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.
An earlier start is required when the canals or rivers are busy, an early boater tends to get the better mooring. So to try to change our habits the alarm had been set for early o’clock, we’ve done earlier but that’s when temperatures are set to soar.
Mick got up to put the kettle on. He turned the kitchen tap to count to eleven/twelve (the correct amount of water to boil for two mugs of tea). A feeble noise could be heard. What was it? Was a small cruiser heading away from the moorings? I lifted the top step to where the water pump lives, it was quietly whirring rather than forcefully pumping.
The battery voltage was checked, 20. Not good it’s normally around 26.something. Lithium batteries can discharge more than lead acid batteries but this was the first time we’ve noticed them being low. After all the cruising we’ve been doing for them to be this low was a surprise. Yes Mick had run the dishwasher after we’d stopped last night, but we’ve done this before when we know the batteries are full after a days cruise.
Oh Pooh!
It was still before 8am so the only way to run the engine was by moving. We had our tea and then pushed off hoping to be able to top up the batteries a touch before breakfast. Maybe the amount of bird poo on the roof had drained the voltage away!
JD Narrowboats
We passed JD Narrowboats, plenty of shells sitting about waiting to be fitted out. Most would need grit blasting before a coat of paint could be applied as rust has set in from sitting about for a year or more.
Shardlow is so pretty. A wisteria arch at the bottom of a narrow garden, followed by a K6 surrounded by willow. The old warehouses glowing orange in the morning sunlight, hopefully one day they will be given a new lease of life. The clock warehouse sat peacefully, no doubt the pub being a pull on a summers evening.
Shardlow Lock
Shardlow Lock sat empty, waiting for us, the lock cottage wearing a wisteria moustache. Up Oleanna came. This is the easiest of the broad locks at this end of the T&M, the others have big heavy gates to hold back the depth of water, hopefully we’d come across someone to share the others with.
So pretty
Just past the line of permanent moorings there was a space. A couple busied themselves pushing out. Were they keen to find a partner for the big locks ahead, no they’d not spotted us, when they did they pulled back in to let us pass. We of course then just pulled in grounding where the bottom was too close to the top. A reverse and we found more depth and stopped for breakfast. Our batteries were already showing improvement after half a mile.
Aston Lock
An hour later we pushed off again, a couple of boats having passed us so we knew we’d have a wait at Aston Lock. Here there was a pair of boats waiting to come down too.
Watching and waiting
I walked to lend a hand and have a chat whilst Mick secured Oleanna’s bow with a rope. As these deep locks empty they can push the bow right out and if you are only tied up on a centre line this can be a problem.
Coming up
We were soon in the lock, followed by a small cruiser that was out for the day. They soon stopped where the towpath was wide enough to sit out with shade from some trees, a nice relaxed day planned before returning to their mooring.
Boaters PPE out again
At Weston Lock two boats had joined the uphill trend so there was a wait again. Here the gates can be a right pig, heavy and not want to come out of their recesses but fortunately by the time it was our turn another boat had appeared behind us and a crew member from the following boat came to help too. Many hands as they say.
Weston Lock
We shared the lock with NB Purple Emperor the couple of board were heading to the Gloucester and Sharpness. He was wanting to go down the Severn to Bristol for a second time, but his wife wasn’t too keen! Should that be our next big adventure? Or the Wash? Or the Humber? Who knows, for now we were just enjoying being back on a canal.
Lovely day for a paddle
Three canoes tucked in behind us after the lock, they then spent a lot of energy paddling to get past us. Maybe they don’t realise that boats slow down as they pass moored boats, then speed up once past. They overtook us then slowed down again, a touch slower than we’d normally cruise at. So we pootled along behind.
That will do nicely
Yesterday we’d got ahead of schedule, today we thought we might keep that up, climbing the next two big locks before the canal becomes a narrow canal, having a locking partner now this maybe would be wise. But behind the canoes it was slow going. Then trees offering some shade, an almost view of the River Trent and a wide towpath suitable for our barbecue came into view. We pulled in and called it a day.
