This morning Mick tried to get the blog roll working again. Well this ended up with the blog disappearing and being critical again. It had to be the plugin causing the problem.
The morning view
Extra IT assistance was required from our hosting provider. They backed up the blog and then disabled all the plugins. Back came Oleanna.co.uk. Mick then added back in all the plugins apart from the blog roll. During the day he wondered if there had been an update of the PHP and if that might have been the problem.
Plenty of boats out on the hard
An auto update had given us PHP 8.0 which doesn’t appear to support the blog roll plugin. Mick has raised a support ticket with the creator but so far he’s not heard back. Later on in the day Mick downgraded the blog to PHP 7.4 which means we have the blog roll back. Further investigation is required and maybe some assistance from someone who understands coding.
Not a very exciting day on Oleanna, even Tilly wasn’t that bothered about going out. The temperature has dropped, we expect it to go even further.
Oil rig escape pod
We had a walk over to the chandlers at Staniland Marina the main doors firmly locked, but we got waved round to a different door, staff only. No Marine 16 today but an order is expected tomorrow, so we’ll check back then.
Numerous boats sit out on the hard around the marina. Plenty in need of a lot of work. An oil rig escape pod has had the seats removed at some point and sits glowing orange from underneath the developing green patina. Just how do they fit so many people into these things that get launched off of the oil rigs? No wonder the seats look so robust.
I had a walk around the Community Woods. Tracks zigzag their way along with footpaths through the trees. It’s a huge area of straight lined trees and a good place to collect kindling without affecting the natural decaying process too much. I walked almost back to the M18 and then back along the towpath. A new app on my phone helping me to identify plants along the way. Plantnet Thank you Kath from Herbie.
Two boats going down
Mick spent a bit of time in the engine bay, changing the fuel filters. A smelly job but one best to be done before we head out onto the river in a few days.
It’s been a busy day at the lock with boats moving themselves to get through before next Monday. Still no news regarding our cratch cover though.
Bramwith Junction to Thorne Lock, Stainforth and Keadby Canal
With yesterdays excitement having gone on a touch longer than planned we found ourselves without a newspaper to read in bed this morning, more concerning was that we had no bacon or sausages for breakfast! However I always keep some haloumi in the bottom of the fridge ready for a bbq, so I suggested a veggie breakfast. it turned out to be a good suggestion.
Haloumi and fried potatoes today
Once Tilly was back from exploring we made ready. The canals were busy this morning, boats stuck either side of the Low Lane Swing Bridge on the New Junction due to problems with the road barriers again. Until they are mended you can book passage through with 24 hours notice for 10am or 3pm, glad we were already through!
Time to go right not left
A push of the bow was required today, no wind to help us get off the bank, we turned towards the Stainforth and Keadby Canal and pulled up at Bramwith Lock. A narrowboat was just going down so I helped with the gates before refilling it for ourselves.
Bramwith Lock with it’s extended beams
Mick passed me the key of power so I could walk on ahead to work the swing bridge once we were down. I however was just a touch too late to press the buttons as someone who’d been at the services beat me to it. Two boats one way and one the other, only three cars held up.
That was my work done for the day, so I got out my knitting to do as we cruised our way in to Thorne.
Knitting as we go along
The boat that had been sunk in front of the dry dock looks like it has been moved over to the towpath side, it now has a boom round it. We pulled in between a couple of boats and let Tilly out just as Patch a woofer from next door decided to go for a walk all by itself. We now know it’s name very well!
It’s flat round here, apart from the man made hills
Tilly inspected the trees, there are plenty in the community wood, but decided that it was a touch too busy to make the most of them.
Staniland Marina ahead
A couple came by and stopped for a chat. They used to own a boat, but the lady now has difficulty walking so they had to sell up. Turned out they also had a boat builder go bust on them, they ended up loosing more money than we did. Link to our tale.
Trees as far as the eye can see
With the sun out there were plenty of people about at the bar across the way at Staniland Marina, one chap was having a very good time of it. We lit the stove, got it going and popped a couple of jacket potatoes in to bake, enjoyed with some onion sauce and cold gammon left over from yesterday. Yummm.
Exactly as the title suggests today was far too windy to go anywhere, even Tilly wasn’t too enamoured with the constant blowiness. Yet other people were on the move. Adams Ark a local widebeam was busy taking groups of cubs from Barnby Dun up to Bramwith Lock and then along the New Junction for a short distance. There was usually a very short person stood at the helm guessing which way to point the bow, they were accompanied by two adults who could see over the roof. Other boats came past struggling in the wind, one getting stuck on the bank opposite us as they hadn’t had enough umph to keep going.
