A day of more packing. Clothes had a serious edit. Enough pants and socks, pyjamas, a change of clothes should do for a weeks boating. Winter waterproofs left too.
Tilly did her best to assist me. This shelf is empty now, I claim it as mine.
This printer is always in the way!
You need to take this, it’s too big and stops me from getting in here!
This box and this one too. That will make me a nice little den. There must be something in the secret passageway too! You need to open that up. And the other way into it too! Brilliant!!!
Second attempt worked
Unfortunately with all the packing I’d omitted to put enough coal on the fire to keep it going. Kindling on the old coals didn’t work, so I had to start from scratch again. The chimney must be due a sweep.
Bags filled the bed, sofa and much of the floor. It’s amazing now much stuff goes back and forth from the ‘Just in case’ category. I may get a design job, so all my work kit needs to go. Decorating means brushes will be needed. The blankets I had on sale in my Redlocksmakes shop will go to the house and stay there this time for the use of lodgers, better there than under the sofa on the boat. Yarn, some that can stay on dry land, other that might just come in handy knitting socks.
Flat things in here
Thankfully Mick arrived with the van mid afternoon. A trolley then spent the next hour or so moving bags and boxes from Oleanna to the van, no wonder it normally takes three car loads. Crates had come from the house, now all the food drawers could be packed. Minimal bits and bobs and tins left on board.
More packing to do in the morning, we could at least sit down and go to bed again.
Todays left over extras
Bits and bobs needed finishing from the fridge. Time to make a Macaroni cheese to use as much up as possible. 2 rashers of bacon, 3 mushrooms, some beans and broccoli, half a haloumi cheese and some cabbage. These all got heated up and put in the middle of the cheesy pasta. Have to say the beans and haloumi were a very nice added extra.
0 locks, 0 miles, 8 loads to the van, 1 assistant, 2 crates of food, 4 plants and a cat to pack, 1 weeks worth of clothes left, 1 salt and pepper pot, 2 big tins of baked beans, 3rd and 4th balls wound and knitted, 1 Alison!
PS The missing blog emails thing is a mystery. Some people are no longer getting the blog via email, but still appear on the list. Bridget for some reason your email address has vanished off the list, you may need to re follow the blog. Mick’s email was still on the list, but no email, he had to delete himself and then refollow the blog before it would work again. Sorry.
Geraghty zoom topics this morning ranged from travel pillows to loaves of bread, Dr Who effects and there now being a world deficit of Smoke Grey dye. Unfortunately someone, who shall remain nameless, asked if Tilly was aware of our move back to the house. A second later Tilly’s little disturbed face popped up from behind the laptop screenI do now!
Breakfast was blueberry pancakes. I didn’t need lunch today! As I won’t be able to join in on normal Shrove Tuesday pancake making, I’ll be at work, so I need to make up for it over the next few weeks.
Tilly hates car journeys, the stress of them makes her ill for the whole journey. Each time we travel with her we try something new to see if it helps. A vet in Scarborough gave us some happy pills a few years ago, we were to sprinkle the contents onto her food each day for a week before any car journey. We’ve used it a few times now, a natural product which this time seems to have been putting Tilly more and more on edge. Yesterday morning as Mick folded some jeans she turned to him and hissed, ears flat back. This was not our Tilly! And most certainly is not a happy relaxed Tilly! Sprinkles will no longer be added to her food. The bottle of Pet Remedy came out and a spray on a tissue seemed to calm the situation down. Tilly spending much of the remainder of the day asleep on the sofa.
Mick has headed up to Scarborough to welcome a new lodger into the house. Thankfully someone I’ve known for years and she was happy to share with us. We’d hoped to be already settled back in before Claire arrived. Any major winter maintenance, redecorating, will wait for a gap between lodgers. Mick will be returning in a van. We’re hoping we can move in one trip to save on petrol. Hopefully the stress of packing won’t affect Tilly too much. We’ll try to keep things as calm as possible. More sprays of Pet Remedy and playing the fishing rod game to keep her occupied. Whistling Tom please can I book my scratch pole in for a service?It’s got very wobbly!
Ready for the move
There is only so much stuff you can pack to move and still be able to live on a narrowboat. Because our intention is to return to move Oleanna further north when we can, we won’t be taking as much back to the house as we have done in the past. What we need for a weeks cruise needs to be left so that all we have to do is arrive by train, stock up the fridge and go.
I’ve started to pack kitchen things and work related items. Paint brushes, model making kit, herbs and spices. Tilly’s food has filled a big bag, she actually has quite a stock of pink food of the meaty and poultry variety, just a shame she seems to now be preferring fish!
