This evening Mark Penn has been out with a new drone to have a look and see how they are progressing at the breach site removing the cofferdam.
18-08-2021
Well as you can see the dam has gone. There is water in the cut once again. What a lovely sight.
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The pumps are still in the cut, but the pipework from where water was being pumped round the cofferdam is in the process of being removed.
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The pontoon that was used to remove the cofferdam is just positioned through the bridge, the boom that was across the cut has been removed.
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It looks like there might still be a bit of work to do on the towpath, earth doesn’t look to be fully flattened out up to the piling where the water wooshed round the piling back in December. The level in the drain below looks the lowest it’s been for a long time, covered in duck weed.
18-08-2021
There are still railings around the top of the concrete structure over the drain below. There was a hole maybe an access hatch in the old concrete, maybe this is the new one. The water level looks to be back up to normal levels now. How wonderful it is to see water and no silt.
There is obviously some tidying up to do and maybe bits left to sort on the towpath, but all looks good for the 23rd when the navigation is set to reopen. Booking to pass through Sykehouse and Pollington Lock will no longer be required from the 21st.
Dredging is happening up near Lemonroyd. A sunk vessle is being removed up that way too.
18-08-2021
I so hope that when I next post about the breach it will be to celebrate it’s reopening after 8 long months.
On Friday there was a section in the fortnightly Boaters Update from C&RT about the breach on the Aire and Calder. In it they give the 23rd August as a date for reopening the navigation. I can almost hear the engines in Goole starting up!
Update on major maintenance work in Yorkshire & the North East
Over the past six months we’ve had to deal with unexpected failures of waterway components as well as some pretty horrendous stormy weather in the north of the country. We appreciate the adverse impact this has on boaters in the region and have been working tirelessly to get things back to normal as soon as we can.
Repairs to the breach at New Bridge on the Aire & Calder Navigation are almost complete. The navigation will re-open on 23 August. A silver lining of this big project has been that we were able to take the opportunity to do other work on the navigation, which will minimise future disruption, during the stoppage:
Lemonroyd Sluices – Work to repair the sluices is still underway but the lock will be operational for the re-opening of the navigation. A further 1-day stoppage in September will be required to complete the work. This will be planned around freight movements.
Ferrybridge Lock – Gate replacement work finishes today (13 August).
Dredging – Hydrographic surveys and sampling are complete and dredging is planned to commence next week from 16 Aug at Lemonroyd. Dredging at Ferrybridge will not commence until October to comply with environmental conditions. It is difficult to say exactly when the dredging will be complete as we, much like the rest of industry, are facing a shortage of lorry drivers which will impact dredging disposal. When the navigation opens all freight passage will remain on a reduced draft. Given the long period with no freight activity we would not recommend loading deeper than 2.0m (6’ 6”) with some ballast for the first few trips.
Dredging (South Sheffield & Yorkshire Navigations) – Survey work has been completed and potential areas for dredging identified. A couple of the locations identified will be picked up as part of the spot dredging works.
Edge Piles – Our engineers will continue to monitor the piles until remedial work can be undertaken. At this stage we do not anticipate any disruption to freight barge movements.
A saunter around the island, of course we noticed that there were spaces at the next mooring where we’d have let Tilly go ashore. That mooring is added to the ‘next time’ list. As we’re in transit we won’t be touching on the ‘next time’ list, we’ll just be adding to it.
A metal warrior stood guard over a garden, whilst a severe fencing kept people off off a lawn. A rather lovely roof line caught our eye, the room at the top of that fire escape would have fitted my teenage dream.
Joining back onto the main channel there was a sign in the middle, the river would be closed for a regatta today, good job there’s the alternate route. We arrived at Shepperton Lock before any Lock Keeper would be on duty, the blue Self Service sign displayed. No need for a Key of Power on the Thames, just patience as they can be slow to fill and empty.
Extra fencing has been added around locks to dissuade people from gathering too close. Signs ask for crew to stay on their boats and if a lock is on self service then only one crew member should go to operate it.
Pharaoh Island
At Pharaoh Island the house on the end looks to have new owners, it was on the market two years ago. A boat is moored round the back and a kids trampoline stands in the garden so that you can gongoozle at the passing boats whilst bouncing.
Chertsey Lock
At Chertsey Lock we were joined by a cruiser, the strong wind making it hard for them to manoeuvre. Oleanna has weight to her so she hunkers down on windy river days, so long as her speed has purpose she is fine. By now we’d remembered how to do the ropes on the Thames if I was acting as Lock Keeper. Positioning the bow rope on the roof and taking the boat hook with me I could then wrap the rope round a bollard to keep the bow in whilst heading away to press buttons, popping back to adjust it if needs be as the lock filled.
