Author Archives: pipandmick

What To Do On A Windy Day. 14th March

Goole

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.
Choppy Docks

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. 
Masks

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.
Tasty and good for you!
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.
A house now a lock
Filling a hold with coal
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. 

Tom Puddings waiting in line

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. 
1892 map
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
1953 with Ocean Lock

From 1892 to 1953 where you can see how things changed for them to build Ocean Lock in 1937.
Mick’s new improved macrame

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.
0 locks, 1 walked over, 0 miles, 1 more (to add to the many) windy day, 0 shore leave, 1 personal statement, 4 boats, 1 reversing, 1 museum, 1 closed market, 1 beef and parsnip stew on the stove, 1 sock finished, 2 Don doors closed.

Rivers Up. 13th March

Goole

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.
Ducks struggling in waves bigger than themselves (not the best photo)
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.
Right to the door

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.
York at 3:30pm today and still rising

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. 
That’ll be in the red then

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.
Paul and a bored cat

We’ll not be escaping for a while yet.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 boaters and 1 cat hunkered down in the wind, 1 delivery, 2 boxes of wine only, 1 new post, 1 guilty, 8ft high, 4 ropes better than 2, 1 new sock nearly finished.

Highlight Of The Day. 12th March

To the water point and back, Goole

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.
Exol Pride fully laden but not going anywhere

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. 
Excitement! A trip to the tap 
Filling up

 With the wind calmer than of late we decided to head across to the water point for a top up before things got worse. Tilly came home when called and we untied all the ropes and pushed off. So exciting to be on the move!

DB Dolly Earle had breasted up to a wide beam just by the water point. So we winded to be able to get our nose in amongst their ropes.

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. 
Over flowing

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.
0 locks, 0.4 miles, 2 winds, 2 outside changes, 1 the same as before, 1 full water tank, 1 rubbish mountain, 1 delivery organised, 2 yarns proving hard to find, 1 perspective new boater chat, 1 commission arrived, 1 pork joint finally finished.

PS Those who get this by email, are they coming through okay? Last week we had reports of a post without photos and tonight one that was just blank.


Three Ships. 10th March

You guessed it Goole


Tilly finding the sun again
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.
Bye then
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 saw three ships
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.
Another two
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.
Timber maybe
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.
Entrance to Ocean Lock almost central, Victoria Dock on the right
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.
Sailor Memorial
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.
Shuffleton Windmill
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.
Quite grand in the middle of a terraced street
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.
Chicken and Sweet Potato pie. Yummy!
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.
 0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 4 bike rides, 5 mile walk, 9 ships, 3 going, 2 coming in, 3 boats moving, 1 sunny day, 1 spoil sport noisy bird, 5 hours.

Hailing Goole. 10th March

Goole

A day to stay inside for most of us. Wind, sun, rain, hail, more wind and more hail! 
Tilly did her best to be outside, but at times the wind was a touch too much for even her.
The hail was avoided by all of us, apart from the bits that bounced off the roof and jumped in under the mushroom vents.
Safe from the hail

The river levels keep rising and falling. I hunted through my old pictures of Bank Dole lock to see if I had one of the levels board there. Gaugemap shows the height difference of the river at Knottingley Lock, but what we don’t know is at what height the river goes into the amber and then the red. I was hoping to make an educated guess if I had photos, but none were to be found. 80cm higher than it had been 5 days ago suggested it would more than likely to be in the red.
Checking the webcam in York showed what we’d expected, the river being full to the brim at King’s Staith again. Every now and then a cruiser shows itself on the moorings outside The Lowther, but they have far more power than a narrowboat.
So for the time being we’ll be staying put. The forecast isn’t too hopeful for the rest of the week with strong winds every day. 
Before

My box set of Inspector Morse was opened. You can watch most Morse episodes in any order as there is little underlying plot story to story. So we chose to watch Death of the Self, mostly because my friend Jane Snowden was in it and she gives Morse a snog!
Big and red!