Almost spotless!
As I sorted the galley out I decided to give it all a good clean, a ‘winter clean’ if you like. The hob got a serious going over as did the kettle I bought twelve years ago in New York. That kettle sat on a kitchen shelf in the house for years unused until it moved onto NB Lillyanne nearly nine years ago.
A beef and beetroot curry had been defrosted to eat, leaving only some bread, a few herbs and some sweet pasty in the freezer. I’m thinking I may make some small Yorkshire Curd Tarts to use the pastry up when we’re back in the house. We’ll see, it may just end up in the bin!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hod of coal, 0.5 ashpan of ash in 24hrs! 1 little thug getting wound up, 0 sprinkles, 2 new smoke alarms, 2 shoe boxes packed, 1 stern deck full, 2nd ball of yarn wound and knitted.
Sorry Tilly no shore leave today, time to move on. No frost on the big steps this morning, so we hoped we’d not be thwarted by ice on the lock cut. Mick rang to check on diesel prices. Farndon £1.48, Newark £1.45 the signal dropped out before he could ask if they sold coal.
Fiskerton
Grey. Nothing like yesterday. At least it wasn’t raining, yet! We pootled downstream, plenty of room at Fiskerton if we’d wanted to stop, but we needed to go further today.
Plenty of fishermen were sat out by the big weir, not as many cormorants there as normal. Round the bends and there came the view of the Parish Church. Heathers mooring just by the small weir was free, if we couldn’t get any further because of ice we’d be reversing to moor there.
Where to drop me off to work the lock. A ladder climb was called for and one with not much toe space as you climb.
Time for the key of power again. As soon as the panel lid is opened, that lady starts her repetitive warning, slightly delayed between sides of the lock gates, so she sounds as if she has an echo.
The lock was empty, so I pressed the buttons filling the lock as quickly as allowed, much quicker than the locks with modern panels. A small patch of cat ice just below the surface needed to be broken through to enter the lock, no problem. It now started to rain. Oh well, not much further to go.
Town Lock
With gates and sluices closed the lady shut up as I closed the panel. She only started again at the other end where a chap glibly ignored her warnings walking over the gates and stopping to have a look as I lifted the paddles. Thankfully at this end the lady does give up after a while, she just gets triggered as you walk down to see how the level is or by your boat exiting the lock.
Trent Bridge
Mick picked me up at another ladder and we cruised past Newark Castle which is currently covered in scaffolding. Through Trent Bridge.
Almost empty
Kiln Pontoon had one boat moored right at the far end. There had been a C&RT notice sometime ago saying that one of the electric posts was out of order after it had been abused. Now an orange box covers the place where it once was. Wonder how long the other electric post will last? Will they be replaced with ones similar to the Eco moorings in London were you can use them if you have an account?
Turning in
Downstream we started to slow now, the river doing it’s best to keep us moving. However we wanted to turn into Kings Marina a 90 degree turn. Mick turned us early, the current lining us up to the entrance and then we scooted in and headed for the service mooring. Ice crackled around the edges as we turned and reversed in.
Up in the office Phil greeted us, he’d been expecting us but was just about to go for his lunch. Time to use up the sausages and pastry from the freezer with a batch of sausage rolls for our lunch. They were going to be cruising sausage rolls, but I’d wanted to be outside despite it being a grey day.
Yum num
An hour and four sausage rolls each later we had a tap on the roof. Time to top up with diesel, buy a couple of bags of coal to keep us going. We were given our allotted pontoon number and directions. As we’d come into the marina we’d guessed we’d be moored next to NB Rebellion a purple boat we came across on the Calder Hebble a few years ago, it’s the negative to NB Lillyanne, purple with yellow coach lines.
Mick set to sorting out electricity and water as I compiled a shopping list for work. Spray paints and glues needed, knowing Newark pretty well I could head straight to suitable shops.
A route via the Parish Church gardens and the Palace Theatre to Boyes. Here spray paints and more navy sewing cotton were purchased. A walk through the market square, the last stalls packing up. I checked for glue in Yorkshire Trading and decided that I wouldn’t be stocking up on Tilly food there as it was Sooo expensive!
At the other end of Northgate Homebase came up trumps with more stinky glue for the giant mug. I then popped into Pets at Home where I was far too late to buy bargain priced pink food for Tilly. Looks like she may have to starve, I know she’d rather go self catering but that won’t be possible for a while! She’ll just have to cope with chicken flavour.
New windows and parking
The old maltings by the retail park is in the middle of getting a make over, new windows and a car park happening. Next door there is a new M&S Foodhall and a new root onto the river bank walk. Very handy.