Today we spotted a couple of cruisers that have a different line from the usual. They have a hint of a barge to them, quite a pleasing shape and with colour to the cabin sides we decided we quite liked them.
More shapes and sizes as we cruised along.
Approaching Staines on Thames there are new static caravans being built with a difference. Some have roof terraces, others extensions that take them away from the standard oblong design, however the cheapest one will set you back £499,999! We preferred the older more characterful houses. Does anyone know what this tree is please, with fleshy leaves and large white flowers?
Just before Bell Weir Lock we ducked under the M25 for the last time.
Runnymede is already on our list for next time so no need to add it. Today we’d have found a nice mooring, although the road would be a touch too close for Tilly to go off exploring. Only one of the French Brothers trip boats was cruising today. Banners boasted of a refurbishment to Pink Champagne, but the pandemic looks to have put paid to that happening and the fake steamer sat below trees filled with chairs collecting tree sap and bird droppings.
Day boats increased in number the closer we got to Datchet as we skirted round Windsor Royal Park all immaculate as normal. The Queen won’t be short of mistletoe this Christmas, they just need a big cherry picker. Just through Victoria Bridge there are ground works going on. Big boulders and a crane was being put together. Maybe this will be a new rock garden for the Queen!
A side filler
At Romney Lock we were joined by a trip boat as we waited for the lock to empty. Two Lock Keepers attended to the button pushing whilst we inhaled the smell of gravy and stewed cabbage that was to be lunch on the trip boat for the OAPs. We wondered at what age does stewed cabbage become appealing?
I failed to throw my rope over a bollard and a Lockie came to assist. I requested he passed it round a second time which he didn’t seem too keen to do, but as it was a side filling lock he relented after I’d mentioned my failing grip. A second turn means less clinging on for dear life even in the gentler filling locks.
Out of the cut we popped out the view of Windsor Bridge where Eton meets Windsor and where as a child staying with my Aunt and Uncle we used to stand to hear Concord fly overhead, I’m sure we never heard the sonic boom but Uncle Peter swore he did!
Just how many swans! A fayre was set up on the Brocas, we decided we’d carry on, hoping the mooring we’d stayed at above Boveney Lock would be available. Liz wasn’t at home anyway for a cuppa, I suspect she doesn’t want visitors whilst the builders are about!
Only part of the queue
Blimey was that the queue for Boveney Lock ahead?! The full length of lock landing filled with boats. People were stood about, although not quite enough for it to be a queue. Two more things didn’t seem right. NB Zenith was one of the moored boats, the other thing was the narrowboat in front of them was just hanging up their washing on a whirligig. We pulled up closer and heard the news, the lock was broken!
That gate shouldn’t be at that angle!
The story goes that yesterday the Lock Keeper had reported one of the top gates was making an awful noise. By the end of the day the collar had broken and the gate sat at an odd angle. No-one would be going anywhere today other than in the opposite direction.
During the afternoon more boats arrived. The lock island already had boats moored on the other side and by the end of the day they were four abreast behind us.
It’s broken
The Lock Keepers came down to keep us informed. A crane was being brought in by road tomorrow morning, hopefully it was just a case of lifting the gate back into position and replacing the collar, which shouldn’t take too long. If they couldn’t mend it on Saturday it would be Monday. Fingers crossed for the morning.
The choice for what to have to eat this evening was somewhat taken out of my hands as a camembert cheese was starting to plot world domination from the fridge, it needed stopping.
This evenings mooring
PS Selby Swing Bridge is now open to boat traffic and through a Facebook fishing page on the Aire and Calder I have heard reports that the Eastern side of the cofferdam at the breach site has just about been removed. Fingers crossed for everyone still in Goole.
6 locks, 15.43 miles, 1 regatta, 2 self service locks, 0 Liz at home, 1 rock garden, M25, 10 portions stewed cabbage and gravy, 15 waiting below, 10 above, 1 part time boat cat, 1 smoked salmon and camembert quinoa crust quiche, 1 world saved by our tea.
This afternoon C&RT have issued the following notice
Notice Alert
Aire & Calder Navigation Main Line Location: Rawcliffe to Goole Docks Aire & Calder Navigation
Tuesday 3 August 2021 16:45 until Friday 20 August 2021 18:00
Type: Advice Reason: Information
Original message:
Work to extract the cofferdam piles at the New Bridge breach will commence 5th August this will require a reduction in water level from the breach at Rawcliffe to Goole Docks and all connecting marinas.
The reduction in water level will commence on the 4th August and extend until the 18th August. During this period water level may be up to 200mm below normal level.
Skippers of all craft are advised to check mooring lines and allow for a 200mm reduction in water level
Hopefully this will mean the navigation will open soon after the 18th maybe by 18:00 on the 20th water levels will have returned to normal. Fingers crossed that this is the case.