The batteries had recovered, but some investigation was required once everything had cooled down.
Tilly headed off to explore the trees and friendly cover for the afternoon, life returning to some sort of boat normal.
I spent much of the afternoon getting the blog up to date. Our adventures over the last week have taken quite a bit of writing about. Not just an hour whilst having breakfast! I really must stop taking SO many photos and edit them before I even take them!
The legs are out!
Once the engine had cooled down Mick went into the engine bay to check the batteries to see if one of them was causing a problem. They all had the same voltage which was at 26.11, so no problem there. It must have been the running of the dishwasher once we’d moored up that did it. We’ll keep an eye on them over the next few days, hopefully there’s not a problem.
I made a start to an illustration which we’ll use as a card for people lodging in our house. I’m hoping to do a series of canal scenes to sell, but I’ve not had the time as yet to start on them.
All set up, it’s charcoal in the coal bag honest
This evening we dug out the barbecue for our celebratory meal, it was also our first of the year. The bag of charcoal we bought from Bollington Wharf isn’t even half used so should keep us going this summer.
A very pleasant meal with asparagus, veg kebabs, salmon with ginger and soya sauce, all followed by bananas with chocolate and of course a glass or two of wine. Tilly missed all of this as by 6.30pm she had totally worn herself out. They made me use all six hours finding and consuming friends, they made me!
They made me! It’s hard to breath!
3 locks, 4.09 miles, 1 early start, 20! 1 early but late breakfast, 2 locking partners, 4 legs outs, 1 early stop, 8 spears, 4 kebabs, 2 salmon steaks, 2 bananas, 8 cubes chocolate, 26.11, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval,1 evening of speedy circuits, phew!
https://goo.gl/maps/8cqBFefwFnRJA41Z7
Breach Update
With the weather having improved Mark has been back to the breach site with his drone. Quite a lot has happened there.
30-5-2021
A second line of piling has been put in in front of the line we’d seen a couple of weeks ago.
30-5-2021
I can’t see from Marks photos if the outer line of piling goes right across the drain below, it might do.
30-5-2021
The cofferdam has some water in it. Not sure if this is intentional as I can’t see any pumps or pipes that would have been used to do this.
30-5-2021
Below in the drain the water looks cloudy as if water is coming from within the cofferdam. Possibly water is coming round over the top of the drain as it did when the breach first happened. If it is hopefully this is intentional.
30-5-2021
A large mound of what might just be earth is towards the south east end of the cofferdam, it’s surface higher than the water.
Today passage had not been possible due to staffing shortages. Nigel was at Naburn this morning to pen a cruiser down onto the river, this would mean there being nobody available to pen us at a suitable time of the tide, so today had not been an option. This did however mean everyone had their radios on to listen in.
Lock cottage for sale
Around about 9am we could hear one side of a conversation on Channel 9, the cruiser was approaching the bridges. We all gathered at the lock hoping to see what we could see.
The amount of trees not only inhibit an advanced view of the lock, but also there are only a couple of places you can stand to be able to see Selby Rail Bridge swing.
Selby Rail Bridge
Air droughts were checked with the bridges. Yes they would need to swing. The cruiser was told to hang back whilst permission was sought for the Rail Bridge to swing. There was a gap in trains so the bridge keeper commenced the procedure. Selby Toll bridge followed suit, the traffic there a lot easier to stop.
Once the bridges were open the cruiser was allowed through, having to turn back round to go with the flow.
Open and ready
The skipper wasn’t aware that there was another bridge coming up, Selby Bypass Bridge, so we could hear conversations on the radio down there. Hope they made it to Grimsby okay.
Yesterday David had sent through a set of charts for Trent Falls, the Lower Ouse and the Lower Trent. Humber Charts. These lay out not only the depths of channel, but also the heights of the sand banks above the lowest tides, it is essential to understand these sections of the rivers. We printed them out, all the figures too small to read, ideally you’d want them on a computer so as to be able to zoom in at any given time. Under cover this would be possible, but we prefer to cruise with our pram hood down, giving better visibility all round, this does however have the drawback of things getting wet should it rain.
