Tilly was of course eager to go out this morning. The proximity of the Dutch River and the mounting wind gave us reason to move, not far but to the other side of the canal. So before breakfast we pushed off, pootled a short distance westwards, winded and then got blown into the side. Mick did his best to avoid grating the newly painted gunnels on the armco, but it was impossible to stop before the inevitable happened. I have to say I haven’t looked.
Trees!
On our new mooring there are fields that reach out to the M62, no drains for cats to get stuck on the far side of, or tidal waters to sweep her away. But there is also no shelter and the wind was really quite brisk, not ideal hunting weather.
Tilly came and went until she got bored of the blowyness, then resided herself to a sofa day.
Fishing results from yesterday if you are interested, Mick Bower was the winner with 45lbs 8oz of Roach. His win was £165, not a bad Sunday.
A day of panto painting for me. I moved onto the Cotswold Thunderbolt. Opening an art calendar I got for Christmas the other day I came across a painting of a fantastic ship which changed the way I wanted to paint the Thunderbolt. This meant re-making the model pieces to get cleaner colours. I gradually worked my way through the flats and so far I’m happy with it. Hooray!
The wind grew. Rain started. Blimey it got blustery out there!
Rainbows
Thunder started too as large anvil shaped clouds whisked their way overhead. Foot high waves skirted across the canal. Rain blew in down the side of the cratch cover and a small stream of water made it’s way across the well deck. The footage below was after the worst of the wind but the thunder rumbles on.
We were really glad we’d not gone out on the river today as others had. Two boats, one narrowboat and a widebeam had headed out from Ocean Lock with a Pilot. They penned out at 06:50, arriving at Blacktoft Wharf at 08:45. They were going to remain moored at the wharf until the tide turned at 15:05, a long wait in the howling gales and thunder. Hopefully they survived the afternoon and penned up at Keadby safely. We’ve not heard anymore on the group.
Something’s up with our radio
When the weather calmed down a touch, Mick put on his overalls and climbed down into the engine bay. Despite Oleanna not having done 750 hours between fuel filter changes he had decided to clean/ change them. There was a touch of crud and the fuel was a bit emulsified. That’s another check done before our departure.
Just the brown to do
Sadly he ran out of nappies and blue roll whilst doing the change, so nappies were added to our next delivery and a t-towel stuffed in the vent from the engine bay into the main cabin. Yes ventilation is very important, but neither of us wants to sit in a boat stinking of diesel all night.
Mick made a phone call to ABP to book our penning down onto the Ouse. This was his second attempt as there had been nobody suitable to make his booking with earlier in the day. So the second go was timed around high water. This time Mick was told to call back giving 48hours notice, we’re a while off that so will have to note it in the diary.
0 locks, 0.16 miles, 1 wind, 1 extreamly windy day, 5 thunderbolt flats, 1 windy bottom, 12.5lbs in the lead, 1 stove lit, 2 filters, 4 rainbows, 3 thunderstorms, 2 boats clinging on at Blacktoft.
Our neighbours nest just visible under the pontoon
The other day I’d found a gluten free white pudding in Morrisons so it was obvious that it needed some accompaniments. Mick worked his breakfast magic whilst I persuaded Tilly that being patient today would pay off, she grumbled at me and returned to bed.
Yum
After breakfast we made ready and pushed off reversing out from our mooring, turning to the west for a couple of nights of freedom. All but one of the boats on the visitor moorings were new, David/Paul and Karl along with WB Lullabelle must still be out and about, we’d no doubt see them later.
Leaving
When I was hunting for any information regarding the breach I joined the Aire and Calder Canal facebook group, not realising that first and foremost it was a fishing group. This now proves to be quite handy as I now know where the matches are being played along our stretch. Yesterday we could have ordered ourselves bacon and sausage rolls to be delivered to a fishing peg near Rawcliffe or New Bridge this morning, but we had a much better spread on board Oleanna.
Every garden should have a slide
We pootled out past Rawcliffe, I wonder whether the new occupants of what was The Black Horse will keep the house in a shoe slide and let moorers use it?
We passed numerous fishermen and looking up towards the bridge at Newbridge the count came to 40, but there was plenty of room for both boats and fishermen along the wide stretch of canal. Up ahead we could see a cruiser and widebeam that had pulled up when we came out here the other day, this was where David/Paul and Karl were along with Lullabelle. We pulled in a distance behind them right by a small wood. Lets just say Tilly’s excitement could be heard for miles!
Once we were tied up, our location from the trip computer noted, what3words taken down and the rules recited (excluding the bit about poohing in Damien’s garden!), the back doors were opened up and one very VERY happy cat launched herself into the friendly cover, ran part way up a tree and then came for a short walk where rocks in the canal caused her to do a Matthews double take.What were they doing in the water!?! Don’t they know they’ll drown if they don’t get out quickly! They obviously are not reminded of the rules everyday.
They are putting themselves at risk!
Mick and I walked up to chat with David/Paul and Martin all part of the Escape Committee. We talked of dates and an adjusted date due to my second jab, they were both up for accompanying us to Selby and then Keadby. At Selby none of us would be able to share the lock sadly, but if our arrival is spaced out we should be fine, departure I suspect the flat bottomed boats will leave first to be caught up by the cruiser.
The rest of the day was taken up with panto model painting and the cooking of a roast chicken, not quite managing to finish off the last sweet potatoes from Tree Top Press, one left.
