god of all Keys of Power which only C&RT staff have.

By the bottom gates are two large white metal things. Does anybody know what they were for other than growing weeds in?

Tomorrow we’ll assess the rivers and see how we feel, hopefully we’ll move on a touch.

As far as we know the flood gates are still closed at Ferrybridge, here at Pollington is possibly the nicest mooring along this stretch, even if Tilly doesn’t agree! The water tap being close did also have something to do with staying put today.

As we got up we stripped the bed and lifted the mattress for a good airing. The winds now having subsided to a reasonable breeze we could open windows again. At times last week the air inside the cabin felt like we’d already used it five times over, so it was nice to have fresh air again. 

With bedding hung out on the whirligig, making the most of some sunshine and a breeze, more washing was put on.

Each piece had a soaking and scrub on both sides, the picnic bench a suitable height to rest on (although you have to be careful not to leave your cover with lines from the slats). Once scrubbed they got a good rinse on both sides before being put back onto the pram frame to dry.

The cratch cover maybe should have been done aswell today, but I’d had enough of scrubbing so we packed up. 

River levels are still high, the Ouse seems to have peeked and is on it’s way down again. It rose to nearly the top of the life buoy. The Aire is slowly going down, maybe in a couple of days we’ll be able to get through Ferrybridge.

With the weather calming down we decided we’d make a move today. Having been in Goole for almost two weeks now a change of scenery was much needed.

Mick got the bike out and cycled to Tescos to stock up on milk, bread and some green veg to go with our roast tonight. He also got a Sunday newspaper to make up for not getting our usual yesterday.

Checking the river levels after the weekends storm means we won’t be going too far for a few days even if the forecast is looking a lot drier. The Ouse in York is on the rise again, getting higher than last week so we won’t be heading that way.

Just gone midday we undid the macrame, managing to swap ropes back to their normal places and pushed off. Not a totally calm day the bow moved out by itself. When we’d moored we’d winded so that any lapping waves would hit the stern and not keep us awake, a good decision, but it meant we needed to wind again.

Mick backed up a touch to get a better position and then motored Oleanna round at speed, the wind trying to push us back into Goole. But with determination Oleanna made it round and we were on our way waving goodbye to the docks.

A head wind isn’t that pleasant when cruising, but putting our hoods up we forged onwards, so glad to moving again.

Four of the desperado sheep were still cutting the grass as we passed, maybe they are the local Fountains team!

The three mile straight kept coming, all the time windy but when we got under the M62 bridge things got a hole lot rougher. Waves with white horses whipped up at our bow. Blimey that wind! Even Oleanna looked a touch pensive. So glad we’d not tried this a few days ago!! There was a mile of this relentless gale until we turned the 90 degrees bend and instead of us being pushed to the side the wind calmed down a touch.

Sykehouse Reservoir was busy. A grumble of fishermen, hunkered over their poles filled one side of the water. Four windsurfers were making fast work in the breeze, experts at turning swiftly, we only saw one of them take a tumble into the water.

Only a glance down the New Junction Canal today, we were heading straight on towards Pollington, glad it was only a half hour away. The wind was now steady and waves met our bow all the way. Ahead the amber light at the lock waited for us, but instead we pulled in at the end of the visitor moorings, closest to the water point.

The hoses were connected (one didn’t quite reach) and the water tank filled as we had some lunch. We’d moved at last, pootled our way through a head wind for eight miles. A new view, water just there what more could we want.

There has been quite a bit of cutting back alongside the moorings. The nearest trees are across the drain that runs along side. The drain is quite full of water and far too wide for four little black and white legs to spring over. 

Our trip to York was still on the cards, just not by boat sadly. We’ve stayed in Goole to be near the train station to make our trip easier today. 

Only very slightly damp at the edges we caught a train first to Doncaster (retracing our cruise from a couple of weeks ago from Sheffield) and then back over Doncaster Lock to York. The lock each time was empty, no sign of Exol Pride, the River Don did however look really quite full.

Back in York, my home town, we caught a bus out to the East Campus of York University. The bar walls turning yellow with the daffodils and the River Ouse level with the banks. A Dutch Barge was moored up at Kings Staith and a narrowboat was clinging onto a trip boat pontoon, one of the few floating pontoons in York.