Trent Falls
Mick headed off to chat with David about the charts as I set too hoping to make the most a spare day to get some work done. I put together a story board of panto with photographs of my model and emailed it off to keep others informed.
Assistant hard at work
A blue van came past the chink in the curtains, Nigel was here, he pulled up alongside Sea Maiden. Time for the escape committee to convene.
David had been looking again at the weather at Trent Falls for tomorrow. The patches of sun were now replaced by rain and thunder, wind a touch more than we’d had on our journey up to Selby. He wasn’t too keen. The weather for Thursday looked much much better, sunshine and gentle winds. Tides would mean a later start, therefore a later finish. Another option would be to go to Barmby Barrage a day before and set off from there saving an hours cruise, giving us an extra hour in bed.
Selby Lock
Martin and Wendy on Lulabelle are thinking of staying in Selby to wait for the swing bridge at the end of the basin to be mended. A notice a couple of days ago had suggested the bridge would be lifted out mid to late June, opening up the navigation again. At the other end of the Selby Canal there is currently a height restriction at Tankards Bridge. Nigel confirmed that this was set at 7ft, a scaffolding bar flattening off the arch of the bridge. With the current fluctuation of the canal level with water coming off the fields 7ft was a safe height. This of course means Sea Maiden wouldn’t be able to go that way until the bridge is mended. The dredging on the Aire is scheduled for around about now, so the rest of the way back onto the Aire and Calder Navigation should be fine.
Nigel called someone up to enquire if there was any more news of the basin swing bridge, there had been a big meeting last Friday with lots of pointing going on. Permission is still need for a road closure from the council, then works can begin. The official line still being around three weeks.
River level
Maybe in a couple of days time passage up to York would be possible, the fresh water having decreased by then. Time waiting for suitable tides and weather could be done whilst bobbing back and forth between Naburn and York. The next morning tides not for a couple of weeks.
Conversation came back to Thursday. Low tide at Trent Falls would be 16:24. The cruise from there with the incoming tide would be around a couple of hours to reach Keadby Lock. So arrival would be around 18:30 maybe a touch later. All fine until the Keadby Lock Keepers hours were checked. Currently the shift finishes at 20:00, but Thursday 16:30! Oh B***er!!! We’d still be two hours away.
Maybe we could carry on to Gainsborough and moor on the pontoon there overnight and be up early for the next incoming tide? Maybe!
This would be further than David and Karl had planned and the conditions would need to be spot on for them to go, they may stay and pootle up to York for a bit waiting for the next set of suitable tides and lock opening hours.
Nigel would still be here at a suitable time to let us out tomorrow morning if the forecast improved and we decided to go for it.
We chatted through the charts with David. Learnt of another useful app called Anchor Watch. You can set the position of your phone (boat) on the app and should your phone move by more than 20m an alarm will sound. We then all went away to think things over.
Panto technical drawings
I got the drawing board out. Time to update my technical drawings for panto. Not too much has changed so alterations and a tidy up adding title boxes to my plans. I worked through most of them before it was time to pack up for the day.
Mick busied himself in the engine bay. The new bilge pump he’d put in a little while ago hasn’t been working. It makes the right sort of noise, but no water has been pumped over board. Yesterday he’d had a look at it, maybe the bodge job he’d done fitting it had failed!
The new bilge pump has a wider diameter fitting than the old one did. This means that the pipe from the skin fitting is too narrow to fit onto it. Mick has added a short length of narrower pipe which fits inside both pipes. This is taped and jubilee clipped in position as a temporary fix until we can get some pipe of the correct diameter.
Tilly keeping a watch on the weather
Now we watch the weather, river levels, and wind. What else could be added to our escape calculations?
Ah Yes! The Trent Aegir!