Now for the stunning part of the day.
The sunset.
It started off quite dramatically with the amount of cloud cover.
The the sun dipped behind the horizon.
Colours shot up into the clouds above us which reflected themselves in the canal. The constant water flowing in from the pumps at the breach gives the water a gentle ripple.
Really quite magical. You don’t get such views from the house in Scarborough.
This is one of the reasons we love boat life.
0 locks, 3.85 miles, 1 big breakfast, 40 fishermen, 39 breakfast butties, 3 in the flotilla, 12 fingers 4 paws crossed for good weather, 1 cat who remembers boat life all too well, 0.75 hours late return for dingding, 1 roast chicken, 1 stunner of a sunset, 2 content boaters, 1 exhausted cat, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
The forecast being dire, we decided not to move today. Well as we used to warn Tilly, ‘Don’t use the outside up too quickly’. As we currently only have four miles that we can cruise staying put in the marina wasn’t a bad option.
The day started out drier than we’d expected, but then it made up for it. Plenty of rain, the wind changing, pushing us away from the pontoon. This did mean that the moorhens had a touch more space to build their nest, under our pontoon. They are being so busy.
They collect sticks and grass, swim over to the pontoon then climb up a rope. Vertical or angled, doesn’t matter which, up onto the top of the pontoon, before dropping down onto the ledge below. It gets quite frustrating when the material they are carrying gets caught under their feet on the wobbly rope from our stern.
Round, a good way to spend the day
If I can find a good place for a camera then I’ll try filming them. Tilly of course has spent a lot of time watching their every move. She is grounded whilst we are in the marina, mostly because of our nearest neighbours. So when she’s not being kept amused she has spent much of the day being round in front of the stove.
The morning started off with the weekly Geraghty family zoom. Topics covered, doughnuts, the London Jewish Bakers Union, the Unicorn Scientists Party which we suspect will do better in years to come at local government level.
Version 2, Too busy
Then I got on with trying to work. I say trying as I seem to have a permanent panto block whilst painting my model. I decided to start on version three of the Inn backdrop. The first had been too dark, the second a touch too busy.
I traced out the design using tracing paper and carbon paper. Remember carbon paper that used to be used in typewriters, well I find it useful when tracing things, very handy when having to do lettering on scenery. You can print out your letters to the right size, lay them out, then use carbon paper to transpose them onto the set, it saves a lot of marking out or scribbling on the back of the paper.
Version 3
I worked away, blocking in the colours, trying to simplify the previous attempt. Then I looked back and realised a minor adjustment would give me a much richer version than I was currently working on! One day I’ll manage to do a scene in one go instead of going round in circles.
Mick had a chat with the Lockie at Keadby today, booking us in for our trip up stream on the Trent. Apparently a boat had left Goole this morning, when they had reached Trent Falls they had pushed against the out going tide and continued on up to Keadby. This boat took around six hours to reach the lock, where as if you waited for the tide to be in your favour it would maybe take two.
We’ve been toying with trying to cover as much tidal water as we can in a day. Could we make West Stockwith Lock instead of going up at Keadby? Yes this was possible, but the next day we’d still only reach Torksey as the tides are too late in the day to reach Cromwell Lock within working hours.
When the rain calmed down a little into the afternoon, Mick had a walk up to the Co-op for a newspaper, some carrots and eggs. The eggs were vital for this evenings dinner.
Lasagne
A few days ago I’d made double amounts of bolognaise sauce. So today I was going to make a Lasagne. I’ve totally given up on bought gluten free sheets of lasagne as they take so long to cook, even when par boiled before hand and turn out a touch pasty. I make buckwheat pasta with yoghurt, tapioca starch, egg, olive oil and psyllium husk. A bit of effort is worth it and today I got to try out the new dish I’d bought at Dunelm. Being pyrex gluten free flours seem to stick less to it and the corners are more rounded so the washing up is easier, so this makes Mick happier.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wet day, 1 busy nest building moorhen, 3% of the vote, 0 night work, 3rd go, 2nd one wins, 1 round cat, 1 newspaper, 10 eggs, 2 many carrots, 1 dish approval.
Back in early 2015 we moored at Rembrandt Gardens in Little Venice for the first time. In the other space there was a narrowboat called Bleasdale. The lady on Bleasdale introduced herself and we had chats. Being a distinctive colour in those days on NB Lillyanne the lady who became known to us as Mrs Bleasdale could spot us a mile off and our paths have crossed several times since.
At Bugsworth 2017
Christmas/New Year 2016/2017 we all found ourselves mooring at Bugsworth Basin. This is when we found out Mrs Bleasdale’s first name, Heather. She does have a surname but we prefer Bleasdale.
Every now and then we do a location check with each other and at the back end of last year we discovered that we were quite close, well Heather was near Torksey and us having just pulled up in Goole. Depending on which way Heather would turn off the Fossdyke our paths might cross, so we hoped to head out from the marina to meet up with her at some point before Christmas if she headed up to Keadby.
Sadly Heathers plans changed and she turned left instead of right, then ended up being stuck in Newark with lockdowns and flooding, we ended up being on the wrong side of the breach.
Over the winter Heather has hatched a plan and was gathering interested boats together. We joined in on an IWA talk about the North East waterways and our interest grew. Would plans work out though? Timings would be important and Heathers suggested expedition would have to make use of the long days of June to cover a large chunk of Tidal water.