Back at Oleanna the washing machine was busy.
1 lock, 8.8 miles, 1 left, 2 patches cat ice, 85 litres diesel, 2 bags excell, 1 familiar marina, 1 fob, 8 sausage rolls for lunch, 8 more for tomorrow, 1 bag packed, 1 bored cat.
The decision to stay put today had been made last night. C&RT were working on Town Lock in Newark today with possible delays for two hours. That was if we could get there as yesterday we’d had reports that between the lock and the next bridge had been frozen.
Mick made a phone call to King’s Marina, were they iced up? What was their diesel price? There was ice still around the edges of the marina, but the central section had thawed. We’ll do a diesel price comparison with the other two marinas tomorrow.
On the outside
A sausage day for Tilly. Allowed out at breakfast time with two hours. The two hours was extended each time she returned. Something was certainly keeping her busy out there.
Simon from C&RT walked by during the morning, presumably continuing his checks at each lock. Then there was a chap walking his dog, most probably from the Dutch Barge Lily. Other than that island life was quiet, except the noise from the weir. No passing boats today.
Hand sewing still possible
Time for me to collect my thoughts a bits and pieces together for my next visit to Huddersfield this week. Name tags were sewn into the new overalls. A couple of spare chip trays were made in pink and purple. A new batch of felt badges were started, ready to be added to overalls. The large wheelie bag was dug out from under the bed and filled up with things to take. The back steps were taken out to access my paint brush bag and an edited few brushes and chalk line made it into things to take.
Badges in the making
Tilly returned to warm up three quarters of an hour before cat curfew. We tried to convince her that she should make the most of her shore leave as it will be the last for some time. But it fell on deaf pointy ears, Tilly preferring to have a bath in front of the stove instead.
Winter sunset
This evening we enjoyed the last, apart from a butties worth, of roast pork with red peppers and paprika. Yum.
The alarm was set this morning, no time for a cuppa in bed either! Breakfast was followed by emptying the yellow water tank, then we walked our rubbish down to the bins by the lock. There was no sign of a volunteer, just a cleaner in the loos and a chap clearing things away from the works that had been happening at the lock.
Stoke Lock very pretty
The lock has had an upgrade this winter, new LED lights and new boat operated pedestals. At the moment the pedestals are not working so someone from C&RT has to come out and work the lock for you from the cabin, booking required with 24hr notice. Cheryl from the Milton Keynes Office called us to say there had been problems at Holme Lock this morning and the person coming was on their way, they’d just be late. We decided to get Oleanna and move her down into the lock cut ready.
Heading inside for a bit of warmth brought the Lock Keeper, Simon, not a volunteer. He’d been trying to clear all the rubbish at Holme Lock this morning as it was stuck behind the gates. He asked us to wait where we were, Stoke Lock needed emptying to check the gates first before we could go in. He then asked us to pull in on the starboard side, he’d only be able to open the bottom gate that side as they were still having problems with the hydraulics.
One gate only
The gates were tested, then we got the green light to go in. As we descended Mick asked if it was possible to do a radio check with Simon, this was the first opportunity to check his Christmas present worked, thankfully it did. Simon was heading to Gunthorpe Lock next, would we like his assistance? Well it would save me having to jump back onto Oleanna from the pontoon below the lock in the full current from the weir. But it would also mean being in the lock, holding a rope round a blue riser! We accepted his offer and arranged to meet downstream in about an hour.
A perfect winters day
Out of the lock we came, blue skies surrounding us. What a beautiful day. We waved to the ladies who rescued Tilly when she was a kitten as we passed Burton Joyce, round the big sweeping bend. Geese flew overhead. Then a flock of birds, not sure what type swooped in murmuration high above the river, switching and changing direction, then settled again only to take off as we passed them by. What a wonderful sight.
The pontoon at Gunthorpe was empty, but we carried on towards the lock cut, pulling in at the water point. We were early for our rendez vous with Simon. Should we wait or operate the lock ourselves? Hmm, that would mean fighting to get back onboard below the lock. We opted to wait.
Gunthorpe Bridge and moorings
Waiting for the lights to change, which side of the lock to pull in on, the blue risers, the V channels behind them, all very familiar from seven years ago. Simon arrived at noon and worked the lock for us. We took it steady, no need to rush in any lock, especially one with blue risers! I took a deep breath, I still hate this lock with a passion.
Simon checked below and gave us information about rubbish that may lay in our way below. He needed to hang around at the lock so wouldn’t see us at Hazelford. The lock gates opened, we thanked him and sped off down stream again. All 9.75 digits still in tact.