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 penning, 2 cruisers zooming by, 1 postponed cruise, 3 charts, 3 weeks, 1 very helpful Lockie, 4:30 clocking off, 3 to 2 to 1 possibly, 8 sheets, 3 pipes become 1, 3rd episode LOD, 1 cat who has given up all hope!
As each boat came up the lock off the Ouse on Friday, Lock Keeper Nigel chatted away. He’d been talking to the Lockie at Keadby and all looked good for a departure on Sunday morning, this had been the original plan. The amount of fresh on the Trent shouldn’t be a problem. Once we were all moored up in the basin we had a boaters conference.
Swimming
We’d all enjoyed the cruise to Selby. Our concern as to whether Lulabelle had enough power was unfounded. This was Martin and Wendy’s first stretch of tidal water, they’ve done rivers before but mostly canals, so they took today at a steady pace, enjoying it out on the river. Lulabelle had more power if required, but they’d hung back to give more space at the lock knowing we’d not all fit in together.
Nigel’s news that we’d be able to pen down on Sunday had been a little bit of a surprise, but everyone was happy to hear it, although the forecast hadn’t looked so good for down at Trent Falls. We’d check the weather apps and reconvene tomorrow, David mentioned another new one to us Windy which we later downloaded.
Standing
Saturday morning we checked the weather, we checked the river levels, we checked the wind at Blacktoft for Sunday. We’d be penned out from Selby around 06:30 make our way down to Trent Falls, anchor there until the tide turned. The wind looked strong down there between 17 and 20mph southerly. Once the tide had turned the wind would then be in our faces and being over tide this would make the cruise up to Keadby a lumpy one.
Giving up!
After our weekly Geraghty zoom the escape committee convened. Not looking good. Tuesday the weather looked more promising, maybe even a touch of sunshine. We decided to postpone our departure from Selby. Monday wouldn’t be possible as there wouldn’t be a lock keeper available to pen us down.
Billy no mates
Mick rang and left a message here at Selby for Nigel, then called Keadby who later called us back. All three boats now booked to pen up at Keadby Tuesday afternoon. They also talked about what time we’d be able to pen back out on Wednesday to make it to Torksey or beyond. A late tide would see us arriving at Torksey a little before dark, or Thursday morning as soon as the Lock Keepers shift started which would be a touch later than they would normally pen you out, so not getting the full effect of the tide.
We’ll be on our own from Keadby as Sea Maiden and Lulabelle will have achieved their goal of being on the other side of the breach. A late finish, or an early start pushing against the tide for some of the way? One to think about.
Selby Abbey
A walk into town to post a birthday card. A visit to Boots Opticians, my new reading glasses have been hurting after five minutes so the kind lady made space for me in the shop and took my glasses away to adjust them, much better.
A recky for suitable places for Sunday lunch. I took photos of nice looking cafes and pubs to look at later. Then we called in at Sainsburys to do a top up shop. We’ll most probably have to do another before we leave as I want to be prepared should we get stuck on a flooded river, after all we know that Cromwell Service Station on the A1 doesn’t do much food with any nutritional value.
In the afternoon I repainted parts of the Town Square model for panto. A pale chrome green and peach substituting the blues. The outcome isn’t quite a bright as I’d wanted but will go with the costumes better. To brighten things up a touch though I added some bunting to the windows and that did the trick.
New version
Photos done and uploaded for people to see I could now pack away my model making equipment. Hopefully the model is now finished and all that remains is to update technical drawings, oh and see if we can afford to have it built!
Old version
Sunday. Instead of heading out onto the river this morning we busied ourselves having a good tidy and clean through. Yep we were expecting visitors.
Today I kept a very tight hold of my mobile phone as Bridget and Storm arrived. They were to be our first visitors inside Oleanna since restrictions have been lifted, in fact they were the last visitors we’d had inside in August last year.
They both were very well and there was a lot to catch up on. Sunday lunch all round at The George Inn by Selby Abbey, we’ve known better but it was still nice to be out with friends. We exchanged news of travels, they’ve just spent a month touring Wales in their motorhome and family news.