Tilly watching about Boroughbridge
As time has gone on we’ve realised that as much as we would love to join her this year our priorities this summer lie at the other end of the country and doing two mad dashes up and down the country just wouldn’t work. So sadly we’ve bowed out of a trip down the Humber to the River Hull and up to Beverley this year. Maybe next year though!
Since cruising restrictions have ended Heather has gradually worked her way up to Keadby and beyond, in fact only a hop skip and jump away from Goole by train. So today we hoped that the weather would be kind to us so that we could meet up.
Goole Station
Yesterday we’d put feelers out for any recommendations for a cafe in town where we could have lunch, but as we thought there were no options. Howden was suggested, thank you Lisa and Al, but we didn’t really fancy a bus trip. However we realised we knew a really rather good café with limited outdoor seating. On Mick’s return from dropping the hire car off he stopped by Morrisons and Tesco to pick up some provisions, Café Oleanna was open.
Heathers train, only a nine minute journey
After a hail storm went over I walked down to meet Heather from the station, thinking please let the weather be kind to us! We chatted all the way back to Oleanna where Mick had set up outside. Our gang plank and stool table came in very handy when the refreshments came out. Soup, crusty bread, cheese and a selection of meats, the boy did good.
Café Oleanna open for business, just a shame about the bright yellow elsan being so close!
Showers came and went, we persevered through most of them, but one did make us retire into the cratch.
Giant Industry can be rather beautiful
A walk down into the docks was a touch of a disappointment to us all as there was not one ship in. Just as well as the level in the pound had been down by about 18 inches and a day of few ships had helped the pumps at the cofferdam catch up with the demand.
Distinct lack of ships today
We walked over Ocean Lock, across the next swing bridge which leads to Victoria Lock with a rather nice boat moored above it. Then we wiggled our way down to the river bank to shelter under trees whilst another shower went through.
Contemplating Ocean Lock
A lovely afternoon catching up and discussing tidal waters. Heather may join us for the day when we go round Trent Falls. Here’s hoping her trip to the River Hull comes off for her.
This morning whilst in Selby Mick had been up to the lock to see if the Lockie was about, no sign but he did get a phone call later. They discussed possible passages both from Goole to Trent Falls and from Selby. Dates were discussed too, our eyes on a certain early morning high tide, Nigel (the Lockie) agreed that that date would be good.
Ocean Lock
Chats with David from The Goole Escape group later means that we may join forces with them and a widebeam to head both to Selby and then on to Trent Falls. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for good weather.
Mick called Nigel back and booked us in at Selby, just ABP to book with now. Our escape from Goole will be an hour before high tide here and during daylight hours, so we should be fine to go a couple of days before our planned Trent Falls trip.
Next we got to sorting out second jabs for ourselves. Mick had tried yesterday, first for himself and then for me. I have one booked in Scarborough, but if it could be moved to somewhere nearer to Goole that would make sense. However I wasn’t being offered the same places as Mick.
That looks like a nice mooring
I had a go with two browsers open at once. So hopefully I could book each appointment within seconds of each other. Up came the same vaccination centre in Hull, but Mick was being offered totally different dates to me, mine being two weeks later. After trying elsewhere we decided to book Micks in Hull and keep mine for Scarborough, both falling a couple of days before our planned departure from Selby.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 Inn cloth progressing, 2 passages through Selby booked, 1 destination undecided as yet, 1 eager Mrs Bleasdale, 0 ships, 1 big lock, 2 downpours, 2nd jabs booked, 1 plan coming together, 0 P, 2 boaters 1 cat with fingers and paws crossed for suitable weather.
The walk up to the breach site and cofferdam took us past fields of Alpacas.
At one end of the farm a huge log cabin is being constructed, some of the logs a couple of feet in diameter. Is this going to be a house, alpaca shelter or an activity centre of some sort? Whatever it looks interesting.
Match going on
Passing the lines of fishermen we could see up to the cofferdam. The pumps working hard to keep the levels up towards the docks.
Fenced out
On the other side of New Bridge we could see more.
Pumping
5/05/21
A digger was balancing on top of a mound of aggregate picking up twisted and rusted short lengths of piling which once used to hold the water in the canal. A standard pickup was being loaded with it to remove it from site.
5/05/21
Several high-vis people stood on the concrete section above the drain. A digger down in the cofferdam, from here we couldn’t see what it had been doing.
5/05/21
A section of piling has been removed over the drain revealing the concrete behind it. For a while it looked like old piling had been revealed along the north bank, but looking back at Mark’s photos this isn’t the case. The piling on this stretch looks dinted and old.
Has piling been removed from the south bank, there are a couple of lengths which are back to concrete and concrete sandbags making up the bank. Looking back at Mark’s photos from before the cofferdam was fully drained this section has always looked like this, no piling.
On the track leading to the site long lengths of new piling lie waiting to be used and more water pipes are stacked up.
5/05/21
We decided to walk over the bridge to see what we could see from the other side. Here numerous large generators were whirring away. Wonder how often the diesel needs topping up and how much that is costing just to keep the water flowing before you add into it the repair?
Looking back into the cofferdam we could now see where the digger had been working. The bank here has had the piling removed and from behind it earth has either fallen or is being dug out. This is roughly where the big hole has been in view for some time.