This reach is particularly pretty and today it was just stunning. We were glad of our layers, but the blue sky with wispy clouds above was so beautiful. The last two years we’ve missed cruising in the winter. The views (when there’s no fog) are so different. People say there are 2000 miles of the network to explore, true, but there is there and back again and then all four seasons to enjoy. The river was ours and the birds. Wonderful.
Above Hazelford the lock cut was full of C&RT boats, a skip boat, the crane boat and Maid Marion the tug boat. I climbed a ladder on the island and headed to press buttons. It was hard to see Oleanna as the level dropped, but she reappeared on leaving the lock.
There was a Dutch Barge at the far end of the moorings, we pulled in to the lower section, only recently revealed from the flood waters. Tilly was allowed some shore leave and made the most of it once she’d got to the top of the big steps. She returned with a mouth full and was sent away again.
It’s a chunky outside this one!
A tap on our roof mid afternoon, a chap was here to help remove a rope from a prop. Not us, it must have been someone above the lock. An hour or so later we heard a boat engine, the boat from Stoke Lock.
News came through that the stretch above Town Lock in Newark was iced up from a member of the Trentlink facebook group. They had tried to get through yesterday but had no luck. Maybe we’ll have a sausage day tomorrow and hope it thaws.
Hello!
Much of the afternoon was spent sorting out future lodgers for the house. Another favourite actor had been in touch today. We’re now booked up for a third of the year ahead.
The canal banks were frosty even Oleanna’s eyes were frosty this morning. We decided to let things warm up a touch whilst we joined the Geraghty zoom. Subjects covered, being unique, the difference between English and Scottish NHS, advance packing, we felt slightly left out as we have no spare bed available to collate clothing.
Hello Woofer
Thankfully the flow along the Nottingham and Beeston Canal meant we didn’t have ice to contend with, just the odd bit crackling in the margins. There seem to be new areas that the local boaters moor, several groups have managed to pin themselves to the bank, one stretch with an ice rink for a towpath.
Moorings reduced at Castle Marina
Mick made a call through to Castle Marina, we were wanting a top up of diesel, the answer came back as expected the marina was frozen over, we’d be heading on straight past. There seems to be problems with the pontoons in the marina. As we passed numerous big signs line empty pontoons. Maybe they are getting replaced.
No stopping for a shop today, straight through a first for us. The towpath in parts needs work as it is undulating by the edge. This boat caught our eye NB Bird on a Wire, I like the addition of a squirrel.
Reaching the bend
Castle Lock was surrounded with crud, two life buoys by the weir and a blue fat fender by the lock gates, this was picked up, with a new bit of rope it may be useful. Plenty of the buildings now seemed empty, that may have been because it was Sunday, but dusty windows were not inviting.
Posh new restaurant
By the big bend the building work has been completed. Cleaver and Wake now sits alongside the canal, run by Masterchef Professional winner Laurence Henry, it offers an ‘elevated dining experience’. We cannot afford to eat there so our roast pork this evening would be enjoyed onboard at the fraction of the price for one of their starters.
Fishermen slowed our progress. A new mural along a wall suggests some regeneration money is being ploughed into the area, The Island Quarter, a new ‘destination’!
Meadow Lane Lock
Meadow Lane Lock required a couple of logs removing from behind the top gates then we took quite a bit of rubbish down with us to the river where only a couple of rowing boats were busy zooming past the lock. Two boats on County Hall steps, not surprising after the floods. The occupants of County Hall itself may be moving and the building sold off for a hotel.
Trent Bridge
Back on the river we zoomed along, it was in the green but the flow was quite strong, tick over to keep steerage required. The river was strangely quiet, we’d expected sailing boats and more rowers, but none were seen.
Rufford Hall or Southfork as we call it
Southfork looked dead as usual. A peer in through the first floor windows revealed some dodgy tromp l’oeil around some archways. From Rufford Hall on-line interior design courses are run!
As we approached Holme Lock mad people were climbing into canoes to launch themselves into the river and head down the white water course. The pull towards the hydroelectric plant was strong so more power was required on the lock cut to keep us going straight.
A chap walking his dog said he wasn’t sure what was happening with Stoke Lock, a boat had gone down there yesterday. Luckily we could fill him in that it requires booking.
Ice filled the lock along with more flood detritus. Holme Lock takes SOOOOoooooo long to empty or fill, you could add a half hour to your journey here. But we were soon out, the hydraulic rams on the gates cutting through the ice easily.
Radcliffe Viaduct
One last reach of the river gradually getting more and more rural. Numerous Herons and Egrets sat and watched or flew past. Only one Kingfisher spotted in amongst the trees. A train came with potential for a good photo of Radcliffe Viaduct, except it’s progress was very slow compared to ours, the view left for someone else to see as we headed round a bend.