Late afternoon the hail had dried up and the sun was out. Time to see if my latest creation would fit. Mick offered to kneel on the gas locker and do the honours whilst I directed. It fitted perfectly, just needed to be attached in some way.
Cable ties should hold it

A couple of cable ties to the shackles did the trick. If we could get one in lower that would be better, but that would involve pushing the stern out to get the bow closer to the bank and in this wind … well we might not get the stern back!
Red Nose

So Oleanna now has a Red Nose for Comic Relief on Friday.
Shame nobody except us is likely to see it, but if we don’t go anywhere it won’t end up with mud on it from lock gates. It is a vast improvement from my previous version.
Previous version, too small, but Lillian’s button was at a better height.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 hail storms, 2 lots of thunderous thunder, 1st 4 ply sock needing adjustment, 2nd version started, 1 giant red nose attached, 1 Morse watched, 1 roast chicken for tea.


Next on the needles

Five Winds. 9th March

Goole


Sunny

Sun streamed in through the bathroom porthole this morning, the forecast surely must have been wrong! Tilly headed out for eight hours of shore leave and we settled down to breakfast.
Within what felt like a couple of minutes someone had turned the outside light off and rain was starting to hit Oleanna at a diagonal. The forecast had been fairly accurate. 
Tilly came and went getting damper each time she headed off into the sideways trees, but the rain wasn’t going to put her off today.
For weeks I’ve been moving around a bag containing damp crystals, today was the day they would finally get used. In the bedroom we have several damp traps, some in cupboards, one under the front steps and a couple under the bed. They all needed emptying (some of them quite full) and then topping up with crystals. The hardest one to get to is under our bed in a gap between our underbed drawers. To get to this I have to lift the mattress and slide an arm through the holes cut in the bed base. Reaching just as far as I can to get hold of a small damp trap, which needs to be tilted to come through the hole.
First attempt my elbow got stuck, but before I panicked I managed to work it free. The sliding portion of the base wasn’t quite lined up, so it just needed adjusting so as not to trap me again. The trap was full to the brim with water so I managed to position a cloth to catch any overflow as I tipped it through another hole.
The wind just too much to get round

As the morning progressed so did the build up of wind  and rain. A narrowboat came along, the chap at the helm intent on getting somewhere, keeping his speed up to avoid being blustered around. He passed us, then ten minutes later he had winded and was coming back straight into the wind and rain. There being no visitor moorings free by the boat house he’d returned to join us, or so we thought.
He came past us, winded and looked like he was heading to moor up, but then carried on past us again where he winded another time. Maybe he was trying to moor with his bow facing the wind, keep the lapping of waves to the opposite end of the boat from where he sleeps.
Again he came past us, winded and then tried to wind again, this time the wind really wasn’t going to give him a chance to get the bow round. He let it win and carried on  that bit further to where the canal widened giving him more chance to get round. This time he succeeded and then came in to the bank behind us. Here there is only one bollard of any use, which he managed to get his centre line around. Three spikes were hammered into the ground to tie the rest of his ropes to before he could go inside to dry off.
We hadn’t considered moving today due to the weather. Quite glad that wasn’t us.
Sheep!?!

In the afternoon the sun came back out, the wind still blowing a hoolie, but at least it was brighter. A glance out of the side hatch and there were two sheep. Sheep in Goole?! Hadn’t been expecting them. They looked bedraggled, one with it’s wool clinging on in a few places and bare elsewhere. Then  another four came past, stopping to trim the grass for a while. Desperado sheep, going it alone.
Grazing the towpath

A walk along the towpath later on to stretch our legs meant we caught up with them. Two sat happily in the sideways trees, the other four trimming the towpath, pausing to have a good rub on fencing. 
A satisfying rub
Apart from the wind it was a beautiful day, quite a shame not to be cruising. If we’d have moved off yesterday we’d be on the Aire today where tight bends and the wind would most certainly not have gone together, so we were glad we’d stayed put.
Sunny again
An old rail line leading to the docks

The river levels have been dropping gradually all day, but with the downpour this morning they started to go back up in the evening.

Nearly finished
Who’s been here? They smell funny!

Our booking to head up the River Ouse is on Wednesday, the forecast that day is not appealing with very very strong winds. At the moment we’re hoping things improve and we just have to postpone it by a day, but we’re also aware we may have to we cancel our trip altogether.






0 locks, 0 miles, 8 hours, 4 wet paws, 1 soggy moggy, 2 windy, 5 winds, 6 damp traps, 1 lodged arm, 2 fittings, 2 adjustments, 6 inches, 1 more fitting needed, 6 desperado sheep, 6 roll and folds, 1 block of puff pastry, 1 conpooperated cat.