5/05/21
5/05/21
Our Final Trip Back, 6th May
Thursday was a very early start. Mick picked up yet another hire car. Companies in Goole hadn’t had any vehicles available so Mick was on a bus to be at the Enterprise Office in Selby for 8am. Back for breakfast, then we crossed back over the Wolds towards Scarborough.
Waves
Mick had a dentist appointment this morning. I sat waiting in the car managing to do a row on my crochet blanket. I’ve been managing a colour an evening in front of the TV and at the moment it’s not too big to have on a journey.
Next we headed for the house. It’s strange arriving at your home and ringing the door bell before going in. Bill was at rehearsals but Alex was at home. There were a couple of things we needed from inside, including some post. Our new National Trust cards had arrived a month ago and been put in the filing tray which had gone into the shed.
Castle
We stood on opposite sides of the living room, 3m between us and had a quick catch up with Alex, whom I think I last saw about 9 years ago. Rehearsals are going well and apparently our house and kitchen are ideal for the show. The set is two houses side to side, like ours. The kitchen layout very similar, so Alex was busy rehearsing the first scenes where there is a lot of kitchen business, trying to get the moves into muscle memory.
Whilst we were there the postman arrived with a new bank card for me. We found our National Trust cards and picked up the boat plants, Thyme parsley and the ailing Christmas tree, I’m hoping it will perk back up on the boat. A short visit at distance. If the NT cards are all we’d forgotten I’d be amazed.
Scarborough Hospital
Next, time to pick up a couple of things from Dunelm, a saute pan with lid required for boat life and a new lasagne dish as the old one split in two the other day. After a spot of lunch we drove up to Scarborough Hospital for my appointment of the day, a routine Mammogram.
As I checked in there were no temperature checks as there had been when I visited York Hospital in December, no questions regarding covid other than if I’d had a vaccine. To which the answer was yes, I gave the lady the date, then I was asked which arm I’d had it in. Interesting, would this have a baring on my photos?
My appointment was very swift and I was out waiting for Mick to pick me up in about fifteen minutes.
Poor Freddie
One last drive by the sea before we left. Poor Freddie sat on his bench, his body language matched the sleet falling from the big black clouds. On our last Sunday walk in Scarborough I’d intended for us to stop at the Harbour Bar and have some chilled medication, but as things have worked out we didn’t manage a last Sunday walk. We’ll just have to do it when we visit next time, maybe the weather then will have warmed up a touch.
The beach donkeys heading home for the day
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 digger, 8 pumps? 1 fallen bank, 63 alpacas, 1 tree cabin, 1 more hire car, 1 row, 1 dentist, 3 plants, 1 rehearsal kitchen, 3 cards, 1 negative, 4 boob squashed photos, 1 pan, 1 lid, 1 dish, 1 last look at the sea for a while, 4 soggy donkeys, 1 bored cat, 1 knitting stash stashed away again.
This morning we went to see Laird, the chap who owns the marina, to hand our notice in. Mick is still working on actual dates for us leaving Goole, but having to give a months notice we really hope we’ll be gone within that time. We chatted things over with him and to see if he could impart any knowledge on Trent Falls, sadly he couldn’t as he’s never had the opportunity to cruise round here.
Get on with it!
The sun was out so we made ourselves ready to push off, it would be silly not to make use of a nice day by staying put now that there is a stretch of canal to cruise. With the extra ropes we’ve been using to tie up here due to fluctuating levels and a short pontoon this took a while longer than normal. I gave the bow a big push at the front and we reversed away from our mooring.
We turned right, away from the docks and headed towards the caisson. Three boats sat on the visitor moorings, this has been their home since November, all members of the Goole Escape group. We waved as we cruised past, conversations about dates soon to be had.
Turning out onto the canal
Exol Pride and Fusedale H sit tied together, going nowhere soon. Such a sad sight. No point in them heading up the way for jolly like us, they wouldn’t be able to wind for one thing, whereas we can do that almost anywhere along the stretch of canal heading out to the west.
At the old Waterways Museum carvings stand outside, one winking as the other reveals herself! We wonder if the moorings outside will ever be reinstated as it’s a very long length to be left empty.
The two and a half miles or so to Rawcliffe Bridge we only saw a few fishermen, no boats. Oleanna’s engine needed to be checked before she has to cope with tides, so Mick opened up the throttle, kept to the centre. This would be impossible on your average canal but at 3m deep and very wide it’s not too much of a problem going fast. She covered the water, me checking the temperature gauge every now and again, a steady 80C, all well.
Rawcliffe Bridge
A slight vibration noise was coming from below, we’ve heard this before when the weed hatch lid hasn’t been tightened down fully. Please note our weed hatch is completely separate from the engine bay, so therefore there is no chance of water entering the engine bay and causing us to sink. Maybe we need slightly thicker blocks of wood under the locking mechanism than before, or maybe the coats of blacking have affected something.
Happy boat
I’d been excited at the prospect of them pushing the outside away and moving it again. But now I wasn’t so sure! I told them as much at the back door, then I shouted at them! They ignored me and said I’d get used to it again!
We slowed our speed passing the marina at Rawcliffe Bridge. The boats here were stuck between the breach and the stop planks at the caisson for months with fluctuating levels. At least there is now a route out should they choose to take it and a short distance to pootle should they want to.
M62 to New Bridge
More fishermen lined the banks. The last little kink in the canal before the M62 bridge and we could make out New Bridge where just beyond the breach site is. I managed to zoom in with my camera. I could see the cofferdam, a chap in high vis and diggers moving about, all quite hazy at nearly two miles away.