At the University we walked down through the new campus to the Ron Coke Hub which faces out onto a lake in true York University fashion. Here we joined a couple of hundred people all brought together for the memorial of Professor John D Currey, father of my oldest friend Nick. John had been one of the founders of York University’s Biology Department back in the 1964. Back then they were based on Micklegate as the campus out in Heslington was being built.

It was a chance to catch up with Nick’s family, not having seen his siblings for decades. Tea and cake was followed by us all filing into a lecture hall where we heard memories of John through his academic life, family life and his many interests. A full and varied life.

Mick had only met John once for about five minutes, but by the end of today he felt he knew a lot more about the man. The title to the blog today is what John would say to his students as they hunted for good results whilst looking though microscopes at particles of bone. I’d always known John was a lecturer at the university, but to me he was more Nick’s dad who wore socks and sandles whilst riding his bike to and from the university in between orienteering weekends.

I also got chance to catch up with an old family friend Diana who I’ve kept in touch with since we sold my Dad’s house, it was nice to see her properly today.

Nick had complied a display of photographs and in a room to the side a 3D slide show, which summed John up. A lovely celebration of his life. 

The trains were a little bit more awkward returning to Goole. Here we opted to have a curry on our way home. However we changed our minds and decided to get a takeaway instead and get a taxi back to the boat. The chap serving said they’d be able to give us a lift, so we ordered and then waited. He came out from the back with an order, but it wasn’t for us and disappeared to do a delivery. Our food then came out from the kitchen, only to be returned there to keep warm for quarter of an hour. 

Eventually our driver returned and our food brought out again. With just over a mile to go we warned him of the speed bumps on Albert Street which he coped with, but when a big puddle showed itself he didn’t want to go any further. Fair enough, the lift thing had always been a bit fractious with them even though he was the one who offered! We’d have been better off eating in and then walking back to the boat. The food was good, just a shame it wasn’t a bit hotter.

Disappointed at not being able to spend a few days in York we considered heading that way still. But with river levels on the rise again today we are thinking again. The flood sirens were sounded in Todmorden today as the River Calder rose, this is where the river flooded and swept away parts of the Rochdale Canal a few years ago, this is our preferred route over the Pennines!

Yet another windy day. Mick today asked where all the air is going to and when will we run out of it? We must have had all the air possible blow past us in the last week or so!

Mick headed off to Boyes on a bike to buy some engine oil. The price in Boyes is good, but just a long way to transport it back to the boat. Luckily we have a sturdy pannier for the front of the Brompton which is big enough for 2 5L bottles. He also went to both marinas in the hunt for filters. The Beta rep had been yesterday trying to persuade them into stocking them, but nobody apparently asks for them!

Some of the sketches I did after my trip to Huddersfield for the Separate Doors 3 project, have now been chosen for the report. Two will need extra work as they will be for the front and back covers. These will be in colour, so more work is needed on them.

The boxes and sewing machine are too big for the hole!

When I’d finished making my panto model last year everything had been packed away and stowed under the dinette in the corner. Since then we’ve been to Sheffield and had an extra support added to that end of the seating. Kris positioned the support so that it wouldn’t foul the freezer, but it’s position means its in the way to get my work boxes out, the gap now being too small for the boxes to slide out through! I tried this way and that, in the end I had to pull the freezer right out on it’s drawer which gave me enough space to slide the boxes out. A bit of a phaff, but it’s only every now and then that I need my work things.

As I sat down to see what else needed adding to my sketches Mick got on with various chores. Cleaning the u bend of the bathroom sink and removing the build up of my hair from the shower trap. He then removed the shower head and put it in some descaler for ten minutes. The difference is that you now stand in a torrent of water instead of it going in all directions but the one towards you.

Report covers 1 and 2 colored, 3 still to be coloured in

My sketches went away after a couple of hours. The front cover consists of 12 heads, mostly recognisable in pencil. I would normally now do an ink line, rub out the pencil and then use watercolours. But I’m worried I’ll end up loosing everyone. So I had a go without the ink, over the pencil on another drawing. I’m not convinced, so some more thought is needed before I launch myself at the front cover properly.

The rivers are all still too high for us to escape, but we’re hoping that next week things will improve, the winds drop and we’ll be able to get moving again.

? MPH past moored boats!

One person moved here today, a jet ski! It seems that canoes are not the only ones who can go as fast as they like on canals. I pitied those moored on the visitor moorings as he zigzagged his way and swooped to turn. Past us there are miles of water he could play on without any boats, but he had to play on our stretch. Luckily he was gone after half an hour.