Zonked

4th Goole A Much Better Goole. 8th March

Goole Boathouse Marina to opposite the Museum


Tucked in next to Yorkshire Pud

The forecast for the next few days spurred us on to make a move today. Strong winds and more rain are coming. Todays weather might be the only decent day to cruise for a while. We’d been planning on reaching Selby by Sunday night, a big push to get there today would have meant leaving the marina early and keeping going to get onto the Selby Canal and off the Aire. Looking at river levels they may have dropped enough to be in the amber, but then tomorrows outlook was not good. Decision made, we’d move to give Tilly some shore leave, but not too far so that we’ll be near shops and the station. 
The dirty linen drawer was emptied into the machine and a final wash put on, followed by the tumble dryer. Our gate key was handed back in at the office and the water tank topped up. By midday we had finished with shore power and unplugged, pushed back and left the confines of the marina.
The tugs used in the docks

On the mooring with the stupid deaf dog another boat had moored with it’s own dog peeking out of the wheelhouse. They could keep each other company. Dutch Barge Linton had been mentioned on the radio last evening and been told to stem the tide whilst two commercial boats came down the lock onto the river. We’d not heard anymore about them before we turned the radio off, they’d obviously made it up off the river.
A grassy mooring

We pootled up past all the big moored boats and the museum. The stretch of moorings opposite by the railway were free, so we pulled in. It took a while for us to tie up, there are bollards intended for much much larger vessels than ours which are placed a long way back from the cut. No chance of getting a rope back to the boat to tie off here. The length between the bollards were just a touch too close together, our lines being innies but nearly straight. If anything big were to come by we’d be all over the shop. So Mick got creative with his macrame skills and put a couple of spring lines out. We had just enough spare rope to get to the bollards from the fender eyes on the side of the gunnel. 
Macrame Master at work

This is a far superior outside to the other three I’ve experienced in this Goole over the years. Trees, sideways trees, big holes to stick your head down, they are especially great. They mean bouncing friends!

After lunch we heard that Exol
Pride was on it’s way. Mick redid his macrame and just as he was happy with it the bow of a big blue boat came into view. The railway bridge and following pipe bridge are too low for them to keep the wheelhouse up, so as they approached they lowered it and as soon as they were through it pushed back upwards, all hydraulics.

14 empty 22 when full

We wondered if they would be heading out to Hull today as the antennas were being put back up, but they slowed and pulled in alongside the other big boats on the permanent moorings.
Now that we knew we were secure on the bollards we headed to the shops. At almost a mile and a half we wouldn’t be doing a big shop, just enough to keep us going for the next few days until hopefully the weather has passed.
Moored up for the weekend

14 day rule doesn’t apply around here!
The crew from Exol Pride had locked up the boat ad were clambering over the others to get to dry land. They had been delayed by a day as the River Don had been in flood. As they brought their car out they offered us a lift to the end of Albert Street, but we were happy to walk.

Ripped and wound into balls

9mm hook at work

My red fabric from Boyes was ripped into strips today and wound into balls. A break from diddy knitting was needed and my next project needs to be complete in a couple of days to get the most out of it. I got so far, but may need to back track as I think it has got a touch too big. A fitting may be required before I go much further with it.

A different view of the docks

0 locks, 0.38 miles, 4th mooring in Goole, 3rd this trip, 2 far to go in 1 day, 2 hours, 1 macrame basket, 3 miles there and back, 2 bags shopping, 1 ft of bank showing, 2 m ripped up, 10 inches across, 1 hunt for red and yellow yarn.


https://goo.gl/maps/oN9ia4CLSWB2

Land Lubbers And Truckers. 6th 7th March

Goole Boathouse Marina

The magic food bowl came out this morning and was filled with tasty morsels that our second mate could smell but not reach until 6pm. This meant one thing, we’d be away for the night.
Our personal taxi arrived late morning with Bridget (of NB Blackbird) at the wheel. We were being whisked away for a night on dry land at their now not so new house. Tilly was left in charge with the boiler running off the electric to keep the chill off.
Bridget and Storm
Now dry land, sadly for all of us it wasn’t. Following Storm Freya the weather has been decidedly wet. Not good for us due to rivers rising and not good for Bridget and Storm as they are needing to get a wall built in their garden to hold back the rest of it. The trench that had been dug for concrete has now turned into a moat.
Waggy Max

Plenty of catching up to do as we’ve not seen them since they put NB Blackbird on the market back in August at Crick. A guided tour of their house which has had major works done to it and is a lovely home. We can see why they love it so much. 
ERT!

