The view from our bed this morning.

As discussed with Craig (Lock Keeper at Cromwell) yesterday we called Keadby this morning before getting ready to set off. We had already made a good guess as to conditions on the canal there as we’d woken to a frost some 30 miles further south accompanied by a wonderful sunrise.

The north was frozen, about half an inch thick today with more minus temperatures forecast for tonight. The other news we weren’t aware of was that C&RT had moored all their dredging hoppers on the visitor moorings above the lock, so even if we could get up in the lock and through the road bridge there would be nowhere for us to moor. So we decided to postpone our Tidal cruise, called Sean at the lock here in Cromwell and cancelled our booking for today. Here at Cromwell we can stay hooked up to power, the sun rises and warms the water points in the morning, so a better place to wait than at Torksey in the shaded cutting.

We should have been going out of view to the left but instead sit behind the lock to the right

Instead of getting chilled at the back of the boat in the sunshine with winds of up to 20 mph we walked to the nearest shop for a newspaper instead, a three mile round trip to Cromwell Service Station on the A1. On route we stopped off to say hello to Sean, today’s Lock Keeper and discuss the tides over the coming week. Mick had been studying tide times and come to the conclusion that passage would be possible (tides wise) up to next Saturday when they would be too late in the day to get in at Keadby. Sean confirmed this. If conditions didn’t improve then we’d have another full week to wait before the times were favourable again.

The lane to the A1

Our walk was a sunny one, no dragonflies as when we last walked the lane. Gradually the noise from the A1 takes over and as we turned the bend to climb up the incline to the bridge to cross it we tried to say good morning to a lady walking her dog, we think she replied but no one could hear anything other than the traffic.

A1 and the newspaper shop just in sight

Hiding!

Snowdrops

The other side of the bridge brings you past a farm where cows stood in a muddy barn and a wooded section was filled with snowdrops, a lovely sight.

Fast people filling up

The chilled medication would last us a while

Cromwell Services were busy, only two of our Saturday newspaper left, but that was okay by us. Inside we had a look around in case we end up being at Cromwell for a while. No milk unless you want it in tea or coffee, no bread unless it comes with a filling wrapped in plastic. If we get stranded then we’ll be eating a lot of crisps and chocolate. Our friends from NB Large Marge were once stuck at Cromwell for a while and they ran out of ideas for meals due to what was available. We should be able to last a couple of weeks, but no milk or fresh veg and fruit would get to us. If it got to that then we’d head back up stream to Newark for fresh supplies.

The Old A1

Signs of the old A1

On our way back we walked along a section of what used to be the A1 before it bypassed Cromwell village. Here there is a speed detector, we were only managing 3 mph!

During the afternoon more washing was done, three episodes of The Victorian House Arts and Crafts whilst I carried on with my balaclava, by the end of the evening it was complete. Now our cruising welfare has been looked after I can get back to my commissions.

Last week I posted about a Boaters Toilet survey that Kate Saffin has put together. So far 1000 people have filled it out which is brilliant. However as there are 35,000 boats on the network she is hoping to try to get 10% of all boaters to fill it out. If she can get 4000 responses then C&RT will have to listen to her findings.

So if you own a boat or a share in a boat, are planning to buy a boat, or have a new one built, take holidays on boat and dream of owning one, one day… then this survey is for you!

Please could I ask other bloggers to share this link on their blog to help get as many responses as possible. The findings will hopefully help to improve services around the network for all of us, no matter what toilet you have/will have on board.

The Great Big Boating Bog Survey

If you are interested in the findings from the survey then follow its progress on facebook here

Facebook Great Big Boating Bog Survey