A lonely daffodil
After the Saturday morning Geraghty Zoom (amongst the topics, missing glasses, avoiding Labour and Swedes) we headed out to walk back to Barnby Dun to post off my socks and find a newspaper.
The ladies at the Post Office/Spar shop were very busy chatting away. The lady at the Post Office counter did interact with me briefly, but the lady I bought our newspaper from didn’t even look in my direction. Everything was purchased using contactless and nobody even mentioned how much things were. I checked my receipt a few hundred yards away, well it seems that I got some postage for free because they were all too busy gassing!
The Church of St Peter and St Paul
We walked through the village, which has been subject to new house building through the ages. Originally the village was an agricultural one, when the canal was built in 1732 produce was moved from Hull to Doncaster and Sheffield. In 1860 George Frederick Milnthorpe brought prosperity to the area by opening a malt kiln, this meant those who worked in the fields could now work through the winter. History Link. Land was sold off to Pilkingtons. Stainforth and Bentley pits were sunk at the beginning of the 20thC pulling people into the area. In 1959 Thorpe Marsh Power Station was built bringing more jobs to the area. The power station still appears on quite a few satellite images of the area even though the last two cooling towers were demolished in 2014 using no explosives, just a wire! They also appear in our Nicholsons guide in the Aire and Calder Section. A Gas fired power station was planned for the site, but has never been built.
We headed for the Farm Shop that I visited a few years ago. Set back from the road there is plenty of parking and a couple of picnic tables to enjoy a slice of cake and a coffee outside.
When last I visited there didn’t seem to be much fresh produce, although I think I’d only come for a carrot and a cooking apple which I managed to get. Today the place has changed.
A full rack of fruit and veg, fresh eggs, a butchers counter, plenty of the posh preserves and some frozen items. Little was priced! This always puts us off.
We picked up some spring cabbage and a leek for next week. Ogled at the 31 day dry aged beef in it’s climate controlled fridge, blimey those ribs looked good! At £31 a kg they weren’t the most expensive item, fillet steak was at least another £10. With no price on the boxes of eggs we refrained from buying any.
The people in front spent over £75, the chap behind had a shoulder of lamb and some pork fillet along with a box of eggs, his bill would be big too. In between them we stood with our cabbage and leek, £1.96! Well we are on an economy drive.
On our walk back be passed the Co-op, Mick popped in and bought the last dozen free range eggs. I wonder how long it will be before you can buy free range eggs again, or are hens destined to be barn dwellers forever due to avian flu?
Good, but not as good as mine
Lunch today consisted of sad git’s Hot Cross Buns (M&S gluten free, very tasty) followed by our treat cheese. Ribblesdale Blue Goats and some Wookey Hole Cheddar, plenty left for another day.
Cheeeeese!
Mick considered doing an engine service, the one he’s been meaning to do since November! But with the wind blowing straight across the canal he was worried he’d loose things like funnels, so this was put off again.
I got on with a new tension square with Lisa’s yarn on slightly bigger needles. This had meant pulling out the pouffe and revealing the secret passageway to Tilly, she’d so easily amused! I discussed sock knitting with lots of ladies on the March Knitting Challenge Group. I’d always been put off of knitting socks, never being able to get my head round four or five needles. But when I came across circular needles designed for socks and I gave it a go. I now love sock knitting and have my own pattern.
Cauliflower Cheese with extras, click on the photo for recipe
This evening I cut up the cauliflower we’d bought at Doncaster market. Blimey it was huge! I got half way through and decided I’d keep the other half for Monday evening, possibly a roast cauliflower korma that we’ve not tried before. Have to say size isn’t everything, we’ve been spoilt with our organic veg in Scarborough, Tree Top Press‘s caulis have so much more flavour.
0 locks, 0 miles, 6500 steps, 5 pairs posted, 1 newspaper, 2 chatty, 1 PO balance that won’t balance, £1.96, 12 eggs, 1/3rd of a sock, 0 service, 1 very blowy mooring.
This morning it was time to find Oleanna’s Red Nose. I made this three years ago when we were in Goole and it has been in storage under the bed since then. In the last three years we have had a new bow fender, and although they looked to be the same size would the nose still fit?!
Red Nose
Mick climbed out onto the bow to fit the red giant crochet cover, it fitted! No adjustments required. The colour had faded on the top last time, so Mick put it on inside out to make it as red as possible.
Another blue day
I made a phone call about my glasses to the Scarborough branch, the lady said she’d check things and call back. Thankfully she did, but unfortunately my glasses still have not arrived. They’d been sent between branches internally which could take between 7 and 10 days, they’d been sent out last Friday. I could have walked back to Scarborough and back by now! If they don’t arrive by next Friday then a new pair will be ordered for me. I explained about living on a boat and how no one had mentioned the 7-10 day delivery when I ordered them. All a bit frustrating, we won’t hang around them, if I need to come back by train so be it!