Bridget and Storm
A very lovely afternoon spent, much better than clinging on for dear life at Trent Falls.
A quick look at the river level about six hours after high tide suggested there was a LOT of fresh coming down, the height looking more like high tide and the speed at which the water was passing, eek!
Beans on toast with a light dusting of cheddar
This evenings dinner, well a rare plate of food, yummy all the same.
All three boats currently booked to pen down Tuesday at 08:00.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 flooded river, 1 change of booking, 2 arms bent, 6 bananas, 1 pack of bacon, 2 chocolate flapjacks, 2 roasts, 1 pork (with failed crackling), 1 beef (quite dry), 0 Yorkshire puddings, 2 lovely friends, 1 pot of chutney, 3 boats biding their time, 1 bilge pump not pumping, 1 extreamly bored cat, 1 Heather on standby.
Not much impetus to get out of bed this morning due to rain and thinking our escape plans might be postponed, we drank our tea and looked at weather forecasts, river levels after the recent rainfall. Wind looked to be dying down this afternoon, would this give us an opportunity to make our first move in the escape plan?
Oleanna behind the fence
A phone call from Nigel at Selby Lock brought us news that the River Ouse was starting to come up, due to peek on Sunday morning at 3.5 m. Today passage would be possible but not tomorrow as the amount of fresh coming down the river would hinder our progress upstream even with the tide. He also thought that our trip round Trent Falls currently booked for Sunday 06:30 would be unwise as we would likely be fighting our way up the Trent to Keadby too. If we weren’t going to go today he was suggesting waiting until Tuesday to head to Selby and then head back the way we’d come continuing to Trent Falls on Wednesday. The tides would just make it possible to arrive at Keadby within working hours.
Out to meet the flotilla
We needed to chat to the others and see what they thought. Better to do this face to face rather than on Whatsapp. We got dressed and paddled our way round to the moorings past the big work boats to convene the escape committee.
Shower now full leaving the well deck clear
David had also talked to Nigel, he had also spotted the dip in wind speed this afternoon, which hopefully would coincide with a drop in rainfall too. The wind forecast actually showed it changing direction around about the time the tide would change, the important bit about this was that the wind would be going in the same direction as the tide, reducing the possibility of waves.
Goodbye pontoon
Four out of six of us were happy to give the plan a green light, the other two were still in bed, hopefully they would agree. We headed back to Oleanna for breakfast and to prepare for departure.
Mind Lisa’s boat!
Water tank filled, well deck cleared of everything other than the anchor and chain, rubbish in the bins. The trip computer was set, Nebo started. Just as we were untying the chap from a few boats away started telling us of doom and gloom stories of when he’d been through Ocean Lock, his wife nearly being thrown overboard! Blimey, that didn’t sound good! But we have learnt to take such tales with a pinch of salt.
All of a sudden everyone in the marina had come out, the rain having just about stopped along with a boat moving brought people out from beside their stoves, all nicely timed with us reversing off our pontoon and trying our best not to hit Lisa’s boat whilst the wind had other ideas. Other members of our flotilla were at the services on the other side as we pulled out and turned towards the docks, mooring up at the diesel point at Viking Marina. Time to fill up the tank and check out.
Only 38 litres used in 8 months! Mick gave Laird an electric meter reading, handed back our gate key fob. Then we treated ourselves to two new rope fenders a bit chunkier than the one’s we’d found in a skip a few years ago. These were our present to Oleanna for having a quiet winter and to celebrate leaving Goole.
Escape pod at the ready
Time for lunch, last checks, winter waterproof trousers, life jackets on and Tilly’s escape pod zipped up ready just in case. David and Karl came down to tread water alongside us, shortly followed by Martin and Wendy who had finally been convinced that the weather should stay dry for the trip.
David radioed through to Ocean Lock to ask permission to enter the docks. Radio checks were done all round, all working. We pushed out behind Sea Maiden and Lulabelle.