Cofferdam ahead
We carried on to near the chimney that stands on it’s own on the north bank, winded and then pulled in. Now where were the mooring pins?! We’d need tyre fenders, these weren’t attached to ropes yet! We managed it in the end watched over by the second mate.
Stop faffing and let me out!
As Tilly knew where she was as soon as I opened the cat caravan the other day we had no hesitation in granting her shore leave. In fact a little bit of encouragement was required. A short walk along the towpath with plenty of sniffing and admiring the view, which contained no cats what so ever!
Tilly came and went working her way through quite a lot of ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies. We had an early lunch and when Tilly reappeared she was licking her lips we suspect she’d found a friend to enjoy for lunch too. Her first in over six months.
A walk up to look at the breach was next passing numerous fishermen, apparently since the breach the fishing has been really really good along this stretch, maybe it’s something to do with the water being pumped round the cofferdam and all the extra air in the water.
Lots going on
I’m saving telling you about the breach until tomorrow as today was way too exciting for just one post and tomorrow will be a boring day in comparison.
Tilly had a few more hours coming and going, or snoozing on the bed through the afternoon. I got my work out and Mick worked on our escape plan.
From New Bridge
He made phone calls to the Lock Keepers at Selby and Keadby. Selby was just the answerphone, but a chap answered at Keadby. He was a relief keeper so wasn’t willing to offer advice. Over the next few days they were expecting several boats from our direction.
On Friday there is one boat headed out from Selby. They are hoping that when they reach Trent Falls or End, the tide will be such that they will be able to turn up onto the Trent as the tide turns and help push them up to Keadby, no beaching or anchoring for them.
Over looking Drax
Then on Monday three boats are setting out from Goole an hour before high tide. Originally this was two boats who had hired a pilot to go with them, another boat has decided to tag along. They will make their way to Trent Falls anchor for quite a few hours. Then about 40 minutes after the flow starts they will have enough depth to start to head up the Trent to Keadby. Mick estimates their journey will be around 12 hours and on a spring tide. We’re not too keen on doing the trip on a spring tide and four boats all anchored might be interesting once the tide comes in and starts moving them about.
So it’s still looking like we’ll head to Selby before going down stream. But a chat with Selby is a must.
During the afternoon I got a text from my doctors surgery offering me my second jab at the Rugby Club in Scarborough. I went to the website to see when appointments were available, another two weeks and only on one day. Would that day coincide with the perfect day to go round Trent Falls?!
Mick called his surgery and as yet they don’t know when the next batch of vaccine will arrive with them, but he was told he could go through the NHS website to book elsewhere. A look with various options of location came up with similar dates to Scarborough. Would we be able to make it to some of the venues in time? Should we just head to Hull? Until we know which tide we’ll be taking, we will not book anything. Jabs are important, but so are tides. I however have booked one for Scarborough just in case, I can always cancel it if we can get them elsewhere.
Back through the caisson
With some work achieved and Tilly home we decided to head back to the marina. Staying out overnight would be lovely, but tomorrow is an early start with a trip to Scarborough, so we have no choice.
The cruise back wasn’t so sunny, dark clouds were looming. It still felt good to be moving on the water again. Tilly considerably quieter inside than on the way out this morning.
Back into Goole
Of course as we came through the caisson gates the wind picked up, it started to rain. Mick turned Oleanna back in towards her pontoon and I hopped off the bow at the first chance. An Andy manoeuvre to get the stern in was needed to fight the wind, trying not to grate the paintwork on the bow with the overhanging pontoon was quite hard. The centre line was tied to a cleat to stop Oleanna being blown onto our neighbours. The bow line tightened, centre line loosened, a touch too much. Stern line passed over, pulled in, all as it started to SNOW!!! Well thank you!
0 locks, 8.23 miles, 1st cruise this year, 1 wind, 1 months notice, 1 nervy cat, 1 boat speeding along, 3 moving boats, 27 fishermen, 1 breach visit, 2 sides of the bridge, 1 Inn started again, 2nd jab invite, 2 much happening at the same time, 1chat with a lockie, 1 answer phone, 1 friend, 1 happy cat, 1 snow shower, 4 very very cold hands, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
All that rain yesterday was added to today with some very blustery torrential showers. I’m really hoping that all the dust that had accumulated on the cabin sides has been washed off saving me a job. Lisa popped her head round the side of the hatch, she was heading back to Scarborough, so depending on when we leave we may not see her again until later in the year.
At 10am my phone rang and it was Sainsburys here with our delivery. Mick let the driver in and we off loaded our shopping by the van, the blustering wind keeping us away from the back doors which really wanted to be closed! Quarantine goods were left in the cratch and everything else brought in to be sorted.
Filling Up
Yesterday we’d turned the freezer on so that it could chill down ready for things today. Fish pie mix, peas, sausages, mince and a large chicken which I jointed and bagged up into meal sized portions. There was still plenty of room, most probably only half full, but enough for a couple of weeks meals, just fresh veg required.
Herbs and spices back on the shelves
The car then was finally emptied, lots of knitting, panto model, shoes and work things. Now Mick could return the hire car to Scarborough. We’d hoped to be able to assist the company in returning it to a different base like Hull or Doncaster, but sadly that wasn’t possible. So Mick set off late morning as I sorted things to make space to do some work.