Look at all that fish!
Time to head out to do some shopping. We’d timed our visit perfectly as it was market day. First into the Fish Market to see what we fancied. We got a couple of Salmon steaks for the freezer and a large mackerel which was filleted for this evening. I did a quick google to see how I’d cook it and found what sounded like a tasty recipe with roast potato hash.
Some bacon and a chicken were bought from the inside market and Mick treated himself to a Diddy Pork Pie. Lots of tasty sausages on offer, but none gluten free sadly.
A lot of the fruit and veg stalls sell things in bulk, this was fine for Blueberries, £1 on the market for the equivalent of £7 in a supermarket, the majority of them went straight in the freezer. Then we found other stalls who did smaller quantities and topped up on veg for a roast and a big cauliflower to add some cheese to tomorrow.
Worth a trip to Doncaster alone
That was the market done. Time to visit Scicluna Deli, possibly my most favourite deli. A visit to Doncaster wouldn’t be right without walking in through the front doors. It is food heaven. They stock just about everything you could dream of, with one exception, chestnut flour.
Having Mick with me helped to keep my time in there to a minimum. Some banana shallots, a quick look round and then time to choose two treat cheeses! Our bill still came to over £10.
The Doncaster moorings
Back at Oleanna we had lunch and then decided to head back down stream, getting out of Doncaster and into the countryside.
Going down
The moorings at Long Sandall were still full so we descended the lock.
Kirk Sandall has a tarmac towpath which is popular with bikes and dog walkers, not ideal for Tilly, so we carried on.
Looking back to Barnby Dun
At Barnby Dun Lift Bridge a chap with a cruiser asked if he could go through with us. I went to press the buttons. A chap in a sporty number asked if the bridge was about to close, yes but only when you’ve gone over it! Then a gap in traffic, I pressed the button. Lights and sirens going just as a complete to**er in a white van drove along at speed, no intention of slowing or stopping. He looked straight at me with a stupid smug face and carried on across the bridge as I released my finger from the button.
I did stop the traffic. I stopped counting how many vehicles I’d stopped when I reached 60!
Back at Bramwith Junction we winded to have the hatch to the towpath and moored back up.
Red Toes
Ends were woven into the latest two pairs of socks. Then each pair was packed up ready for posting tomorrow. One of the skeins of yarn from Lisa was wound into a ball and a tension square knitted. I think however I need to use the next size up of circular needles as it was all a bit too compact. This will require some digging in the pouffe where I stash my crafty things.
Still more to knit
This evening we watched the moon rise across the fields. A real shame my camera didn’t do it justice.
1 locks, 5.69 miles, 2 winds, 1 lift bridge, 60 plus cars, 1 tag along cruiser, 0 glasses, 1 punnet blueberries, mushrooms, tomatoes, 6 bananas, 1 huge cauli, 2 salmon steaks, 2 mackerel fillets, 8 slices bacon, 1 chicken, 27 mini sprouts, 1 lemon, 2 treat cheeses, 4 sad gits hot cross buns, 1 worm moon.
A bit of a tradition for us (when in Scarborough with a car) is to visit Thornton-le-Dale to see the Christmas lights. In days gone by we used to drive back from my Dad’s in York via one of the scenic routes so that we could see them.
Thornton-le-Dale
They are not a huge spectacle like Regents Street and pretty much remain the same year in year out but they are still very pretty to us. Multi-coloured festoons swag up the street and along Thornton Beck, which runs along side Maltongate. I especially like the group of swans, one all puffed up and head down.
Whilst in the village we also popped along to have a look at the old cars at Mathewsons Auctions, made famous in Bangers and Cash. The showroom is now full of merchandise and the cars out of the forecourt weren’t anything special. We did however bump into Derek Mathewson, as well as running the vintage garage and museum Derek owns The Moorcock Inn, Langdale End where Mick used to drink. The next vintage car auction is in February and there are several very pretty cars going under the hammer LINK
We then headed back to the coast to see more lights. Scarborough Harbour for the last year or so has put on a display of it’s own. The boats bobbing on the low turning tide are festooned with lights up their masts and rigging.
The wonderful Lighthouse
There were plenty of people out taking photos despite the chilly breeze. Centre stage is the lighthouse, one of my favourite buildings. Big pea bulbs decorate the building which glows in the dark. Wonderful.