No need for any bridges to swing for us, David had dropped his masts knowing that then he’d fit under. Plenty of head room for the two of us following.
Past the Tom Pudding hoist (footage of it in use). Oleanna wasn’t quite smiling as she normally does, maybe pensive for her entrance onto the River Ouse. A kind word and a slight adjustment of the cable between her horns and she was reassured, smiling back at us again.
No ships to dwarf us
Such a shame the docks were empty of ships today, nothing for us to feel really insignificant alongside.
Sea Maiden pulled into the port side of the lock, followed by Lulabelle. We were directed to the starboard side of the lock. No ropes required to hold us into the side. The huge gates closed behind us.
We all just bobbed there, plenty of space for loads more boats of our size.
Down we go
Then gradually the water emptied from the lock, the tide was a lot lower than we’d expected it to be, 8 maybe 10ft lower than the canal.
The gates opened in front of us. No need for the chap in the control tower to tell us the ‘gates are in the recess’ as he does for the big ships. The chap who was on the lock side just said we could go as the gates were opening.
David and Karl led the way in Sea Maiden, Martin and Wendy next in Lulabelle then we pushed out from the wall and followed on behind.
Ahead a huge expanse of water. Each boat exited the lock and did a sharp turn to the left, the flow of the incoming tide pushing us slightly as we turned. Blimey it’s wide, it’s really wide.
David pushed on ahead, we waited for Lulabelle to pick up speed, but soon we passed Martin and Wendy, Oleanna wanting to go faster to stretch herself with the incoming tide.
Bye bye Goole
Behind us the Salt and Pepper pots along with the spire of St John’s stood tall, Goole was overcast and getting further away by the second. We’ll see them again when we come back in a few days, but for now it was rather nice to be seeing the back of them. The first part of our escape completed, we just had to reach Selby now!
It was left up to Tilly this morning as to when we’d move. Her last morning of freedom for sometime, so she was told to make the most of it. Off she went scouring the long grass for friends.
By about 10am we were the only boat left, David/Paul and Karl had headed off early and WB Lullabelle followed. Did they know when it was due to rain this morning?
Much better versions on the right
At about 11am we were either ready to push off or I’d be settling down to do a couple of hours work. NO sign of the second mate so I set about finishing off the bits for my panto model. My new version of the under sea scenery much better than the original.
When Tilly wants to come in she either comes to the side hatch when it’s open, or jumps on the back of the boat, quite often jumping up onto the roof hatch making the engine board rock to make a noise. Well on her return this morning we heard her land on the stern, but her bell sounded different. Had she managed to change it herself for a quieter version? Or had something happened to it, muffling it slightly?
What happened?
To us we guessed what had happened, this was confirmed when Mick opened up the back doors. One wet cat. Was this down to wet grass and hunting? No, her head was dry! This was almost certainly down to jumping in, or maybe a fall, or maybe some other excuse for not abiding by the rules which are laid out every time she goes out!
That’s not just damp Tilly!
You can be angry. You can laugh. You can chase her round with a towel trying to catch as much of the water as possible before it soaks into the sofa or bed. You can worry every time your cat is out. You can keep them indoors. Or you can let your cat be a cat. Then you can be grateful that she got out from where ever and came back home to share the clean up experience with you.
That’s soaked!
We think where she got wet was most likely to have been in a short section of drain or pond in amongst the trees. But there is a possibility that the number of ducklings was too big a pull towards the canal. If that was the case, thank goodness she managed to find a way out. However the wet paw prints came from the bank and not the stern button.
As much of a towel dry as I was allowed to give her, she then set about drying herself off by having a bath, thankfully for my end of the sofa, whilst sitting on a towel. Mick lit the stove, the boat warmed up to help with the drying off.
What’s happening there?
A small boat kept coming past this morning with a C&RT chap sat in it. In front of him it looked like he had a laptop. Was he doing a survey? He headed all the way up to the cofferdam a couple of times.