St Pancras Cruising club to Marshgate Bridge 15, River Lee Navigation
Aire and Calder Breach Site 17/7/2021
Back in Yorkshire it looks like it’s been a lovely day and a good one for drone flying, Mark has been back to the breach site today. Thank you Mark for letting me use you photos.
17/7/2021
The breach site has been without water for quite sometime now, there are plants growing on the silt on the southern side. The little boats are back that were used to get across the canal in the early days of the cofferdam, it also looks like the small tug is back on site.
17/7/2021
In the above photo you can see that the access road has had a change in direction. It now leads across the eastern side of the cofferdam to what looks like a little pool of water.
17/7/2021
This is where, when the cofferdam was built, they discovered a void behind the original piling on the south side. This had a temporary fix done to it to make the dam water tight. Now the top has a new concrete edge, a more substantial fix having been made.
17/7/2021
Back on the north bank it looks like they have started to remove some of the aggregate that was being used as an access road. Parts of it have been dug out.
17/7/2021
30/5/2021
The piling now has a top edge, capped off to neaten it off. The concrete over the drain below has now been brought out to meet the level of the piling, neatening it all off. The surrounding bits of towpath have been filled in and levelled off.
17/7/2021
17/7/2021
17/7/2021
Here’s hoping that when they raise the water levels everything remains water tight. Then the next stage will be removing the cofferdam and reopening the navigation.
Meanwhile back in London
Mick in the blue
We dropped into the Geraghty Saturday morning zoom for about ten minutes before paying for our mooring and making ready to push off. Graeme had his crew arrive, Roy and Jamie.
Mick walked down the gunnel of the boat in front of us and pulled our bow rope, pivoting Oleanna so that her nose poked out from the other boats. Terry from NB Flora Dora gave us a final push with a pole as Mick cranked the engine up, our extrication from the basin far easier than we’d thought it would be.
Oleanna leaving St Pancras
The sun was out, the sky blue, we were both lathered in sun cream, the world looked good. Once in the lock Mick got out his new propmate ready to clear the prop, making sure he put his hand through the string. There had been no point in doing so before we got out past all the weed in the basin.
Misty Blue
NB Misty Blue soon followed us out and the two boats were ready to descend towards the Lee Navigation.
St Pancras Lock
With plenty of crew our cruise would be plain sailing. We dropped down St Pancras Lock and said our goodbyes to the basin, thank you all for making us feel welcome and giving us somewhere to be whilst we headed to Scarborough, Huddersfield and attempted to sort the washing machine. But I have to say I won’t miss the trains early in the morning.
Last of the gas holders in their original place
A short distance on by Goodsway Bridge there is part of one of the gas holders left to mark where they had originally stood. Then on to Islington Tunnel. A lady moored on the offside just before the tunnel ask if we could lend a hand. Last night they had their rowing boat stolen, it was used to break in to a charity boat on the other side of the tunnel. If we could see it could we make sure it was tide up safe for her to collect later.
We had to wait for a trip boat to come through then the way was clear, NB Misty Blue following on behind. The rowing boat was tied up on the moorings so safe for now, maybe the lady would be able to get someone to tow it back through the tunnel for her.
Swapping at City Road Lock
A boat was just coming up City Road Lock, so we swapped over and waited for our lock partners to join us.
Lots to see. Interesting boats, graffiti all with the sun beating down on us.
A couple of volunteers were on duty at Old Ford Lock, they helped us down meaning we could stay on board and get ready to turn left onto Ducketts Cut, The Hertford Union Canal. With only three locks and 1.2 miles long the canal is easy, it cuts the corner on going down to Limehouse Basin and back up to the Olympic Park, which is 4.7 miles and 6 locks.
Misty Blue led the way, onto new waters for her and her crew.
More colourful boats, the Dad of the flamingo we’d seen up near Tring a few weekends ago and C&RT signs that are now totally unintelligible! We think the mooring sign used to say 4 hours, but we’re not sure!
Loads of spray cans, it must cost a small fortune
At Old Ford Lower Lock a chap was busy creating on the wall alongside. For as long as we can remember this wall has always had graffiti on it. Today it was getting a refreshed look. The face of a green man was appearing as the chap worked away. I was interested in how they work.
As a Scenic Artist I usually have reference to work from, a scale model, this chap kept looking at his phone. The chap said the wall was usually planned out before hand, but not always sometime it was just how the mood took him. He was however following whatever was on his phone quite religiously. I said I looked forward to seeing how it turned out when we return in a week or twos time. He said it was going to be a really good one, but that it would have been painted over by the time we come back.
Here is where the two boats parted company.
Misty Blue heading south
Graeme and crew on NB Misty Blue turned southwards with the aim of cruising round City Mill River to see the stadium, his crew being West Ham supporters.