Christmas Cheese selection, Smoked Brie, Harrogate Blue, Kit Calvert Wensleydale and Keens Traditional Cheddar
Last week we’d been considering moving Oleanna to Huddersfield, making use of the break in the winter maintenance over Christmas and the New Year, so that I could have her to stay on whilst working for Dark Horse. We are now quite glad that we didn’t set out on the trip as with all the recent rainfall the flood locks on the Aire and Calder have been shut, Doncaster lock (not that we’d have been going that way) is closed due to high water and the Don Doors are closed protecting the New Junction Canal from rising waters on the River Don. Oleanna can stay put and I’ll stay in a hotel instead.
Janet, what a fab costume. Photo Tony Bartholomew
The last couple of evenings we’ve been to the theatre whilst sitting on our sofa. We had booked tickets to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the SJT, but sadly the night we were going coincided with some of the company having positive covid tests. Instead we decided to watch the show from home. Adapted by Nick Lane we knew we’d be in for a silly time and it was designed by Helen Coyston (costume designer for panto at Chippy). We really enjoyed it especially Janet and The Paella of love, from heaven above.
The Railway Children, Hull Truck
Last night we sat down to watch Hull Truck’s production of The Railway Children. This was originally filmed for a live stream so it included 15 minutes of nothing before it actually started, a full interval break and no credits which we thought was a big shame. The show has been getting great reviews, although we really enjoyed it I think quite a lot was lost in the filming. Well live theatre is magical and not being in the room with an audience let it down somewhat. The camera angles at times, although capturing the full set meant that the actors were smaller than they would have been even if we’d sat on the back row of the theatre. Have to say I felt a little bit short changed even if Sian Thomas’s costumes were lovely.
Tilly preferred Paddington 2
Back to the title of the blog. Going for Gold!
This isn’t that I’ve beaten Tim Larmour to the top of a mountain (Fulford School joke) therefore depriving him of Gold! No we actually got round to making a decision, we’ve bought Oleanna a Gold license for the coming year. Mick had looked on line, found where to buy a Gold License on the C&RT site but not where you could apply for a refund on a standard license.
They’re not as fancy as they used to be. Just a black G not a gold one!
Our license ran till the end of May, but a Gold License runs from January to the end of December, so to make the most of it we needed to trade in our old license this month to get a maximum refund. Mick rang C&RT and was assisted by a very helpful lady. Within minutes we had an email confirming our purchase, then a little while later another saying that they had refunded us £300 plus from our old license. Really easy.
For those readers who don’t know what the difference is. The Environment Agency is the navigation authority for the River Thames, Anglian Waterways plus a few more. With a standard C&RT license you need to pay for a visitors license to cruise EA waters. We’ve done this several times on the Thames. A Gold license however means you are covered for both C&RT and Environment Agency waters, it costs around about £300 more than our previous license but now we can come and go as we like onto the Thames or on the River Nene.
Will it be the Thames again?
Our cruising plans for next year are still dependant on a few things, but we thought it best to invest in a Gold license now as they only run from January to December and we could get a refund for what remained of our existing one.
Who knows we may spend a couple of months exploring the Thames in greater detail than we did a few years ago along with other rivers in the south. Or we may head eastwards to the Nene, Great Ouse etc. Time and commitments will tell.
Red napkins in a hot wash, Paddington!
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 Christmas shows, 2 Christmas lights, 3 red napkins, 4 pink t-towels,1 painting, 1 of several rivers closed due to flooding, £338.04 refund, 1 Gold license, access all areas, 1 cat licensed to kill!
The quote for a new circuit board and fitting came in around £70 +vat. They wouldn’t get the part until next Tuesday. If it turned out that that circuit board wasn’t the problem they would then order the other one and not charge us for the first visit. This all looked quite appealing, but would they come out to us if we carried on on our cruise up the Lee and Stort? Being somewhere handy for them to visit us is one thing, but each day the mooring fees are adding to the cost of the repair. Being hooked up to electric isn’t the same without a washing machine!
A chateau in France
Mick called them back after we’d mulled this over. Sadly they don’t have an engineer who covers up the Lee valley. We decided to pause the repair with Domestic Repairs Ltd, if we haven’t managed to sort it before hand we’ll wait until we are coming back through London and call them back out. The chap was understanding.
A new one of these please
The reconditioned board was ordered to be sent to my brothers, Mick spent much of the rest of the morning checking that he would be able to remove the circuit board and replace it. He is confident he’ll be able to do it. However if it turns out to be the other circuit board that is the problem, that is a different case, he hasn’t worked out how to remove that one! So here’s hoping it turns out to be the first one. Fingers crossed.