Stoke Lock
Up ahead at Stoke Lock the low mooring was occupied, presumably the boat that had come down Holme Lock yesterday. This wasn’t good news for Tilly as she isn’t allowed out on pontoon moorings on rivers, especially ones just out of flood. We pulled in, the current wanting to pull the bow out from the pontoon, we’d not wanted to wind to face upstream due to the pull from the weir.
Time for the joint of pork to go in the oven.
3 locks, 9.6 miles, 1 left, 1 marina frozen over, 2 rowing boats, £40 for 2 courses, £10 for both of us onboard, 0 shore leave, 1 blue fat fender.
Derwent Mouth Lock to Boots Footbridge, Nottingham and Beeston Canal
Ice surrounded us this morning, maybe we should have followed the boats yesterday. Was today going to be another day breaking ice, or should we sit tight and hope that the sun would make a difference? 7 hours cruising between the Trent and Mersey to Stoke Lock for our booked passage on Monday morning. We suspected we’d not be able to cancel the booking now in time to save a volunteer from coming out to meet us. Oh well, we’d see what happened.
Thank you!
Well what happened was the high bow of NB Hadley came past at quite a lick heading for the lock, churning it’s way through the ice. ‘We’ll be following you, thank you!’ Mick shouted out of the hatch. By the time we’d had breakfast another boat had come up Derwent Mouth Lock and reset it for us, brilliant!
Solid ropes
Frosty mornings means stiff ropes. Wiggles of lines are hard to untie from T studs and then pull through nappy pins, it’s a bit like that game where you move a hoop round a bent wire trying not to connect the circuit by touching it.
Green! Plus a first outing for new waterproof thermal kid gloves
Fog. There was a lock somewhere ahead of us, it had been there yesterday, honest! The river level was now in the green, below the lock a channel cut through the ice could be made out vanishing into the fog. Working the lock I took care not wanting to slip. Frosty lock beams were avoided as much as possible meaning walking round the lock more than I normally would, but I’d rather the extra exercise than slip in.
Derwent to the left, Trent to the right, I think!
Life jackets on, anchor attached we were ready for the river. Straight on where the Derwent meets the Trent, we were glad we know the river quite well. The pipe bridge, the M1 bridge, keep right so as not to get too close to the weir.
Come on sun, you can do it!
Would Sawley Flood Lock be open or closed? Where was Sawley Flood Lock? At about three boat lengths away the lock beams could be seen. Was it open? No. The flood lock has a paddle left open at both ends to keep a flow of water heading to the locks at the other end of the cut back onto the Trent.
Key of power time
We soon arrived at Sawley Locks, the right hand one out of use currently. Time for the Key of Power. The lock was in our favour but still had to work it’s way through it’s programming of opening the sluices a bit at a time, four times before the next press would actually open the gates.
Ron helping out
The lock cottage, tea rooms and pub have recently been sold and today we got to meet it’s new owner Ron Gooding who came out to say hello, he then offered to work the lock for us so I could hop back on board. A friendly chap who is used to Thames Locks, he’s a BSS Examiner and a marine gas engineer, according to his card. The pub will reopen at some point, ‘there’s lots to do’ along with the tea room. Today must have been his first go at working the lock, which doesn’t work in the same way as the Thames locks. I kept saying to press and hold the button til it started to flash, but he was too busy chatting.
Back on the main river Oleanna skidded round with the flow of water coming from the weir. Here we most certainly needed Waterway Routes! ‘The river bends here Mick’ ‘In the other direction!’ Landmarks appeared out of the gloom, moored boats, the scout place, the pontoon, Erewash, mind that rib, left now, mind that other rib, we’d made it to Cranfleet Cut and the flood gates that have been closed for a month.
Ratcliffe Power Station could only be made out by the clouds of steam rising above the fog back lit by the sun doing it’s best to burn it’s way through.
Setting Cranfleet Lock
At Cranfleet Lock the Lock Keeper was a touch frosty sitting at an angle in his flower bed. The lock was full of logs and crud brought down by the floods. Both bottom gates needed opening as there was so much sitting behind the gates to get one fully opened.
Adding to the fog on the river
Now onto the long reach to Beeston, the fog kept coming and going. Small cruisers appeared round bends swerving to our starboard to avoid us, we’d already moved over to give them more room, so they ended up being a long way over.
£325,000 2 bedrooms though
We wondered how high the floods had been along here, had the houses on stilts been affected, did they ever flood? One house has just recently been sold. It has it’s own floating pontoon and is on a double plot. Rather a lovely house. Link to it’s details.