We turned northwards up into Hackney Wick. Blimey the river was busy! Moo canoes filled the water, the towpath was chocka, bars and restaurants were filled to the gunnels, the whole area alive and buzzing.
Eggs
The graffiti artist who has the ‘I ♥ Eggs’ as their tag has decorated one of the bridges. They have moved on from just their tag that appears near St Pancras, now there are fried eggs to accompany it.
We moored by the Copper Box for our first Christmas afloat in 2014, large areas of the land surrounding it have changed so much. It was what felt like desolate wasteland before, now it is filled with buildings.
Gainsborough School and footbridge
We passed under the footbridge from Josh’s old junior school where we once moored on Lillian, this stretch now permanent moorings. Onwards northwards the only gaps in the moorings were too shallow, but we knew somewhere we’d be able to moor.
Up ahead tucked in behind a bush we could make out a riveted hull, then the red and green of the cabin side came into view, we slowed down and prepared to pull alongside NB Billy. An exchange of messages yesterday with Clare meant we’d be passing today, but they had decided to stay another night at Hackney Marshes and offered for us to moor alongside.
See you somewhere up the way
We’d only really just got settled when NB Misty Blue came past, sadly Old Ford Lock was closed on the Lee so their trip around the loop hadn’t been possible. As we are heading in the same direction our paths are likely to cross again in the next week or so.
Clare and Pete returned from a bike ride round the Marshes. We decided to do a do-si-do, for us to be on the inside and them on the outside. This would mean we were ready for them to push off in the morning and Tilly could have shore leave without passing over another boat. We swapped sides, possibly confusing a boat who thought it’s luck was in as both boats pulled out, but then snuck back into the same spot.
NB Billy
NB Billy should have been long gone, but they had had an incident with a large chunk of tree and their prop a week ago. A lot of damage was caused and necessitated being in dry dock for a day, their prop blades were distorted, it sheared off 8 bolts from the shaft coupling and dumped their propshaft into their bilge. But all is just about right now, just a bit of packing needed in Billy’s stern gland.
As we chatted Tilly came and went, her calculations went slight array when she attempted to leap from the stern which os moored out at quite a distance. A big splash, one soggy cat extricated herself from the cut onto the bank and ran inside, to be grabbed by me with a Tilly towel. I’d told her not to go off the back! It was all planned, a nice cooling dip!
Tilly having a bath after her dip
Now we have yet another dirty towel needing washing with no washing machine!
Mick rang back a company he’d tried yesterday to see when an engineer might be able to come out to look at our dead washer/dryer. We’d been given several options yesterday regarding payment and we’d decided that £125 to fix it wasn’t too bad, a new one being at least £300, if they couldn’t fix it then £55 would be the call out charge. However when he tried calling the department to see when they would be able to visit the phone just rang and rang and rang. He gave up.
Not much of a view in St Pants
Google suggested several other firms. ‘Sorry we don’t cover that area’ was quite a common response. Others suggested they’d be able to get someone out to us this afternoon. ‘What’s your postcode?’ This was given, handy to be at the Cruising Club and have an address. Then Mick would say we were on a boat. ‘Oh, we don’t do boats. Houses yes, boats no!’
St Pancras Lock
A notice was put on the London Boaters group, but the only suggestion was to buy a new one as they are so cheap now. We’d rather see if it can be mended, but we might just be giving someone some money to look at a totally dead machine.
Eventually a company was found who didn’t have a problem coming out to us on a boat. An appointment made for tomorrow afternoon. Mick called the Harbour Master, Tony to see if we could stay a bit longer in the basin. This was fine and a key holder for the gate into the car park would be found to let the engineer in.
Mick headed off to find a new connecting hose for the washing machine, a longer one would help when pulling it out from it’s cupboard. 2.5m would do and be handy even if we end up having to buy a new machine.
Hello!
Back onboard I, at last, had a chat with Gemma (Production Manager for Panto). We talked painting the set, a quote for more than my design fee had come in from a scenic artist. I know you can earn more money painting than designing, but when I’d already said I’d paint the show for a top up on my fee! Logistics in our pandemic world make things a little more complicated than before, but hopefully with a bit of thought things will work out.
Not being much of an assistant
I decided that as we wouldn’t be moving today that I’d do some work. The drawing board came out and my assistant sat by and watched as I drew up some basic plans for the set of #unit 21. This didn’t take too long, I just need to get them scanned now and sent off for a friend in Leeds to give me a quote.
Mick had another trip to make to Christine’s. A new propmate had arrived for us to replace the one now sat on the bottom of Limehouse Basin. The design has changed a bit since we bought our original one. Now made from pipe with a bent handle and it comes with a wrist strap already attached! Hopefully this one will be with us for longer than the old one.