I headed to Waitrose for a few bits to keep us going. There was a market in the covered Market today. Lots of very tempting looking edible items, bread, rice dishes, cheese, samosas, cakes. Oh if only!!! The majority contained gluten and we’ve had a touch too much yummy cheese lately so I was good and stuck to my shopping list in Waitrose after inhaling some lovely smells.
Dames Pram with Baby and marrow
This afternoon I did a sketch of the Dames pram for panto. I’d asked for a Silver Cross pram, one of the lovely old fashioned ones. Well you can buy them brand new still if you happen to have £1800! We won’t be doing that as it would eat up all our props budget! I had a hunt round on ebay for a cheaper model and found one for £175. Still a lot of money and I’m sure Jo may be able to find one we can borrow and alter, or one that needs some work doing to it.
Just what would the chaps who worked here in Victorian days make of it now!
Late afternoon we heard the return of Graeme next door. A plan has been arranged to share some locks with him tomorrow, both boats heading eastwards. I think we’ll all be slapping on the sun cream if today was anything to go by.
0 locks, 0 miles, £70 plus, 1 of 2 boards, 1 board ordered for a DIY job, 0 oysters, 0 focaccia, 0 cake, 0 cheese, 1 heraldic green pram, 1 strawberry, 1 plan planned.
Knowing when the first train is likely to go past kind of helps when you wake up at just gone 5am and luckily we managed to get back to sleep.
I spent the first part of the morning making lists, next week I’ll be in Huddersfield for a few days doing costume fittings before a photo shoot for #unit 21. All the overalls have arrived along with a few bits and pieces to do neon hair dos. But I was still missing a few bits so a trip into town was called for.
Where did the trees go?!
Mick and Tilly were left busy working their way through the washing and awaiting another visiting boat that would be pulling up alongside us today. They also caught up on the cycling.
Tasty things to eat
I could of course get on the tube or climb on a bus, but when I roughly know the way and it’s not too far I much prefer to walk around London. Heading out of the gate from the cruising club I walked up Camley Street which parts St Pancras and Kings Cross stations. On the paved area in front of Kings Cross, where the old station used to have lines of waiting passengers queueing for their trains, there was a food market today. Everything looked tasty, most of it full of gluten. It was still too early in the day to purchase food and the tasty cheese would have spent far too long on a hot day fermenting in my bag.
This side was good
I wove my way down towards Oxford Street. A modern block of flats had a very good bit of painting on what most probably is the bin store. Such a wonderfully atmospheric painting.
But this side was even better, what an atmosphere
My first port of call was Primark, for my sins! With a small budget and not a very long run, Primark is usually a good starting point. Anything I bought that doesn’t get used can be returned to the Huddersfield store quite easily next week. However, Primark seem to have gone for grown up colours this season! If I wanted shorts today I would have come up trumps with neon colours, but there was only one t-shirt in a good size for one actor in the whole store! It’s a good job we don’t actually need the t-shirts for the photo shoot, so I can gradually collect them when I see them.
They did however have a lot of buns. Not edible ones, but ones to help make big hair buns. These were cheaper than the ones I got online, so I may require more to create big space buns!
Next I headed to Sally’s, here they sell hair products mostly to hairdressers. I’d hoped they might have some colourful hair extensions, but fortunately they didn’t as the cheapest ones there were around £30! I did however get a very large can of hairspray to help with the space buns.
Not such an Aladdin’s cave of fabricness that it once was
Down to Berwick Street, hoping shops I now of old have survived. Borovicks is still there, but I’m sure there used to be three times as many rooms full of fabric.
MacCulloch and Wallis on Poland Street pulled me inside. Here the basement is full of haberdashery. Want a zip? Any type, length, teeth, they have it! Sewing cottons, you’ve a whole wall of colours to choose from. The yarn on the ground floor was all so tempting, but I was good and only bought things for the show.
A window display that I couldn’t walk past
Returning on a more westerly route to Oleanna I walked along roads surrounded by hoardings hiding the ongoing works for HS2. Pile drivers driving and four story high portacabins, most probably accommodation for the builders.
Back at the Cruising Club our whirligig was very full, towels were drying on locker lids, Mick had run out of clothes pegs. We have a new neighbour who is staying for one night. He had more difficulty getting in due to the weed.
Lists were ticked off for work, train tickets printed out, just need to pack things now.
At around 7pm we could hear loud music, just where was it coming from. A peek out the front of the boat suggested that this might be a regular thing. Heather yesterday said there is a chap who turns up with a big sound system at the gas holders. Here he shares his music with others.
Yarns
It was an eclectic mix, 80’s, reggae, bhangra, modern pop, allsorts. Across the way people were dancing, laughing and having a great time. At 9 pm the music stopped, two hours of jollyness shared amongst strangers.