Beeston Lock
Beeston came into view, the sun having cleared most of the fog by now. Pulling in to the lock landing took a bit of doing, the flow preferring to keep us moving towards the weir. A few days ago we’d seen pictures of how much rubbish was just outside the lock gates, thankfully most of it had been moved away but both gates required opening.
Familiar from the Great Ouse last year
As I worked Oleanna through the lock a lady with blue hair and a dog chatted away. Obviously a boat owner wanting to head upstream. How had our trip been, speedy! What was it like at Cranfleet? We chatted away, me wondering where we’d met before. After she’d walked away I realised it was the lady from NB Watt Way who had been at Bedford River Festival and she’d followed us across the tidal section to Salters Lode.
I think I preferred the donkeys!
A top up with water, we then carried on a short distance to find a mooring for the day. Some shore leave was allocated to Tilly, but she really wasn’t enamoured with the wall and all the foot fall.
As soon as we’d tied up I had a look at The Victoria Hotel’s website to see if there might just be a table for us this evening. Last night I’d checked and there were quite a few left, but now there were none. Oh well, we’ll go another time when the weather might not stop us. Instead of very nice pub food we had the remains of our chilli with jacket potatoes, not quite the celebratory meal we’d hoped for on reaching Nottingham, but a tasty one never the less.
A better solution is required, this one was free though
Checking Nebo as we were moving today, my phone kept up with us very well. However the phone inside seemed to stall a couple of times and had only recorded four miles of the eight plus. I remember this occasionally happening early last year when I was trying it out, it would loose us for a while, I’d assumed it was because I was using my phone for other things, but maybe that wasn’t the case. We’ll keep recording on two devices for the time being.
5 locks, 1 a flood lock, 1 set of flood gates open, 9.54 miles, 1 straight, 1 left not left left, 1 left, 1 very white day, 2 many bits of tree, 1 lady, 1 disappointed cat, 1 canal without ice, 0 table.
Ice again this morning. Whilst I attended a zoom production meeting for #unit21 Mick went for a walk along the canal towards Shardlow Lock to assess the ice situation. My meeting went well and Mick’s verdict was that after lunch we should be fine to move as the sun was out melting the ice. He’d phoned Tracy at the farm to arrange a meter reading and a settling up as we’d be moving on today.
Zooming
Just before midday we unplugged ourselves and walked up to the stables. Here we could say goodbye to our noisy neighbours, two donkeys who were rescues from Blackpool quite a few years ago. In three weeks we’d used 150 units of electric, we’d not run our engine other than to check the alternator and once to warm the engine bay up. The occasional blast of electric heating in the morning, washing machine and dishwasher along with the electric kettle, sewing machine and iron. Yes we have an iron but it comes out very rarely and mostly for work. We thanked Tracy for helping us out at new year and allowing us to stay for three weeks.
Lunch, another C&RT notice! Stoke Lock was still not operational by boaters so needs to be booked 24hrs in advance. A phone call was made straight away, when would we be there? Monday morning. The lady rang back confirming that a volunteer would be at the lock waiting for us.
Pushing off for the first time this year
Time to roll up the covers for the first time this year. The new version of our trip computer spluttered into life, an old phone placed in a window, this will run Nebo and track our route and miles. I turned Nebo on on my phone too to record locks as we go through them. We untied and I walked ahead to open the lock whilst Mick reversed Oleanna back to meet me.
A patch of thicker ice slowed his progress just as he arrived at the three widebeams. A chap on the last boat stuck his head out and complimented Mick for his reversing skills. He also warned him of thick ice below Derwent Mouth Lock.
The top gates needed a couple of attempts to get them open, the ice behind holding firm on the first go.
Reversing in ice seemed to be quite good. Blasts of forwards every now and then sent water backwards breaking up the ice in front of the blunt end of the boat. The odd blast from the bow thruster also helped to steer the stern towards the lock.
Look at that sun
Down gently in the lock, the ice there breaking up as the water lowered. The aroma of scampi coming from the pub was soon followed by slightly burnt garlic.
The Clockwarehouse
I left Mick to wind whilst I popped to the post box.
Maybe we’d have to moor up
Cat ice was about, easy enough to push your way through. Then at the pub bend we came across thicker ice. Would our escape from the Trent and Mersey be thwarted on this bend? It is quite hard to steer in ice. Narrowboats pivot in the middle and sideways force on ice isn’t very productive. Right on the bend it took several forward and backward manoeuvres to help get into a good position to start carving our way through the ice again. We wouldn’t have to moor there over night. Scampi here too! Maybe on Fridays Shardlow has a special for fish Friday on Scampi!