Another windy day, at times it actually felt more windy than when Gareth came through. Exol Pride set off at 7am, it’ll be hard work going upstream, but easier than going downstream. Hope they got through the Don Doors before they were closed due to rising waters.

We kept ourselves occupied with a cooked breakfast then I got on with some form filling. The wind kept blowing, but the sun was out. Of course by the time I’d finished my task the heavens opened delaying our walk into town. The advantage of the wind was that the rain blew through quite quickly.

The docks were very choppy, we’d just missed a boat coming up Ocean Lock and we could just see it’s bow reversing through one of the swing bridges at the far end. If only we’d left half an hour earlier! Clinging onto our hats we walked our way around the docks, over the lock gates and around to look at the river. 

Ducking out from the wind we went to see what Goole Museum had to offer. In rooms above the library the museum is small, but interesting. An exhibition of African Stories in Hull and East Yorkshire gave stories from the slavery trade up to more modern times. Chaps who’d been lion tamers, those who served in the World Wars, families that settled in the area. A lot of words to read. At the far end of the room an artist had made masks, treating them all in a similar way with decorations and verdigris.

One room is filled with boat portraits. Reuben Chappell was a pier head artist painting portraits of the merchant ships coming to and fro from the docks around Britain. He was possibly the last such artist, but with over 12,000 paintings he was most probably the most prolific. He would sketch the ships as they docked, return to his studio where he had backgrounds already painted and add the ships. His customers could be leaving on the next tide, so he had to work quickly.

Photographs of the streets in days gone by are on wide window sills so you can compare the view to what it once was like. Models of ships fill a whole wall and then donations from the community fill other displays, a section of a hairdressers and a lads bedroom. 

Large hand tinted photographs of Goole, part of the Grayburn Collection cover the corridor and staircase walls.These caught our attention the most. Navigation House which once stood where Ocean Lock gates are now, tom puddings waiting to empty their coal into ships. 

An old map showed that where Goole Boathouse Marina is now used to be a Timber pond and standing where Viking Marina is was a Cock Boat Pond (a small rowing boat often pulled behind a larger ship or used to ferry goods from ship to shore) with an Alum works close by. Our current mooring got covered with railway sidings. Old Maps online has given me plenty more maps to look at of the area all very interesting

From 1892 to 1953 where you can see how things changed for them to build Ocean Lock in 1937.

We fought our way back to Oleanna into the headwind. By late evening it had started to calm down, but it’s due to come back again tomorrow.

Not as bumpy last night as it could have been. The wind still buffeted us about no end with the occasional downpour. Both of us managed to sleep quite well, the new macrame worked a treat.

With the wind still going for it Tilly was grounded for much of the day. She tends to stay away a little bit too long when it’s windy, we think she looses her scent trail home. That is not the case at all! I always know where home is. There are just far too many things moving that all need investigating.

Later in the afternoon her winging at the back door got the better of us and we relented.

Early afternoon our delivery arrived, the van being able to park up right outside the boat. Sadly there were a few items not available but we’d already had an email about them. No loose parsnips, I had ticked that they could substitute these. Which they had done, with Leeks! These went back, but as I unpacked I came across a bag of parsnips, which hadn’t made it to our receipt! So more than I wanted and free. Tomorrow we’ll brave the wind and walk to Tesco for the missing bits.

Today we were originally planning on heading up the Tidal Ouse to Naburn, this we’d cancelled several days ago. Checking levels and webcams today the Ouse was doing what it does well at this time of year. 

The No Entry sign outside the Lowther has been submerged above the white line on occasions, luckily not today. 

Checking levels on the Aire, there would be no doubt that it would be in the red today. It may well be above the red level marker as it’s currently 8ft higher than an average height.

We’ll not be escaping for a while yet.

Wet, windy and rainy … what’s new! We’re getting used to this weather now.

Tilly wasn’t impressed though, it took quite some time for her to get out of the back doors and across to the trees this morning. But once there she kept herself busy, returning only for ‘Thank you for coming home’ treats and to leave her muddy paw marks everywhere!

Our thoughts turned to stocking up. From our mooring it is getting on for a mile and a half walk to Tescos, then the same back with heavy bags. With high winds and Storm Gareth (The Dark Lord) on his way we decided on a delivery. There is a track that comes right alongside the mooring and so long as the driver keeps going he’ll get to us. So we spent quite a bit of today putting together our shopping list. Enough supplies to see us to the end of the week.