0 locks, 0 miles, 7 miles walked, 2 stages for Cav, 4 space buns, 1 t-shirt, 1 triangle of chalk, 250m thread, 1 M&S sandwich, 2 clean boating caps, 4 loads washing, 1 bag half packed, 1 new neighbour, 1 bored cat.
No other boat in sight, no road noise, the occasional bird. Hardly a breath of wind. Some cloud cover, but warm sunshine breaking through. Beautiful.
Looking back at the Apex Light
Our wait for the tide to turn would be so so different than that of a couple of boats who’d come this way a couple of weeks ago. They tied up at Blacktoft Wharf for hours in howling gales.
Heather
Here in the calm, Oleanna drifted around her anchor, tending to stay on a slight diagonal to what we thought would be the direction of the flow. Our wait for the tide would only be a couple of hours.
The side hatch was opened up, the deli cheese broken out of their wrapping and we had a wonderful couple of hours waiting for the next leg of our trip.
Is she wanting to be off?
Oleanna seemed to start to move round that bit more, was the tide turning early? She slowly swung round so that her stern faced upstream.
Happy
Should we make a move to be ready to enter the main channel whilst we seemed to have slack water?
Was now a good time to lift the anchor?
Would we be able to lift the anchor?
It was certainly going to be easier to lift it without the flow of the tide starting to rush by. Mick started the engine, Heather stayed at the stern should we need to over run the anchor to dislodge it from the river bed. Mick pulled us towards the anchor and then pulled up the rope, chain followed by the very muddy anchor. No need to cut the rope or struggle too much.
Two markers
We were now drifting, not much as it seemed to be slack water. We pootled back down stream a touch to await the incoming tide. Where we’d been anchored sits behind a sand island at low tide, the main channel on the other side, which we could see was still flowing out towards the Humber, it was after all still too early for the tide to have turned.
Was that a boat that got stranded on the sand banks after beaching?
In the end we pottered about until we thought the flow on the main channel had slowed. This meant we had time to find three markers which we’d need to line up to navigate the correct route. The red one on the eastern bank was easy, then I spotted a white post ‘Winking Willy’ on the hill, but where was the third one behind us? Was it by the houses on the north bank of the Ouse? Was it just out of view due to the river banks being so close, this turned out to be the case.
Mick took us back down stream and turned Oleanna into the channel doing his best to line up the markers. Were we still too early? There seemed to be little flow upstream.
Boiling
Then the water just ahead of us started to boil, was this the tide meeting the fresh coming down stream? It carried on all around us. We sat in the channel, should we push onwards or should we wait to be certain the tide was coming in.
In the end we pushed onwards the tide having meant to have turned a good ten fifteen minutes earlier, the water continued to boil around us for a while before it calmed down.
The sand island was very obvious now sitting well out of the water. Good job we’d studied the charts and had lined the markers up.
Once we turned the first bend the tide was obviously now with us, starting to push us upstream, passing Burton upon Stather where a crane stood idle and crews of ships have left their marks.
It being Thursday it was time for the Scarborough Chums zoom. I managed to join in using my phone as we reached a long straight. Four attendees today, with a couple of gate crashers, Mick and Duncan! Thank you Ali for the screen shots.
Next the wharfs of Flixborough. More big ships all sitting on the bottom, one with it’s wheel house lowered. Next we could see the familiar shape of Keadby Power Station, no cooling towers here as it’s gas powered.
The Lock Keepers tower sits on the edge of the river, definitely favours travellers from the south, it seemed to have it’s back turned to us. We rang just on the off chance, but only got the answer phone. It was 18:30, just as we’d thought, two hours after the Lock Keepers shift had ended. Onwards.
More cargo
Now back on familiar water we passed under Keadby Bridge. These cargo ships were certainly taking advantage of the spring tides.
Landmarks are now Windmills, the occasional wharf and pubs.
The two pubs in Owston Ferry looked like they have survived the pandemic with popular outdoor areas.
By the time we reached West Stockwith it was 20:00, the heat from the days sun had certainly gone, coats needed in the slight breeze as we sped along with the tide.
Evening sun
Not far now to the Gainsborough Pontoon. The tide was still carrying us at pace, should we stop here for the night or carry on making the most of the push the tide was giving us? Decision was made, it would be another hour and a half to Torksey, but the thought of mooring on the pontoon there was far more attractive than at Gainsborough.
In the past we have been zoomed through the bridge at Gainsborough, the river narrowing speeds the flow up. As we came round the bend where the not-so new apartments stand Oleanna tipped slightly with the change in direction and the speed we were being carried along at.
Gainsborough pontoon
Winding to moor on the pontoon so as to face the incoming tide in the morning might be tight before the bridge, maybe below would be better, but it didn’t matter anymore as we were carrying on, I know I was relieved at our decision, we’d all certainly sleep better.