The afternoon disappeared quickly then it was time to head out to the theatre to ERT. East Riding Theatre is in Beverley, a professional theatre run by volunteers. We were here to see the preview performance of ‘I Want That Hair’ by Jane Thornton, directed by John Godber (John Godber Company). I designed the premiere production for Hull Truck back in 2006 which then went on tour, Bridget booked the tour which included finding digs for an actress who insisted on touring with her dog, not an easy feet.
The evening felt very much like we were back in our Trucking days. John and Jane in an old building re-purposed into a theatre. Minimum staff, two actors I’ve worked with on various occasions at Hull Truck. The set ( designed and built by my friend Graham Kirk) was one that if you’d taken the top two foot off would have fitted onto the old stage at Spring Street. Two very good performances from Jackie and Pippa. The only difference was the number in the audience, sadly not many. However at the weekend it looks like the seats will be full of people laughing away the evening. 
Beverley Minster

We got chance to catch up with John and Jane after the show. They start rehearsals next week for ‘Scary Bikers’ which will be playing at Trafalgar Studios in London for most of April. We saw the show last year in Bromsgrove and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope they have a good run, just a shame it means they are too busy to come to visit us on the boat whilst we’re close by.
A lovely East Yorkshire village view to wake up to

Thursday morning we woke up to a different view whilst we enjoyed our cuppa in bed. Just out of sight behind a small hill is the A1079 which leads to York or Hull. Bird song and countryside with good road connections. 
Yummy!

After a very good cooked breakfast, Bridget gave us a ride into Beverley and we spent some time looking around the Minster. I’ve driven past numerous times but never been inside and it was a suitable place to avoid the constant rain. 
View across the Sanctuary

John, Bishop of York first founded a christian community in Beverley. A Norman church was built on the site followed by the present Gothic church, the former being dismantled as the new church was being built. The Minster was reduced to the status of a parish church after 1548 when it ceased to be a Roman Catholic church. 
Looking through the choir

Maintenance of the building was neglected for many years, but its collapse has been prevented by numerous restorations since the 18th century.  At one point the north transept wall was leaning outwards by 4ft. This was carefully moved back to the vertical by using a wooden cradle on both sides of it. The bottom was cut and it’s connection to ceilings and internal walls were severed. This meant that the wall could be see-sawed back into position. A column still shows the angle to which the building had reached.
WW1 Memorial

In the south transept is a WW1 memorial to the East Yorkshire Regiment. Illuminated scrolls bear the names of those who died. Amongst the list we found two entries for Geraghty T. Mick is a Geraghty and his family come from Hessle close by. Tom Geraghty, Mick’s grandfather served in the regiment, but was neither of these men as he survived the war. We may have to do a bit of research to see if we can find out if these two chaps were relatives.

Something didn’t agree with him
Sand sculpture of St John

Bridget picked us up again to return to the house where parcels had arrived for us with new boat shoes. I’ve gone for slightly less trainer looking shoes for winter and Mick’s are more summery. We like the grips on the Shoes for crews shoes as they are the best non-slip we’ve come across.

After lunch it was time for us to return to check on Tilly. We’d planned on moving out of the marina in the afternoon, but it was peeing it down and the wind was blowing a hoolie so we decided to stump up another £10 to stay another night, the weather should be better tomorrow.
The River Ouse level with it’s banks in York at 3:45 today! PS that narrowboat ran away soon after.

With all this rain and the forecast not improving much for the next few days our trip to York may not be possible. At the moment just getting to Selby would be hard enough with the River Aire having risen.  Water levels and web cams are being watched, if the level in the centre of York remains high then our booking for the tidal Ouse next week will be cancelled. 
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 ex-boaters, 1 happy woofer, 1 cat home alone, 1 play, B1g1f, 2 actors, 1 writer, 1 director, 2 very wet days, 1 cliff, 1 moat, 2 rivers on the rise, 1 sock enquiry, 6 sketches chosen, 2 for further work, 1 cooked breakfast, 2 lovely days with Bridget and Storm, 1 big Thank You.