Both rivers open
The red traffic lights were both turned off at the EA flood lock, both the rivers Soar and Trent were open to boats.
Constant ice ahead
Now we slowed our pace to pass the line of moored boats by Chapel Farm Marina. Is it better to go slowly? Or does it just eek out the noise of cracking ice? A thick patch by the last line of boats had me at the bow, trying to keep us away from a Dutch barge. My pushing only moved the barge and not us. But eventually we worked our way through.
Cracking
Up ahead was the widebeam that has been waiting for the river for a couple of weeks. More ice in front of them, we’d had enough and wanted to see what the ice was like below Derwent Mouth Lock before venturing any further. We pulled in. A quick cat H&S meeting was held, too much ice, Sorry Tilly! Harumph urumph!!
That’s better
Below the lock the river was in the amber, the lock landing all very visible now. However the chap on the widebeam had been correct the ice below the lock looked thick, snow still sitting on it in the shade. We’d done enough ice breaking for the day, we’d be staying put, after all we’d reached our goal. Hopefully tomorrow the ice would have melted some more to make our journey easier.
Below the lock, thick ice!
We settled down for the remainder of the afternoon to listen to Tilly’s complaints. Then a crack and crackle with music came from the cut. A narrowboat with three chaps at the stern came along, we’d broken the ice for them, would they continue. Sure enough they headed for the lock.
If only we’d known, they could have broken the ice for us!
A little while later Mick popped his head out of the hatch, the widebeam had also gone. Should we follow too? It was too late now to get much further. A check on the weather forecast. We’d both remembered it as getting warmer at the weekend. The forecast didn’t agree, -3C tonight with fog! Oh bum! Would we end up being iced in now away from water and electric?
A rather nice sunset behind tonight
To try to keep the engine bay from getting too cold overnight Mick ran the engine again for an hour, hoping that would help the batteries which don’t like charging at low temperatures.
Nebo Trip recorded from inside Oleanna, lots of back and forth
Nebo Trip recorded in my pocket including a walk to the post box
My Mum’s American Sticky Chicken was made up and sat on the stove to bubble away for 90 minutes before we enjoyed it with some rice noodles. It isn’t the healthiest of recipes, but it’s nice.
1 lock, 1.2 miles, 150 units, 1 reasonable mooring, 2 donkeys, 2 scampi pubs, 2 more overalls, 1 hour breaking ice, 1 challenging bend, 0 red lights, 1 frozen river, 1 ice breaker forging ahead, 1 widebeam, 1 Oleanna who maybe should have followed! 2 sticky chicken thighs, 1 box of rosé!!!
Ice covered the canal this morning. Jack Frost had been to visit. Would the ice stay around? Or would it melt?
Ice, not thick, but ice
Mick sat out the stern waiting or the sight of a Sainsburys van. From our mooring you can see traffic on the main road and he spied an orange van heading out from Derby, would it be for us? It was. He walked down to greet the driver waving our orange bags in the air. We’re now stocked up with food for the next week.
Food and wine
Next the coal situation needed to be improved. Mick took the bike and headed off to Shardlow Marina to see if he could get a bag on the bike. The chap from the boat behind us had offered to give Mick a lift in his car, but Mick managed a bag at a time, only two bags required to keep us going.
Coal man
Meanwhile I wanted to make use of still being hooked up. A new 3XL overall was pulled out from the bag of costumes. An existing costume was pulled out to compare measurements with. One of our actors is more like a 4XL so extra side panels are needed, a sturdier zip and the new overalls would be a spare pair just in case! I worked out what to add, what to shorten, the offcuts from the legs coming in useful.
18cm down from yesterday
At lunchtime an email arrived in our inboxes. The Upper Trent!
‘Update on 19/01/2023:’
‘Water levels have started to come down, and we have been able to open Cranfleet Flood Gates. Boaters can now travel along the navigation.’
Hooray!!!! Should we make a move straight away or wait for tomorrow? The ice around us was gradually melting, enough so that Tilly had been allowed shore leave again. How would it be for reversing in? Having power for the rest of the day would be handy for sewing. We decided to stay put and plan our moves for the next week.
Then things started to go wrong. First Tilly ran out of green Dreamies, she noticed the colour change! Then I tacked a panel in the overalls on the wrong side. Tilly decided to give the mince I was defrosting a good sniff on the kitchen counter that is a NO GO area for felines to make up for the lack of green Dreamies!
I lifted my sewing machine up off the floor onto the dinette seating so no one would walk into it. Tilly decided to have a mad ten minutes charging around everywhere. This unsettled my sewing machine which fell to the floor!