Paint from pantos past
I’ve commandeered another shelf in a cupboard at the front of the boat for work things and have kept a shelf in my clothes cupboard free for the model. Last panto I made my own model box and it fitted in the cupboard wonderfully. It now has a box for protection which the other day I trimmed down knowing that the height would be a problem.
That way it fitted perfectly. A shame the box was an inch too long meaning the cupboard door wouldn’t close. A line was drawn on the box for trimming later.
In my work room at the house everything has it’s place, a slightly messy place but easy to get at. Here on the boat storage requires things to go into places in a certain order. So I spent the first hour collecting things together I’d be needing for a few hours work. One thing was in the folder in the drawing board slot, stools removed, folder slid out, item found. Everything put back. But where was the carbon paper? Had I put it in with my model making bits? With card and tracing paper? Drawing board slot emptied again, then put back. It was with my sketch books at the front of the boat.
Studio all set up ready
By lunchtime I was ready. But sadly half way through painting the back drop for the pub I made a bum decision on a colour. I’ll leave it overnight to see what I think, but I may have to start the whole thing over.
Mick had a pleasant journey back to Scarborough. He managed to catch a train from Seamer to Hull and made the one minute connection onto a train to Goole. A short distance out from the station he spotted some jolly brickwork on the side of some houses.
Boat
The rain came and went all afternoon. Had Mick taken his waterproofs? The mile walk from town to Viking Marina has little if any shelter. He decided to go into town to see if we could upgrade our internet to unlimited with EE.
Currently we have my phone on one account. Then Micks phone, a data sim on the boat and a data sim at the house on another. We have never used all our data, but now with lodgers in the house this will change and you can’t really not offer wifi. Mick managed to miss most of the showers by being in EE for getting on for an hour but he succeeded with the plan. A little paddling was required to get him back to the marina so apart from his feet he was more or less dry.
Train!
Tilly spent much of the day keeping a beady eye on the moorhens on our pontoon. They appear to be building a nest, thankfully under the pontoon and not on Oleanna. Here’s hoping this stays like this as we don’t want another reason to be added to the list stopping us from being able to move.
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 car now, 2 big bags still to stow, 1 model box box trimmed to fit, 1 backdrop failed, 2 busy moorhens, 1 level dropping, 2 soggy socks, 0 limit data, 8 weeks paid, 6 more possible.
Tea in bed on the boat, Tilly excitedly trampling over me desperate for ear and chin rubs and a view out of the window, which admittedly could be of some wonderful tranquil scene but for now a cruiser out on hard standing will do.
Excuse me where do you think you are going?!
Our first morning for a while where we could do as we wanted rather than be up and doing things. However Mick had come up with a suggestion which was weather dependant and with the weather set to become wet at 11am we needed to not drag our heals. Mushrooms on toast with a cuppa and we were ready.
At Christmas we’d driven to Blacktoft Sands to see what we could see of Trent Falls from the south shore of the Ouse, but the footpath on the floodbank was private and we’d not fancied a walk along just looking at a green bank so we gave up. Today we chose to try the north bank where the road is closer to the river.
A pretty house in Yokefleet
So we drove through Howden then turned off towards Gilberdyke, a good comedy place name used by a certain Yorkshire playwright frequently. Then headed for Yokefleet, Blacktoft and Faxfleet all of which sit alongside the River Ouse.
That way lies Keadby, Torksey, Newark and Nottingham
There was a handy parking area just as the road turned away from the river so we made use of it and walked up onto the floodbank. A wide area of reeds kept us from the rivers edge and at first we actually couldn’t see the water. The hills to the east marked out the route of the Trent, hills to the north east showed where the Humber headed off out to sea.
The training wall
As we walked towards Blacktoft we could start to see the water and the Apex Light. The light marks the junction of the River Ouse and River Trent. At high tide it is important to stay to the east side of the light as there is a training wall which gets submerged. Today the tide was on its way in and we could just make it out above the water, no cutting that corner!
Apex Light
In the distance I could make out a cruiser heading up stream from the Humber. Then a second one. We paused and managed to take photos as they passed the apex. Were these two boats part of the Goole Escape group who’d made a trip to Hull for the weekend? It turned out they were. They had been booked to go up Ocean Lock at 11:30 as the dock master wanted to use the return water of a vessel penning out from Goole.
Above the hills marking the Trent we could just make out one of the towers of the Humber Bridge.
The wind was bracing to say the least and dark clouds were starting to gather. We headed back to the car and pulled in at Blacktoft to have a look at the wharf there. Someone on Canal World Forum had suggested that this might be a good place to tie up to whilst waiting for the tide to turn. The tide was now coming in at a rate of knots.
Blacktoft Wharf
The wharf is obviously suitable for ships to tie up to, but we suspected we’d end up tying to the wooden supports and being constantly aware of places we might hang up on or under as the tide came and went. Apparently there is a charge to moor here, but you’d be unlucky to be seen. With the wind over tide the water did not look inviting today, but then a storm was brewing!
We headed into the Old School which had a big sign inviting you in to buy books or use the toilets which was very welcome. Bunting hung from the ceiling, group photos of 1960’s ladies all clutching their handbags and old photos of the river when it was full of ice. Brrrrr!