Pancakes And WAR! 5th March

Goole to Goole Boathouse Marina

Pancake Day has to start with breakfast pancakes. When I was little Mum always used to make Scotch Pancakes and we’d cover them with butter and Raspberry Jam, the butter melting so it ran down your arm. Over the years scotch pancakes have been superseded by American pancakes, similar but with sugar in the batter and a bit of added raising agent.
Batter ready
Two in the pan

Since cutting out gluten in my diet I’ve had several goes at pancakes but never been quite satisfied with them. Today it was time to try out the flour Jaq from NB Valerie had suggested a few months ago, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour. I hunted round for recipes and found one that took my fancy.
I didn’t have any buttermilk, but milk could be used with a bit of white vinegar. I substituted the milk for soya milk and held back the vinegar until everything was mixed into the batter, hoping not to curdle it. This worked and with a handful of blueberries added I cooked up far too many pancakes for the two of us. But we managed to work our way through the big pile of very tasty pancakes, we were after all having quite a bit of fruit!

Too many to eat
But we managed it

Recipe.

These were considered to be a success, I’ll be making them again. Thank you Jaq for the flour.

They sat eating away unaware of what was happening outside. I on the other hand was very aware.

Stupid barrel!
The fat barrel with four stumpy legs was parading up and down outside. I was keeping a beady eye on him. Then he saw me! Obviously he was a touch distraught that I dared to be looking at him. He charged towards me, but I knew that there was a solid piece of glass there, so no need to retreat.

GET OFF MY BOAT!!!
The stupid thing kept glaring at me, he was spoiling my morning view and I wasn’t having any of it! I asked nicely, he was obviously deaf and his head didn’t seem to have a brain inside it. So I had to stand my ground. Noses a paw apart I put my ears in flat psycho mode and hissed as loud as I could so that it would hear me. Stupid thing, didn’t understand. If it wasn’t for the window in the way he’d have been dead meat!

The air inside the cabin was steaming! Tilly was not going to give up and I was getting a touch concerned that if both of them hit the window at the same time then we’d be getting the spare out from under the bed a bit too soon. Tilly was removed to the bedroom. Here I could still see him, but he had no idea where I’d gone. Stupid thing kept looking at it’s own reflection in the cabin side!

This was not going to stop unless we intervened. We would have to move Oleanna. Good job that was the plan anyway.
Meanwhile down at the docks

We managed to keep the dog off Oleanna as we prepared to move. Tilly could be seen sticking her tongue out as we reversed up to the diesel pump. The bollards here are very awkwardly spaced to tie up to, especially on a windy day. The tank was filled and five bags of coal put on the roof. We now had to find our berth in the marina. 
Planning a night away we were reluctant to leave Oleanna just on pins. Luckily there was one space in the marina which isn’t normally let as it blocks a wide beam in. But for a couple of nights we’d be fine. Hooked up again we settled in and did a touch of washing.
The long road
Prima Ballerina

In the afternoon we walked the long walk along the side of the docks and down to Ocean Lock.

We passed Prima Ballerina that had come in yesterday and could see a couple of other boats being off loaded.

Ocean Lock filling

The lock was being filled as we crossed over the top gates. Walking on a mesh walkway with water surging underneath isn’t the nicest thing.

Goole salt and pepper pots
First port of call was the Post Office followed by Tescos and then Boyes. In the fabric department I managed to find a roll of bright red fabric and bought a couple of meters for my next project. Hopefully in a few days time I’ll be able to show what this is.

Batter, cheese and ham at the ready
Galettes ready to be filled

Our meal this evening also consisted of pancakes, but these were Galettes de Sarrasin. French crepes made with buckwheat flour. These are filled with ham and grated cheese and baked so the cheese melts.

My pancakes didn’t want to be folded into squares, but rolled up they worked just as well and tasted very good. There was just enough batter left for pudding pancakes too. Both gluten free recipes today were spot on and not just a make do alternative.
Yummy!