West Burton Power Station
Which power station were we now aiming for. That one, no that one! The cooling towers came and went with the meanders of the river. The navigation lights were turned on, but we refrained from using the tunnel light as we could still see fairly well.
More warming tea and cheese scones were needed to help keep the chill out. My camera started to complain at the lack of light so the phone camera took over. In fact checking things with the phone camera worked quite well.
At last Torksey Viaduct at 21:50
With a red light showing through Torksey Viaduct we knew we’d not much further to go. The above photo looks quite light, but by now it was really quite dark.
Cottam Power Station
Just over half a mile further on and we turned left into the lock cut of Torksey Lock. A couple of boats were moored up on the pontoons and we soon joined them, arriving as we thought at 22:00.
Torksey pontoon at 10pm
Glasses of wine all round as we warmed back up and gave Tilly a cuddle.
After all the concern of new tidal waters, anchoring for the first time, the planning of our trip, postponing it, being vigilant of the weather, disappointment of not being able to break the journey at Keadby, it all came good in the end, what a spectacular day!
The morning was spent sharing the dinette table. Me at one end with model crates, rowing boats and a cucumber sandwich marquee, Mick the other with the laptop, cramming for his exam this afternoon.
Originally he’d planned on taking the VHF Short Range Certification exam in Scarborough, at the lighthouse. But the building is currently closed due to restrictions, it is the club house for Scarborough Yacht Club and will reopen 17th May. Mick had been offered one of the first exam slots but he’d decided to try closer to the boat and had been pointed towards Hull Marina.
Ships
After lunch we both walked up to the station, me asking simple questions such as ‘If Tilly’s tail was on fire would that be a scenario for a Mayday call?’ No. ‘If Tilly’s flaming tail brushed against the curtains in the boat and set light to them would that be a scenario for a Mayday call?’ Yes! So the boat is more important than me!
How can I not be more important than the boat!?!
Off Mick sped to Hull whilst I bimbled around Goole. Purchase of moisture crystals and some kindling was achieved but other (secret) items I wasn’t so lucky with. But by the time I returned to the marina I was glad I was not carrying anymore weight as all my fingers were about to drop off!
Hull Marina
Mick walked across Hull to the marina, having to make a detour as most of the footpaths were closed alongside the A63. Bars were busy with outdoor seating in the sunshine.
In the preamble to his exam he was asked what an EPIRB was. Well he couldn’t remember what the letters all stood for (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon), but knew that they are used to transmit a distress alert to satellites. On Oleanna we don’t have one of these.
The exam consisted of several written questions and a multiple choice section. The written section was all about distress calls, maydays, none with the scenario we’d talked about earlier. It all took about 45 minutes and out of 28 questions he got one wrong. The question had been which channel to use for Bridge to Bridge communication. Mick had assumed it would be the same as Ship to Ship, but this was wrong. We have since looked in the VHF handbook and it is channel 13, this wasn’t mentioned on the online course.
However getting one question wrong was not a problem, he passed! A rather washed out photo has been sent off to the RYA for him to get his card/certification. We now meet all the criteria for using Ocean Lock that ABP request.
A widebeam
A walk around the marina as the examiner made ready to head off out onto the Humber to do some manoeuvre training. Mick asked if there were any narrowboats moored there. The examiner pointed to a widebeam which was familiar to us, last seen below Pollington Lock in September.
Heading out onto the Humber
Walking back to the station Mick came across a vaccination centre at City Hall, on the off chance he enquired if he’d be able to get his second jab. We’ve heard of some centres offering jabs to people who turn up towards the end of the day as they have surplus vaccine to be used up, but sadly it was appointment only here. Worth a try though, it would have saved another trip next week.
STOP!
Mick’s journey back to Goole was slowed by a ship exiting the docks requiring a bridge swing, closing the road, the tug zooming off to assist somewhere. We celebrated his success with a glass or two of wine and a macaroni cheese with extras in the middle.
PASS
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 2 crates, 4 hours cramming,1 cat seeking new heights, 2.5kg crystals, 2kg kindling, 0 secret shopping, 1 toucan, 27 out of 28, 0 handbooks allowed, 1 widebeam, 0 attendance on Zoom, 1 bridge swing, 4 glasses of wine, 1 cat’s tail uncharred, 1 year since we got the house back, 1 big Happy Birthday to Frank!
Back in early 2015 we moored at Rembrandt Gardens in Little Venice for the first time. In the other space there was a narrowboat called Bleasdale. The lady on Bleasdale introduced herself and we had chats. Being a distinctive colour in those days on NB Lillyanne the lady who became known to us as Mrs Bleasdale could spot us a mile off and our paths have crossed several times since.