Being cooped up in the boat all day I had a walk around the Kings Cross development. A meander of a walk took me through the new buildings, many empty. Landscaping and seating is everywhere making for a green environment.
Wish I could look inside
I walked past York Road Station, one of the original stations on the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway. Opened in 1906 it was designed by Leslie Green and connected to the platforms by two lifts. It closed in 1932, discussions have been made about reopening it, but as it’s quite close to Kings Cross the £21million (2005 estimate) needed to bring it up to modern day standards it is unlikely to happen.
Cinema across the water
A cinema screen plays to an audience on the steps across the canal. A couple of films are shown a day along with the Tour De France at lunchtimes. All the restaurants and bars were packed, as much as they can be and the whole area had a hubhub about it.
Art covers walls and expensive shops fill an area which used to be full of railway lines delivering coal.
It being Wednesday night it was club night at the Waterpoint the old water tower that overlooks the basin. A glass of wine and being sociable was on the cards, hopefully with a visit to the roof of the tower.
Looking SW
Our luck was in and we got shown up onto the roof. From here views down to St Pancras Station, BT tower, a bit of the London Eye and the numerous cranes which are on the site of the new Google building.
Looking SSE
Northwards is mostly railways and tower blocks, but all the same with the sun gradually going down it was still quite a sight.
Ballcock
The roof is what used to be the water tank which used to hold 17,000 gallons of water which was used to fill the tanks of the steam locomotives. In one corner is the ballcock, pretty much like a toilet ballcock only far bigger!
St Pancras Station
The tower used to be situated along the lines at St Pancras, however it was in the way of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link HS1 so it had to be moved. The tower was split into three, the top two layers moved to behind the lock cottage. A new bottom third was built and the top two thirds were craned in on top. The Cruising Club are custodians of the water tower, it is currently their club house. You’ll find it open to the public several times a year.
Looking NNE
The whole area around Kings Cross was a huge coal depot. Where the basin is now used to have railtracks running over the top of it. The gas holders have been moved from their original site and new buildings built within them to suggest the old tanks. Using this link you can see how much the area has changed since 1892 by sliding the button on the bottom left.
Today a new C&RT notice came in
Aire & Calder Navigation Main Line Location: Lock 11, Ferrybridge Flood Lock, Aire & Calder Navigation
Navigation Closure
Monday 19 July 2021 08:00 until Friday 13 August 2021 16:00
A stoppage is required to replace the downstream gates and cills. Check and repair downstream sluices.
Here’s hoping the end of this stoppage coincides with the breach site reopening.
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 washing machine, 1 engineer booked, 2 new quotes, 1 conversation, 1 set drawn up, 16 more panto photos, 1 dormant station, 2 glasses up on the roof.
Please note there is no navigation through the breach site at Newbridge.
From 25th July The Trust will be raising the water levels in the navigation in order to temporarily re-water the breach site to allow engineers to check banks. Following this test, the levels in the navigation will be lowered. Please note this will see the water level reduced back to the current lower level, in order to allow the removal of the cofferdam.
Water levels will be affected from Ferrybridge to Goole on the Aire & Calder navigation and on the New Junction canal to Sykehouse Lock.
Can skippers of all craft please adjust their mooring lines accordingly.
Once the cofferdam has been removed, the navigation will be re-watered, ahead of the planned opening in mid-August.
We will update this notice when we have further information.
No date as yet, but hopefully everything is on track.
They have also updated the website, which pretty much says the same.
In Selby there is also news on the swing bridge out of the basin.
Update on 15/07/2021:
Unfortunately, we have experienced some delays with agreeing a design for the temporary scaffold footbridge required before we can affect a road closure with the local authority on Selby swing bridge.
The pedestrian bridge installation is to start on the Wednesday 21st July 2021 and will be completed by Friday 30th July 2021. Upon completion the swing bridge will be opened to allow boat movement.
A further navigation restriction will be in place on Thursday 5th August 2021 to allow the swing bridge to be lifted out and taken off site for repair.
Thank you for your continued patience while we are undertaking these essential repairs and we apologies for any ongoing inconvenience this may cause to your summer cruising plans.
Did someone say something about moving the outside!?!
Having stayed a day longer than we’d originally planned, today we’d be pushing off. Push isn’t the right way to say it, but I can’t think of a way to put ‘pull’ or ‘tug’ and ‘off’ together without it being rather rude!
Eeeking their way out
NB Chance were assisted out from beside us. Richard pushing the bow out as he walked along a neighbouring boats gunnel, then a throw rope was used from beside the dry dock to pull the bow right out, now engine power could be used to get them out of the basin and weed.
Next it was our turn. Heather came along to wish us well and ended up discovering how heavy Oleanna is whilst giving us a big push. I then had a go with a pole to get the bow a touch further out before a chap by the dry dock introduced himself as Simon, he threw me a rope which was tied off to the bow. He then pulled our bow over out from behind the moored boats. Mick put the throttle into gear and we slowly made our way out of the basin. Others followed.