River levels surrounding us are still not good. We may be on a stretch of canal, but which ever way we go we have to go onto a river to get to more of the canal network. The Ouse, The Aire, The Don or The Trent are our captors or seen another way our means of escape. 

Whilst topping up the tank we also wanted to dispose of our mountain of rubbish. I wonder how often the bin here gets emptied? We’d normally have kept hold of our rubbish, but space on board was starting to run out, so we added to the biffa bin mountain. 

As we pushed off to return back to our mooring the wind started to pick up. It was manageable  but boy it was cold. Mick decided to redesign his macrame and swapped ropes around. Being able to get ropes back to Oleanna meant he could tie them off tighter, spring lines added too. We felt a lot more secure and less likely to move around biffing the side.

As the evening has progressed the wind has built up. I’m glad Mick has perfected our mooring lines, just hope the chap behind us on his little cruiser is okay.

This morning we had a phone call from the Lock Keeper at Naburn, this is the lock that takes you off the tidal River Ouse onto the reach that passes through the city. He was calling to inform us that the river was up and that the moorings at Naburn were under water. We’d already guessed as much and with the Aire having levelled out over night at 3ft higher than a week ago we wouldn’t be getting to Selby in time anyway. Mick chatted to the chap and cancelled our booking. Selby currently is unmanned, but a Lockie would have been there on Wednesday for us, now there is no need.

A shame as we really wanted to take Oleanna to York. It’s where I was born overlooking the Ouse in Fulford, my home til the age of 22 and where Mick worked for 14 years. We still have lots of friends in the area and it is also the closest we can get Oleanna to Scarborough to be able to catch up with folk there. But when the Ouse floods it’s best to respect it and stay away. The floods now are nothing compared to what it can get like, but the flows would be strong, moorings under water and we’d constantly be checking on our ropes as there are no floating pontoons in the centre of York. Our trip by boat will have to wait until next time we’re near.

Mick headed off to catch a train this morning leaving Tilly and myself in the sunshine. What a lovely day to not be cruising. No rain all day, it may be the only good day for the rest of the week, oh well.

Once Tilly had returned from one of her numerous visits to the trees to annoy the local bird life, I locked up the boat and went for a walk. Yesterday on Vessel Finder we could see six boats in the docks, so that is where I headed, not hard as just about anywhere from the moorings takes you through the docks.

I got to the end of Albert Street and turned right and headed for Ocean Lock. Last night must have been busy, as today I could count nine ships.

It seemed that Friendship S was having to wait in line behind another ship to be unloaded as it was moored up against the walkway to the lock.

Cranes and trucks were busy moving goods around all over the place. 

From the lock gates I could see that the tide was quite high out on the river. We haven’t been able to work out when boats come through the locks, whether it’s at high tide or low. Some days it’s just as the tide turns that ships head out towards the Humber, other times it’s towards low water. No ships looked like they were getting ready to leave but I headed to see what could be seen from north of the locks.

Here a flood bank blocks your view somewhat, but the houses behind it are grateful as they seemed to be siting a touch lower than the water on the river. Climbing to the top I could see where the entrance to Ocean and Victoria Locks were. No boat movements visible.

Here the Goole Sailor Memorial sits, behind a high fence and gates. Those who died in service during the two World Wars are commemorated here over looking the Ouse.

A windmill stands close to the flood bank in Shuffleton. George Heron owned the mill in 1870, the sails removed in 1893 and the original mill was rebuilt in 1912. Every year the Shuffleton Feast took place on the river foreshore. The highlight of which was to climb a greased pole to try to win a large ham that was stuck to the top of it.

My walk towards the shops took me along terraced streets. Some of the houses double fronted standing out from those around them. Sadly I haven’t been able to find any information on them.

I collected a few bits of shopping and returned to Oleanna. We now had a neighbour a small cruiser, the owner having headed out for supplies. Boats were on the move today, making use of the dry day. A cruiser passed and then DB Dolly Earle came past waving as he headed to breast up with a widebeam by the water point.

This evening we’ve enjoyed a  chicken and sweet potato pie covered with my latest batch of puff pastry. It’s so nice to be able to enjoy a pie again and this one we’ll be having again as it was very tasty. With the VHF radio on we listened to three of the ships leaving through Ocean Lock and the approach of Exol Pride who had to stem the tide and wait it’s turn. Wonder when she will head up the canal as the River Don is high again.