Oh Bu**er! The light still worked. Where was the reel holder thing? That was found. I put a chilli together so that the mince would be well away from Tilly’s sniffing nose. Then sat down to look further at my sewing machine.
The stitch selector seemed wonky. I tried turning it. It wouldn’t shift. I tried straightening it up. It came off in my hand! What stitch was the machine set to? If straight I could carry on. The dial had been between stitches when it broke off. I tried the needle. It was moving from side to side! But I don’t want to zigzag for the rest of my life!!!
That dial should be where the black hole is!
Mick tried having a look at it. A connecting thing had sheared off on the selector, no chance of putting it back on. Could we turn what was behind the dial without it. No. I found a new part, but we need the bit that has sheared off to be removed to replace it. No sewing for me for a while!
Thankfully I was working on a spare overall, the adjustments to the ladies overalls were finished, so the spare can wait a week or so. I just need to add three little things to the existing pair so that braces can be attached inside.
Frosty!
Tomorrow we hope the ice will have receded. Fingers and paws crossed.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 delivery, 4 boxes wine, 2 bags coal, 2 bike loads, 1 icy canal, 2 gates open! 1 river open! 3XL taken to bits, 3XL tacked back together, 1 hand, 1 knob, (now then!), 1 broken machine, 1 cat in the dog house, 1 plan coming together, 2 boaters 1cat getting ready to make a move!
Brrrrr! Chilly morning. The levels are improving and with little precipitation in the forecast they should hopefully continue on downwards. This afternoon the flood gates at Newark opened up again, we just need levels at Cranfleet to improve some more then we can be on our way.
Photos of ice on the cut this morning appeared on facebook, thankfully we only have patches in the off side vegetation, here’s hoping it stays that way.
Tilly didn’t mind the cold fluffing up her coat to go off on the towpath. She scuttled along on low legs hoping to pounce on a friend, but they are a touch too quick for her around here.
A touch chilly under paw
Inside I stoked the fire, riddled the ash into the pan below. Time to empty it into our ashcan outside on the towpath. In the past we’ve heard lots of people going on about which coal to use, which one is better? Staying in over night, amount of heat and quantity of ash all factors people compare. ‘How do you find Excel this year? I find it produces more ash this winter.’ Etc.
Our normal coal tends to be Excel, although we have had quite a bit from coal merchants with no brand name other than smokeless, along with Taybright, Red etc. To be honest we’ve never really noticed the amount of ash varying between brands. Our ashpan gets emptied once a day to keep the stove operating as it should. Ash always goes into our ashcan, never in the hedgerow as coal ash is poisonous, never mind unsightly and can cause fires. Once cool the ashcan gets emptied into an old coal bag and disposed of in the rubbish bins. When we’re moored up our ashcan lives out on the towpath where any deadly fumes can dissipate rather than enter the boat.
The coal Mick bought from Wickes came in handy 10kg bags, easy to carry along the towpath and to move about. Boaters on Canal World Forum had said it was good, so as it was easy to collect when we had a van he bought several bags. Less CO2 and apparently less smoke.
80% less smoke compared to….?
What do we think of it? Well it seems to take longer to stop being smoky. It stays in overnight well, it gives good heat, but the ash! The ash!! The ASH!!!
Just how much ash can it produce? Masses! It’s easy for us to gauge as the ash pan needs emptying twice a day!
Mushrooms Pip Style
Whilst not emptying the ashpan I’ve made use of having the dinette table to myself, so after mushrooms on toast Pip style, I ironed vinyl numbers and lines onto the navy fabric I’d prepared yesterday.
Good news came from Scarborough this afternoon. Both our boilers are back up and running again, one hadn’t been working for a while, but thankfully it’s all good and safe just in time for our next lodger to move in. Mick has packed away the Christmas decorations and then spent some time making beds up.
Time to start alterations on some overalls for #unit21. I’m not a natural sewer so I take alterations slowly. Each pair need taking apart at the waist to loose or gain length or girth, tucks across the shoulders are also required. It seemed to take forever to get things marked out and trimmed, tacked back together to make sure they looked okay before spending fifteen minutes sewing them back together on the machine! 1 pair down 3.5 to go!
Yum num
Creamy salmon pasta tonight
0 locks, 0 miles, 9 numbers, 18 lines, 5 hours of podcasts, 2 fully working boilers, 1 river dropping, 1 cut just about ice free, 1 problematic bridge, 2 beds, 1 overall in bits, 3inches sleeves, 4.5 inches legs, 2.5 waist,1 dead stool, 2 catnip Dreamies remaining, 2 much blinking ASH!