Busy above the lock
When we were on our way southwards we’d both had a look at the St Pancras Cruising Clubs website to see if they had any cruises planned. But this section of the website had been empty, we’d both assumed this was due to the pandemic. In the past we’ve never been in the right place at the right time, or the cruises had been fully booked up. However about ten days ago we received an email from Simon asking if we’d like to join their next Tideway cruise there was one space free and it could be ours if we acted quickly. As the cruise was something we’ve always wanted to do but have been cautious about doing just by ourselves, this was an offer we couldn’t turn down.
Mick spent that morning filling out forms, every time he looked at his inbox there was another email from Simon.
The cruising club has a diesel point which is open at certain times, today being one of those, we topped up the tank, only 13 litres needed as we’ve not really been anywhere and been plugged in for a week.
Boats were collecting above the lock, the next locking was ours with NB Albert Victor, we would soon be followed by another two, then another two.
David and Guy on Albert Victor
It was good to be moving again, we’re not ones to sit still for too long. Ahead Islington Tunnel. Was that the boats ahead of us, or was someone heading our way? Okay so there wasn’t a tunnel light, but there still could have been a boat coming towards us. Zooming in with my camera I could see a lot of people on board, four maybe, we hovered for a little while, then I could see that it was actually two boats both heading away from us. In we went.
Popping out the other end there was a boat waiting patiently. One more behind us, then another two, they were going to have quite a wait! We told them to be swift getting into the tunnel otherwise they could be there all day!
Here there is a stretch of the new Eco Moorings that C&RT have put in. 7 day moorings with electric hook up so that boats don’t need to run their engines. The moorings are free and you get a code once you have booked to be able to use the hook up.
At City Road Lock NB Chance and NB Thermopylae were just leaving the lock. We were joined by a lady who would only be doing one lock, heading to her next mooring. She was quite casual about the whole thing heading off to buy a coffee as her boat lowered in the lock.
We waited at Sturt’s Lock but now the boats behind had reorganised themselves, so we headed down on our own. As soon as I closed the gates behind us a paddle was being lifted to refill it.
Save the Sharks
Going through Hackney we got to see the Hackney Sharks. These were to be an installation, singing and blowing bubbles, but Hackney Council won an injunction against them saying they were an unauthorised change of use and a breach of planning permission. So now the sharks sit in a boat waiting to see what will happen to them.
Four years ago we came across some filming in some houses alongside the canal. Today the site is very different, fresh paint and no greenery climbing up the walls.
At Acton’s Lock we were re-joined by NB Victor Albert to go down the remaining locks to Limehouse. Boats of all shapes, sizes and names.
Straight on towards Canary Wharf passing the Hertford Union Canal, gradually the canal got weedier and weedier, but it was still passable. At just gone 3pm we dropped down into Limehouse Basin with the assistance of Kevin from NB Combs Lass. Simon and John were standing along the high wall directing where people should moor. We got a bit of curved wall, but there was a ladder we could use to get on and off.
Soon after we arrived more boats came down into the basin, one pulling up to breast up alongside. Mick went to the stern, I went to the bow to help. The lady passed me a rope saying, ‘Are you Pip?’. A blog reader, well not really. Vicki and I had quite a chat, we were now breasted up with NB Misty Blue another escapee from Goole! Graeme had left a couple of weeks before us having taken advantage of an offer from Little Shuva a tug at Goole who was heading onto the Trent for a job. They shared Ocean Lock and headed down stream, at Trent Falls they had hooked up and Little Shuva took the strain and pulled NB Misty Blue round onto the Trent, Graeme mooring for the night on the Gainsborough pontoon. We’d heard of someone doing this, and now we were moored up next to them.
Oops!
After a spot of late lunch it was time to start preparing Oleanna for tomorrow. Mick checked the weedhatch, unfortunately dropping our prop mate into the deep water. He managed to pick it up with the sea magnet, only for it to drop off before he could grab hold of it. That will be a new one on order, this time a wrist strap will be attached so this can’t happen again!
Misty Blue and Oleanna fellow escapees
Anchors and chains could be heard being brought out from storage and laid somewhere for easy deployment. We headed to look at the lock and at the Thames. We last did this in 2015 when we imagined that one day we’d be heading out of the lock early one summers morning before all the traffic got going. Speed boats hurtled past along with Uber Clippers, waves ricocheting of the opposite bank. Tomorrow we’d be heading out mid morning! Gulp!!