That looks chilly
By now the rain was starting so we headed back to Oleanna and Tilly. More stowing of things. I managed to move the freezer drawer so that we’d be able to use it again. It seems to get stuck when turned off and has stopped coming out as far as it did originally, so currently we’d have to dismantle that end of the dinette to get the freezer out! Sorting this out and adding magnets to the galley drawers were on the jobs list for this winter. They may get sorted before we leave, but then they may have to wait for next winter.
Mick lit the stove, Tilly was even happier. They still won’t let me out though!
No free range dragon on Oleanna
We hunkered down for the rest of the day avoiding the need to be out in the rain. Time to do a big shop. Over the last six months we’ve timed a Sainsburys delivery the day after receiving our veg box from Tree Top Press. Seeing what was in the box each week I’d work out a menu and order things accordingly, but today I had to do it all from scratch!
I can’t remember what lives down there, but my head still fits through the hole
This evening as the rain has continued and the wind has buffeted us about, we have stayed cosy inside and enjoyed a joint of roast pork with all the veg from our last box. There are still things in the car but they can wait for tomorrow when hopefully it will be drier.
Photo for Kath
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 lamp, 2 escapees, 1 muareen, 1 wee break, 1 wet and horrible day, 1 resigned cat, 1st solo supermarket order, 1 joint, 2 full boaters not going anywhere yet!
We could have done without an alarm going off most of last night, it was coming from somewhere beyond the roundabout above the marina. Shortly before going to bed Mick dialled 101 to report it. Because he was stood outside the call handler could hear the alarm and put him through to the right police department. From there he was in a queue and given the option of them calling him back, which they did but Mick’s phone was on silent! The alarm continued through most of the night, we’d wake and think it had stopped only just for it to creep back into our consciousness.
Well it had to be done!
A bit more unpacking and stowing of things as Mick cooked us breakfast. Then footsteps could be heard on our pontoon, it was Lisa come to say hello. We had a good catch up and Tilly might just appear in a vlog that Lisa is preparing, all to do with yarn, woolly things, as well as a bit of boat life. Ivy and Lily Yarns
Time to leave Tilly in charge and head back to Scarborough. Luckily I remembered that we were going to swap the house electric kettle with that on the boat before we go to the end of Albert Street, saving us some money. Back over the Wolds to load another car full of stuff for the boat, dry off the washing that had had an extra rinse on the line, finish cleaning the house and take some photos.
All finished, just in time
The whole week has felt a bit like a theatre production week, a lot of steps up and down stairs all with a time to work to. Lights up on Act 1 was to be shortly after 4pm when our friend Bill arrived.
Sick of bad tenants over the last few years, we are most certainly not going down that route again! But with the theatre industry starting to come to life again and the grape vine with old Stephen Joseph Theatre friends still active we’d heard that Bill would be in Scarborough this summer. As soon as this was confirmed I sent him a message asking him if he’d like to move into our house.
We ran out of time to hang more pictures, but it looks homely
It turns out theatre digs are currently extreamly hard to come by in Scarborough. Either owners have now got long term tenants or the rents have gone up so much due to the prospect of staycations that we may as well be in London with the prices people are wanting to charge.
Bill will be joined by Alex tomorrow another actor whom I’ve also known for over twenty years, both are firm favourites and we are very pleased that they will be looking after the house for us.
Kitchen all tidy, I aspire to this, but we never manage to keep it so clear
After imparting knowledge to Bill keeping our distance at all times we waved him goodbye, knocked on a neighbours door to leave our empty milk bottles on their doorstep and headed back to Goole.
When we left the house seven years ago it had a very different feeling. We’d just signed up with a letting agent (Hi Val!) and spent an exhausting two weeks sorting the house out. We had no idea who would be living in our house or for how long. The plan then was to cruise for a year, but we all know what happened there. This time we know who is in the house, it is still very much our home and the big tidy up we’ve just done is beneficial to us as well as our lodgers. Although the shed is now packed full of stuff!
Tilly had held the fort well, I suspect a moorhen had kept her amused for much of the day, Much better than pesky cats everywhere! We off loaded some items into Oleanna but stopped quite soon as we’d be playing the narrowboat game of moving ten things to put one away. The back steps need to come out, the dinette needs opening up and after all we were hungry.
We finished our emergency tuna pasta just in time to sit down and watch the final episode of Line Of Duty. Well …….!
2/5/2021 Still pumping
Mark has been down at the breach site again today and kindly has let me use his photos.
2/5/2021
The access road down into the cofferdam looks like it is being used as more than just access, as it now stretches almost the full length of the north bank.
2/5/2021
It looks like vehicles have been down in the silt at the bottom of the cofferdam, lots of tracks to be seen.
2/5/2021
A set of steps has been added to gain access onto the silt bank at the western end, it also looks like access from the southern bank is no longer possible.
2/5/2021
A section of piling has been removed over the culvert and drain below. It looks like the yellow posts from last week were markers for this.
2/5/2021
24/4/2021
Also an area on the eastern end of the concrete has either been excavated or has caved in. Along with some of the big boulders having been removed on the drain side.
2/5/2021
24/4/2021
According to Beaver Sailing Club, at Southfield Reservoir (west of the breach)
Following a recent update from CRT there is some good news, in that the level should improve early June. The terminology used is that the “normal” level is zero, with the current level being -400mm and the target for the end of May is -200mm. If this happens then some sailing activity can resume.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 more car load, 2 lodgers, 2 lovely actors, 1 immaculate house, 1 not so garden, 2 soon for the full bluebell border, 1 big hole, 1 gap, 1 coot just asking for it, 3 boaters now back on board, 1 finale let down.