0 locks, 0.2 miles, 15 blueberry pancakes,1 feline canine war, 1 window still in 1 piece, 1 stupid dog kept off Oleanna, 1 cat forced to calm down, 0 buckets of water required, 1 reverse, 5 bags coal, 69 litres, 80p, 1 mooring with power, 2 budgies, 0 shore leave for Tilly, 1 parcel, 2 cards, 1 bag salad, 2m red fabric, 4 ham and cheese pancakes, 3 pudding pancakes, 2 fat contented boaters.

https://goo.gl/maps/nHmwgtspZLR2

A Small Diversion. 4th March

Sykehouse Junction to Goole Docks

Staying awake till late possibly helped us sleep through Freya biffing us around, or maybe she just lulled us to sleep as we both slept well. This morning we decided that we’d like to move on today, but the wind was still a touch too strong for us to push off. In fact it might have been impossible at times to push off even using a reverse Andy due to the strong gusts. So we just waited and let Tilly out into the wind instead of us.
Can I come in please!

That was nice of them! This outside yesterday had been really good, but today it was huffing and fuffing up my bum! If I stayed close to Oleanna it wasn’t too bad, but none of my potential friends come that close. So I had to brave the wind to find some play mates. This wasn’t that successful so instead I kept Her and Tom busy opening and closing the doors so that I could get treats for coming home.


No boats or windsurfers today

After lunch we decided to brave the elements and managed to push off. Instead of turning left towards Leeds we turned right to Goole. A top up of diesel and more bags of coal were needed and in the past Goole’s prices have been worth the extra miles. 
Drax 

Nobody was out on the reservoir today, not surprising really. A few bends in the canal gave us a good view of Drax Power Station before it straightened off. Far in the distance, almost three miles away we could see boats in Goole. 
Blue bow coming our way

Zooming in with my camera it looked like there was a blue bow facing us. Exol Pride according to the C&RT chap at Mexborough is due up to Rotherham tomorrow, could it be on it’s way already? The blue stayed in view, but seemed to be staying put. However what was getting closer was a very big black sky that was hunting us down. The last mile Mick cranked the engine up a touch more, hoping we’d arrive in Goole in the dry.

Darkening skies behind us

As you come into Goole there are moorings on the off side, a narrowboat was tied up here and there was space should we want or need to join them. The Yorkshire Waterways Museum follows on the towpath side, which has numerous of it’s collection of old boats moored up outside. Several Tom Puddings amongst them, these used to link together in long lines to transport coal from the mines to ships at the docks. Then there is a short length of Visitor Moorings just before the water point.
Big boats everywhere

No luck today they were all taken, but  a space alongside the Goole Boathouse Marina showed itself. We’d be on pins, not ideal but it would do for today. Up ahead on the other side were two large old boats, both with blue bows, these were what I could see from three miles away. Quite glad it wasn’t Exol Pride.
With pins in and ropes tied the first hard cold balls of rain started to fall. A cold front directly overhead bringing with it hail. We’d made it just in time.
On the marina side of this outside lives a woofer, a fat round woofer, who thinks it owns this outside! Because of him I wasn’t allowed out, no matter how I protested they wouldn’t open up the door. I’d have put him in his place!


This Goole outside has hard wetness

Our arrival was a couple of hours before high tide at Goole. Mick turned the VHF radio onto channel 14 to listen in to see if any boats would be coming off the river. Looking at Vessel Tracker we also spotted that Exol Pride was heading up stream on the Humber from Hull.
Every now and then the radio would come alive, the Lock Keeper talking to boats still too far away for us to hear. Little Shuva (a tug that shuvs) was on it’s way from Howden to help with Prima Ballerina when it arrived and Exol Pride was at the apex (by this we assumed they meant Trent Falls). Water levels were given frequently at Blacktoft and at Goole high tide was due at 6.30pm.
Here she comes

A low rumbling noise gradually grew. Was this Exol Pride? A large white light shone from the direction of the docks, gradually we could make out that the bow was blue. Here she was slowing to moor up for the night. Each gentle touch on her throttle sent a huge wave in our direction as she slowly glided alongside another boat. Once tied up the wheel house was lowered, lights turned off and Exol Pride went to sleep.
Choppy waters
from Exols stern

0 locks, 6.36 miles, 0 access through the bathroom porthole, 1 right, 2 power stations, 1 space left for us, 1 hail storm, 2 boaters dry, 1 woofer, 3 blue boats, 1 prima ballerina, 1 exol pride, 1 parcel ready to go to Australia.


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