At 7pm there was a briefing held at the Cruising Association. Only skippers allowed due to covid measures. Mick returned with a lot of laminated sheets, approximate timings of our cruise and most importantly the abort plans should we not be able to continue upstream to Brentford. We joined others for a meal and drink at the Cruising Association Galley. Here’s hoping we sleep better tonight than we did before setting forth to do Trent Falls!
Ready for the morning
9 locks, 5.62 miles, 1 big pull, 1 big push, 2 sharers, 5 sharks, 1 straight on, 10 boats, 9 excited boaters waiting for the tide, 9 experienced excited boaters waiting for the tide, 1st cat added to the spread sheet, 1 propmate lost forever, 1 borrowed, 1 anchor chain and rope, 1 shower full, 1 river reckie, 1 big gulp, 2 laminated sheets, 1 hour briefing, 1 beef pie, 1 salmon and chips, 6 scoops of chilled medication between us.
We’d had intentions to move today, not far but at least across the summit pound to Cowroast. However when we woke and checked the forecast we decided that we’d rather not get totally and utterly soaked. There wasn’t even a window in the rainfall that we could see, so instead we decided to stay put for the day.
Mid June!
The temperature had dropped overnight, at first this was a lovely relief as it had become so muggy. Long trousers were needed followed by jumpers, in fact by the afternoon Mick had lit the stove to drive off the chill that torrential rain brings.
Mick did us a small cooked breakfast with what was to hand. The last two eggs were poached in our poach pods, a little bit of rapeseed oil in them to stop the eggs from sticking. Mushrooms, tomatoes, my last slice of Gf bread from the freezer. I also insisted on hash browns, just because Karen had asked about them the other day.
Eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and hash brown
Hash Browns for 2
Wash a medium sized potato, don’t bother peeling it but grate it into a t-towel using the big holes on your grater. Grate about a third of a small onion (if you are called Joa you should omit the onion) into the t-towel too. Wring out as much moisture as you can. Add about a third of a beaten egg, just enough to help things stick together without getting too eggy. A good grind of salt and pepper. Mix well, then cook in a frying pan with a little rapeseed oil (other oils are available). Mick tends to make one big cake cooking it for about 7 mins on each side so that it has a good colour to it and is cooked through. Then it is my job to eat it. Yum.
Make it stop
Tilly was given 9.5 hours, but she wasn’t interested, I think all day she only just managed to step off the boat for a couple of minutes. But she did sit out the back under the shelter of the pram cover watching the steam rising off the canal. In Scarborough we’d call this Fret. The canal has obviously warmed up and the drop in temperature made it steam all day long. It’s the kind of steam you can put your hand out and touch.
Frey drifting by
The other day I’d had a modified idea for the Town Square for panto, today I was determined to see if it was a good idea and bring a touch more green into the opening scene. I liked the shape of the buildings and know that the build will have been priced up on the drawings I’ve already submitted, so I did my best to keep the existing shapes, changing the roof for foliage and the timber into plant stems giving them a touch more of an organic feel. Tomorrow I’ll put them in the model box with everything else to see if they work, but I’m liking the look of them so far.
Mick sat listening to the Women’s Test Match for much of the morning until rain stopped play. He should really have been out with the soft brush giving the cabin sides a good clean down. The port side will have had an extra rinse today. I suspect that the starboard side will now look even worse than it did before despite the almost continuous downpours all day.
Maybe it’s a bit better now
In the C&RT update email this evening they have covered the stoppages around Selby. Tankards Bridge on the Selby Canal is still closed to boats over 7ft high, a road closure will be needed for them to mend the bridge and as yet the Council has not granted one due to work on going on the A19 nearby and the road being used as an alternative root.
Then there is Selby Swing Bridge. From the update it still looks like C&RT are seeking a road closure here too after an over weight lorry crossed the bridge doing no good to the bearings. There may be more news locally from Nigel the Lock Keeper.
With regard to the Aire and Calder breach, there wasn’t anything new in the update. However the local MP has been to the site. The second layer of piling is now complete and the area above the drain has recently had new concrete has been added where the wooden shuttering is behind Andrew Percy. Gradually over the next month tests will be done increasing the water level in the cofferdam. Fingers crossed the big hole is now fixed and there are no more set backs. He does also mention the sections of collapsed bank caused by the low water levels since the breach. C&RT have told him they are not immediately serious and will need addressing over the next year or so.
In other news, there is now the second part of Heather’s trip taking her up to Beverley on the Scholar Gypsy blog here’s a LINK
Last of the quiche
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 very wet day, 1 inch extra of water, 1 stove lit, 1 work day, 3 town houses rethought, 2 minutes shore leave taken, 0 quiche left.
Norton Junction to The Wharf, Bugbrooke to Evans Bridge 42
Well Shefali said it was going to be cloudy today. I for one was quite looking forward to not having to put sun cream on and having a day off from turning into a lobster. But as we woke there was still an amount of sunshine necessitating the application of cream.