The last few days we’ve been very busy in the house. Our last veg box arrived with asparagus the first of the year and some orange and almond cake, the last from Tree Top Press for a while
Once the carpets were dry, furniture could go back, some of it moving to different rooms. The biggest item being the sofa I’ve had for about 20 years which moved from one side of the house to the other.
Four packages
Thursday morning the replacement arrived. A three seater sofa bed from Sofabed Barn. In the past they have provided us with sofa beds for both Lillian and Oleanna and we’d been looking for one for the house. Yes a big squishy one from Loaf had been appealing, but at about twice the price well out of our league.
With instructions and 12 bolts we set to, under the super visionary eye of Tilly. Much easier than an Ikea flatpack build we were soon done. The choice to have feet had been a wrong one, so we removed those and a slight adjustment the following day means we now have a comfy, easier to get up from sofa, the sofabed may come in useful in years to come.
Front cloth
I needed to get the front cloth finished for my panto model. I’d hoped to have the design completed by the end of April, but with Oleanna being out of water for a week and being busy around the house I hadn’t done anything on it for at least two weeks. Add to that new inspiration for the galleon as I’d changed a calendar, that scene now needs repainting.
Version three of the cloth came up trumps which meant I could take some photos and send them to the costume designer so that our designs will work together. As I took the photos I checked I had all the model bits, carefully packing them away in a shoe box. A few days ago I’d trimmed down the travel box for the model, getting rid of any excess height. Next my two boxes of model making bits and paints were repacked. All drawings and tracing paper along with supplies of card added to a folder and another sheet of cartridge paper was stretched onto wood. The theatre designer who’s been living in the attic for the last six months was all packed up again, ready to move.
All a boat designer needs, hopefully!
The back room downstairs was starting to be filled up with packed items. In the bedroom I had three bags on the go. Winter, everyday and storage, our wardrobe would need to be emptied. A whole suitcase was filled with excess socks, 4 weeks worth having gone into the normal bag.
Which case is going where?
Boxes of irreplaceable things were packed up and either returned to upstairs upstairs or put in the shed (a back bedroom), but unlike seven years ago not everything needed to be cleared out making it a much easier job.
Tilly obviously knew something was going on, so took up residency in her escape pod. Well that was until I turned it into a suitcase for her toys! Which she immediately unpacked.
Gradually as the week has progressed so has the house tidying, sorting and cleaning. So today became moving day. No time for the weekly Geraghty Zoom we were too busy loading a hire car, cleaning the kitchen, making beds, cleaning showers. I think the house hasn’t been this clean since we left it to move onto Lillian seven years ago. But was there going to be room for Tilly?
Will it all fit?
With the wheelie bins filled to the top, the car full apart from one gap, it was time to encourage Tilly into the caravan! Now if we’d been moving the boat today we’d not have let her out, but here its’ a different story. I knew if she was nowhere to be seen all I’d have to do was meow and she’d come running.
The last fishing rod swinging on a king sized bed
What! Again!!! That’s the third time I’ve been in the caravan in a week! This really isn’t on!
We now hoped that the powder we’d been adding to Tilly’s food for the last week would kick in and that she’d have a stress free trip in the car. Well her SHOUTING wasn’t quite as loud. The traffic leaving Scarborough was typical Bank Holiday traffic, stop start stop start! By the time we got just a few miles out of town we realised that Tilly may be quieter but there was an aroma coming from the back seats.
We pulled in at the top of Staxton Hill, Tilly was moved to the driving seat in her caravan and Mick managed to find a box of tissues. All in all I managed to tidy the situation up and not loose a cat. Poor thing I so hoped the move was going to be worth it for her. Shouting from the back of the car came and went all the way to Viking Marina in Goole.
First out of the car, Tilly was the first into Oleanna. I closed us into the bathroom, not sure what state she was in. From past experience I positioned the caravan in front of the gap under the door into the main cabin. She wasn’t too messy and very soon I felt able to open up the door.
People have been asking if I thought she’d remember the boat after six long months in the house. Well as the door opened up, there was no need to find a hiding hole. A couple of sniffs in the air and she jumped straight up to one of her favourite sitting positions.
I can see those eyes
It smelt a touch different, but She said that’s because the floor has had an oiling. My Houdini shelf looked all spic and span too, a little bit slippy if I’m honest.
After her stressful journey, seeing how she reacted to being back on the boat actually brought a tear to my eye. Unpacking food back into the drawers Tilly sat on top of the drawing board cupboard to watch, the nearest to this in the house was on the end of the dining table in the next room.
Hiya!
When I returned with the next boxes I wondered where she’d got to, until her head popped round the door frame, she was sitting on the shelf she’d commandeered when we first moved onto Oleanna. Next thing a change of collar. From blue to red, Tilly changed from being a house cat to a boat cat.
Change of collar
Another trip to do back to Scarborough tomorrow and then we will all be back in our happy place.
Help I’m a prisoner on my own boat!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 1 production week of sorting the house out, 1 model packed, 3 beds made up, 1 shed full of stuff, 1 kitchen floor still to wash, 2 smelly incidents, 1 travel sick cat, 2 boaters back on board, 2 collars, 1 boat cat back where she belongs.
