Drakeholes Visitor Mooring to Retford and Worksop Boating Club
Cycling and cricket to keep up to date with, so a slow start with Mick sat in front of the TV with his breakfast. Tilly was given a couple of hours, then once she was back inside and just about everything caught up with we were ready to be on the move again.
There was a white covering on the water when we’d arrived yesterday, now a white powder was dusted over Oleanna, she may get a sluice down with canal water in the next day or two. Today, willows leant into the canal, I’m sure Mick will have had to limbo under them.
I’d considered cutting corners on my walk through villages along our way, but I decided to keep that for the way back downstream, but then I might actually decide to be on the boat coming back. I passed a couple of chaps sat on a bench, their pace was much slower than mine, but they’d catch up with me later.
C&RT work boats sat round a bend where new piling and back filling has been happening. The swans round here must have healthy appetites!
After nearly an hour I arrived under the bridge at Retford and Worksop Boat Club. Here I had a sit down to wait for Oleanna and a chance to catch up on some blog reading, Sue you hadn’t mentioned about your submersion in your email! Hope the bruises are fading.
Some chaps came along, one had to be Dave this week’s warden. I introduced myself and found out where our mooring would be for the next few days, he’d be along later to sort out power for us.
The local swan family came to say hello, nine cygnets! We seem to be seeing far larger broods reaching adult size this year. As Mick brought Oleanna round under the bridge they escorted her round to the service mooring.
A top up of fresh water and disposal of the yellow required. We managed to get the water tank filling, but failed with the yellow water, the swans were adamant that we’d give them some bread and intimidated the undoing of the cap on the off side gunnel! I tried to distract them to the stern, but as soon as Micks hand appeared out through the bathroom porthole they’d turn back towards him. We’d try later, anyway the two walkers were now sat having their pack up and it would have been rude to share the yellow water aroma with them.
A good chat with the chaps, how far we could travel, they like walking the canals. Once they’d hired a boat on the broads, but apparently they got pulled over by the police for speeding!
Dave had given us options on moorings. We’d opted for the end one, furthest away from the road for Tilly. Gaps along the way would have had us nose to tail with other boats, but at the end we had space to breath, a picnic table, ripe blackberries and a view over a golden field. The swans soon got bored with us, so we could complete our chores and then once we were plugged in we were short of nothing we’ve got.
0 locks, 3.4 miles, 1 boater up to date on cycling, 2 cricket matches, 59 brisk minutes, 2 swans, 9 cygnets, 1 mooring, 1 boat hooked up, 1 load washing, 4 hours shore leave, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