A big mound of earth just in front of the digger
After I’d finished my model bits and had lunch it was time to push off and head back into Goole. As we winded I did a last zoom in with my camera towards the cofferdam. There a digger was busy and a mound of earth could be seen. Every now and then this morning we’d been able to hear pile driving. Which part was being dug up? I’ll have to wait for Mark’s next set of photos to see. Next time we are up this way the breach will hopefully be mended and we’ll be cruising through it reminiscing.
Goodbye for now
The four damp miles back to Goole was tracked again on Nebo. I also remembered to have my camera ready to take a photo of the ladybird tile on one of the culvert bridges.
Time to put the panto model together and see if I want to do anything else. A list of notes was written out, nothing major but a couple of hours work. I also took photos so that the costume designer can see what colours I’ve used.
These were also sent off to David the Director for him to have a look at before we have a catch up, so any notes from him can be sorted prior to the finished design meeting with all the creative team and producers.
The Cotswold Thunderbolt
0 locks, 3.92 miles, 1 wind, 1 soggy moggy, 2 hours drying off, 170 model photos, 1 okay Inn, 1 lovely ship, 1 giant anemone, A4 of notes, 1 model nearly finished, 1 glass of wine to celebrate.
Yesterday afternoon another narrowboat arrived, keeping well over to the other side of the canal, yet pushing quite a bow wave. We then sat and bobbed about in the resulting waves for a good fifteen minutes until calm was restored.
One of two mums and their babies today
Have to say we’re a little surprised that not more boats have come out from the marinas for a touch of freedom. Yes the motorways are not that far away and constantly audible, but the amount of sky beats the view of other boats any day.
Fishermen lining up for todays competition
The fishermen arrived and set themselves up along the northern bank and at 11am a shout from one end to the other could be heard, then the plop of bait followed by rods. Todays catches reached 27lbs 6oz. No idea if this is a really good haul, but it sounds like it to me.
Hawthorne
After a slow morning watching the local baby boom we headed out for a walk. The towpath officially on our side of the canal, although the northern bank is far busier, we followed it up towards New Bridge and the breach site. The grass has recently been mown despite someone having put a fence across the towpath. There being no sign to say keep out we continued. Under the bridge to where proper fencing keeps gongoozlers away from the cofferdam and new CCTV looks down on the site.
A team of high vis chaps stood around the site. Maybe because they now had on lookers they climbed back into the cabs of the diggers and pile drivers and started to work.
Busy
The piles that Mark had photographed from the air a few days ago were now being driven further down. Each one numbered in chalk. The chaps gradually worked their way along the line.
We decided to walk along the flood bank of the Dutch River to have a different view. Someone arrived in a car to check over the generators, all quite busy for a Sunday.
The tide was going out on the Dutch River, Cow parsley stood high on the flood bank and every now and then the remains of some creatures meal sat on the path, muscle shells. Sadly between us and the canal lay a very boggy area, possibly even a drain so the best view I could muster of the level on the western side of the cofferdam was by standing on a stile. No water in view.
Back at the boat Tilly was allowed several more hours of towpath exploration, although the very quick sharp showers that came and went all afternoon brought her dashing home.
Norf
Big bolts of lightening towards Doncaster were followed some 15 seconds later by big booming rumbles of thunder. We felt for the fishermen across the way, some already starting to pack up ready for a swift exit after the weigh in at 5.
Miserable out there
I continued with my model painting. The Inn now thankfully finished and a few more bits and pieces painted. The underwater scene was partly painted when I had a big change of mind about it, a much better idea which shouldn’t take too long tomorrow to make and paint. This will be a Black Light Scene, illuminated in UV with puppets of fish and mermaids swimming to our principles rescue. After that it will be time to put everything back in the model box, take notes, work through them, take photos and then wait to see what the Director thinks.
Bits and bobs
An up date of the technical drawings then hopefully the model can be tucked away for safe keeping in my clothes cupboard until needed and we can concentrate on boating for a while.