Peeking through the bridge at the junction
A couple of boats came past over breakfast heading towards the junction, maybe they were early through the tunnel, but which way would they be going?
As we got ready to push off another boat from behind did the same, we hung onto our ropes and let them pass as they were just a little bit ahead of us. Would we have a partner for the Long Buckby flight? Or would they turn up the Leicester Section? Seven years ago to the day we came out from the Leicester Section on NB Lillyanne accompanied by NB Blackbird and turned towards Braunston at the start of our life afloat.
We followed the boat down towards the flight where another boat was tied up above the locks at the services. We pulled in at the water point and let the two boats ahead team up, assisted by a couple of volunteers. Never seen volunteers here before.
Ducking under the A5 after the top lock
We dealt with yellow water, fresh water and rubbish then pulled up towards the locks, the volunteers setting the lock for us. Someone came up to tell them that a pound in the flight was very low, possibly too low to navigate. Oleanna descended on her own as no other boat showed itself, I walked on down to set the lock ahead.
The pounds between the top four locks of the flight are quite long, certainly not close enough to walk on to set the next lock then walk back to open and close gates. Even though the bottom gates are very heavy I quite like these locks. Some graffiti brought smiles to us as we passed. We were back in our routine of going down hill, each of us knowing which job to do or leave for the other one.
Boats managing to get through the low pound
The volunteers walked down to check the level in the low pound ahead of us, although I think they had been beaten to it by a full time Lockie. At Lock 10 the bottom gates were open and soon a chap in blue arrived. We closed the bottom gates, leaving a paddle up on one gate then he lifted a paddle at the other end, sending water down. All we could do was wait and watch as the boats ahead of us made it into the next lock and then onwards.
Volunteers helping at Lock 11
The lockie walked back and forth, checking the troublesome pounds level and then that of the one above. After quite a wait he was happy for me to close the bottom paddle and fill the lock and be on our way.
Now on the flat we made our way with the noise from the M1 for accompaniment.
The towpaths were having a hair cut. A duck smoked a woodbine. We passed three Tilly boats. Batman and Robin rested their superhero bones and a koala peeked out from a welldeck.
Odd window out
At Weedon we noticed the nice metal windows on the back of a building for the first time. Have these always been here, but just covered in ivy and masked by trees. One window has been replaced, I quite like the difference.
Weedon Visitor Moorings empty
All the visitor moorings on the embankment were empty again, not even Heather Bleasdale was leaning out of her window to say hello.
Tilly watching the woofer
The diesel point at Rugby Boats was free so we pulled in to top up the tank, at 79.9p a litre this was far better than it would have been in Nuneaton. Tilly sat in the window and kept a very close eye on the dog. Sitting out of the water was NB Cream Cracker, we are pretty sure that seven and a bit years ago this was the first boat we looked at. She is currently under offer and presumably out of the water for a survey.
Onwards past a spillway where C&RT chaps were installing a dam. It looks like work has been done to one end of the spillway and they were about to start at the other end. Not sure if one chap was assisting in holding a scaff bar in place or had just come for a chat.
Moo!
We soon arrived in Bugbrooke our stopping place for the night, a late lunch was followed by a sweep through and tidy up as we were expecting a visitor. Our friend Lizzie works for Unusual who are based just by the West Coast Main Line here in Bugbrooke.
Arc in need of some TLC
It was decided that we’d have a cheeky drink at the pub, so as soon as Tilly came home we locked the doors and headed over the bridge to find an outdoor table. After a couple of hours and a bottle of wine we were just about caught up on everyone’s news. Lovely to see Lizzie again, plans are being formed for a bit of a get together sometime later in the summer.
Shame Tilly wasn’t in the window
Back on Oleanna we were about to start cooking when Mick noticed that we had quite a few visitors. Somewhere on the bank there was an ants nest, most of the occupants were now having a great time on Oleanna! They marched in through the side hatch ready to explore further!
Despite a couple of glasses of wine we decided to move on getting away before news got back to the nest and more visitors might arrive. Being alongside the railway it took us a couple of miles before the track got to a distance we thought we could cope with, a handy M appeared on our map so we pulled in. The sheep behind the sideways trees filled the gaps between the trains going by. After sweeping down the outside of the cabin we finally sat down to eat at 8:50, Tescos Indian with homemade gluten free nan breads.
The Aire & Calder breach repairs remain on track and the navigation due for opening by mid-August. During w/c 5 July a phased re-watering will commence, levels will be increased gradually and monitored by our engineers. The cofferdams will remain in place until the phased rewatering is complete.
We continue to do everything possible to get the navigation and towpath back open as soon as possible for everyone to enjoy.
Please see separate notices regarding arrangements to book passage through Pollington Lock and Sykehouse Lock.