At Bugsworth 2017
Christmas/New Year 2016/2017 we all found ourselves mooring at Bugsworth Basin. This is when we found out Mrs Bleasdale’s first name, Heather. She does have a surname but we prefer Bleasdale.
Every now and then we do a location check with each other and at the back end of last year we discovered that we were quite close, well Heather was near Torksey and us having just pulled up in Goole. Depending on which way Heather would turn off the Fossdyke our paths might cross, so we hoped to head out from the marina to meet up with her at some point before Christmas if she headed up to Keadby.
Sadly Heathers plans changed and she turned left instead of right, then ended up being stuck in Newark with lockdowns and flooding, we ended up being on the wrong side of the breach.
Over the winter Heather has hatched a plan and was gathering interested boats together. We joined in on an IWA talk about the North East waterways and our interest grew. Would plans work out though? Timings would be important and Heathers suggested expedition would have to make use of the long days of June to cover a large chunk of Tidal water.
Tilly watching about Boroughbridge
As time has gone on we’ve realised that as much as we would love to join her this year our priorities this summer lie at the other end of the country and doing two mad dashes up and down the country just wouldn’t work. So sadly we’ve bowed out of a trip down the Humber to the River Hull and up to Beverley this year. Maybe next year though!
Since cruising restrictions have ended Heather has gradually worked her way up to Keadby and beyond, in fact only a hop skip and jump away from Goole by train. So today we hoped that the weather would be kind to us so that we could meet up.
Goole Station
Yesterday we’d put feelers out for any recommendations for a cafe in town where we could have lunch, but as we thought there were no options. Howden was suggested, thank you Lisa and Al, but we didn’t really fancy a bus trip. However we realised we knew a really rather good café with limited outdoor seating. On Mick’s return from dropping the hire car off he stopped by Morrisons and Tesco to pick up some provisions, Café Oleanna was open.
Heathers train, only a nine minute journey
After a hail storm went over I walked down to meet Heather from the station, thinking please let the weather be kind to us! We chatted all the way back to Oleanna where Mick had set up outside. Our gang plank and stool table came in very handy when the refreshments came out. Soup, crusty bread, cheese and a selection of meats, the boy did good.
Café Oleanna open for business, just a shame about the bright yellow elsan being so close!
Showers came and went, we persevered through most of them, but one did make us retire into the cratch.
Giant Industry can be rather beautiful
A walk down into the docks was a touch of a disappointment to us all as there was not one ship in. Just as well as the level in the pound had been down by about 18 inches and a day of few ships had helped the pumps at the cofferdam catch up with the demand.
Distinct lack of ships today
We walked over Ocean Lock, across the next swing bridge which leads to Victoria Lock with a rather nice boat moored above it. Then we wiggled our way down to the river bank to shelter under trees whilst another shower went through.
Contemplating Ocean Lock
A lovely afternoon catching up and discussing tidal waters. Heather may join us for the day when we go round Trent Falls. Here’s hoping her trip to the River Hull comes off for her.
This morning whilst in Selby Mick had been up to the lock to see if the Lockie was about, no sign but he did get a phone call later. They discussed possible passages both from Goole to Trent Falls and from Selby. Dates were discussed too, our eyes on a certain early morning high tide, Nigel (the Lockie) agreed that that date would be good.
Ocean Lock
Chats with David from The Goole Escape group later means that we may join forces with them and a widebeam to head both to Selby and then on to Trent Falls. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for good weather.
Mick called Nigel back and booked us in at Selby, just ABP to book with now. Our escape from Goole will be an hour before high tide here and during daylight hours, so we should be fine to go a couple of days before our planned Trent Falls trip.
Next we got to sorting out second jabs for ourselves. Mick had tried yesterday, first for himself and then for me. I have one booked in Scarborough, but if it could be moved to somewhere nearer to Goole that would make sense. However I wasn’t being offered the same places as Mick.
That looks like a nice mooring
I had a go with two browsers open at once. So hopefully I could book each appointment within seconds of each other. Up came the same vaccination centre in Hull, but Mick was being offered totally different dates to me, mine being two weeks later. After trying elsewhere we decided to book Micks in Hull and keep mine for Scarborough, both falling a couple of days before our planned departure from Selby.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 Inn cloth progressing, 2 passages through Selby booked, 1 destination undecided as yet, 1 eager Mrs Bleasdale, 0 ships, 1 big lock, 2 downpours, 2nd jabs booked, 1 plan coming together, 0 P, 2 boaters 1 cat with fingers and paws crossed for suitable weather.
