Category Archives: Moorings

Raindrops And Bins. 26th August

Willington Visitor Mooring to Opposite Shobnall Fields

Proper old fashioned rain woke us this morning! Do you remember it? Only half an hour, but still it was a step in the right direction. Still in bed, with cuppas in hand we watched as more boaters came with rubbish, more rubbish added to the ground of the compound. Then a Biffa wagon arrived, today with a crew of two. They looked at the state before them, walked round to the side and opened up one of the sides, from here they could move one of the skips to be emptied without having to move any of the bags on the ground. It was emptied, positioned close to the compound but not in it, as now the mountain of bin bags had fallen over. Photos were taken and the crew of two climbed back in their cabin and headed off to the next site.

Soon the locals were around to inspect the compound. One lady arrived and added a bag to the floor mountain, then chatted away to a chap who’d come to take photos. According to him the bins had been emptied on Friday, did he know that Biffa had been yesterday? They chatted for a while, he was on the case with CRT and had been asked to take photos for them.

A while later two more people arrived with bin bags. One just dropped their bag on the floor, the other actually found the empty skip and used that. Later a couple arrived, the empty skip was manoeuvred closer and the chap spent a while filling it with bags from the floor, the skip was then slotted back into the compound, not all bags of rubbish were off the floor, but a tidy up might mean the skips could be accessed now to be emptied.

There are several problems with the bins. Biffa only empty bins, they don’t move rubbish. Boaters feel it is okay to add their rubbish to an already overfull compound, yet this just means the bins don’t get emptied. If boaters kept their rubbish and came back the next day the bins might all be empty. Sorting waste on board means you can get rid of the smelly things more often, after all we are one of few boaters using the food waste bins, so there’s plenty of room! Bin compounds are fewer than they used to be, boaters still produce the same amount of rubbish, so the compounds maybe should be of a larger capacity to cope. Fly tipping is also a problem, both by general public and boaters. We do our bit, if only others would do the same.

We obviously had time on our hands this morning whilst we waited for Sainsburys to arrive with our shopping. A handy picnic bench meant we could see their arrival whilst watching boats come and go, but thankfully be away from constantly watching the bins!

It was after 2pm by the time everything was stowed onboard, sadly I’d omitted to buy some smoked mackerel! I’d looked at it, bought all the other things to go with it but not added some to our basket!

We opted to move on, back to the mooring towards Burton, Mick had a GP phone appointment about some medication, so maybe it was better to move sooner than later, phone signal patchy here and the internet quite dodgy. As we made ready to push off a CRT van arrived, more photos taken of the compound, they then climbed back in their vehicle and drove away. We winded, cruised just over a mile to the stretch of armco, tied up, put the kettle on and gave Tilly the good news 3 whole hours! Time for a very late lunch.

I’d spotted a sign on the towpath the other day, a circular walk round a nature reserve. I stripped the chicken, so I could drop off the carcass in the food waste bin back in Willington, plenty of space in that bin! Mick had his phone call. He wanted to chat about various things that have been happening in the last week or so, including his trip in the ambulance. They chatted through the cough that has come on, maybe a side effect of a rise in his medication. He was given a link to a community optician that he might be able to access in Burton for other symptoms rather than having to return to Scarborough.

After finding an optician and calling them, describing what was happening, they suggested he should be seen at A&E. The nearest Emergency Department is in Burton, just across the way from Shobnall Fields. We apologised to Tilly for curtailing her shore leave and closed the rear hatch, but we wanted to move on into Burton today.

Under one of the road bridges are four murals designed by local children. I especially liked the sheep on one of them. Not much else to note on the walk back into town that I hadn’t seen before. We followed behind a single hander who I leant a hand to at Dallow Lock, then worked us up behind. As I walked round to close the bottom gates my right foot felt funny. It wouldn’t follow me as it normally did. It felt like I was dragging it, a quick look and a sit down on a bollard and I found the problem a big fishing hook had got caught in the sole of my shoe, I was now attached to something at the other end of the lock. I managed to undo myself and collected the long line of line, that would have seriously hurt if I’d been wearing sandals.

It being after 6pm Shobnall Fields was just about full, well a good smattering of git gaps. We opted to pull in opposite, this would mean Mick could head to the hospital in the morning and I could do some work for panto.

1 lock, 4.9 miles, 1 wind, 37 photos of a bin compound, 2 Biffa, 1 Crt, 27 more bags of rubbish, I do wonder how much less rubbish there would be if people used the food waste bin!! 4 boxes wine, 3 hours curtailed to 1! 1 disgruntled cat, 0 mackerel, 1 new drug, 1 dropped, 1 visit put off till tomorrow.

https://what3words.com/cape.tennis.makes

Is Autumn Here Already? 21st August

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Massey’s Bridge 12 to Shobnall Fields

Woofers were audible for quite a lot of last evening and as I set of to walk to the lock there was fencing around an area advertising a woofer baby sitting service, quite a good one by the look of it, where you can leave your dogs to roam in their field having fun. I don’t think the place is open yet, but we may amend where we moor in the area in future as I suspect the woofers will be noisier.

Not long before we pushed off there was plenty of boat traffic coming and going, the last boat heading towards Swarkstone Lock was the hire boat we’d seen at Sawley. We’d end up sharing the next two locks with them. At Swarkstone a CRT volunteer was helping boats through. Apparently the delay in getting the Derwent Mouth pound back up last weekend was because Wychnor Lock, where the water could be let down from is in a different CRT region. So to get water sent down someone couldn’t just jump in a van to go and lift a sluice, but it had to go from one region to another delaying the top up by 24 hours, this is of course according to the volunteer.

The hire boat were a family of four, Mum and Dad considering getting a boat when they retire, the teenage kids very helpful and chatty, but looking forward to a hot chocolate between locks.

I opted to walk on ahead, even though the pound up to Stenson Lock is 3 miles long. Yesterday I was questioned by several people about why I wasn’t getting on the boat and being made to walk! So as I walked I considered what I should get printed on a t-shirt. In the end I opted for ‘I’m walking my imaginary dog’. Maybe that will stop people being astounded at me walking so much.

I noted a couple of moorings that we’d thought might not be so Tilly friendly, which actually she would love, the railway quite a distance away from the canal and the road stopping sooner than I thought it would. We’ll see what she thinks when we’re on our way back.

Raggley Boat stop was full, this was roughly where we should have moored last night, just as well we’d not carried on. A little wooden sign hung on a tree ‘Bumpy Farm’, here chickens scratched the ground and floppy eared goats bleated through the hedge to me.

Just after I’d reached half way boats started to come towards me, a lady walking the towpath with a windlass in hand. She’d realised that maybe she’d made a mistake in walking, even more when I told her she’d not quite got half way and the walk would be 3 miles!

Two boats were just entering the lock, Oleanna and the hire boat weren’t too far behind me as the depth of water isn’t too bad. The two boats rose in the lock and were replaced by two more coming down, a constant stream of boats from both directions. I chatted to a chap from a boat going down, he’d been an architect but drawing gave him back ache, so he’d retired from it aged 40 and got into vintage cars, writing books about them. As his wife brought their boat into the lock I was suddenly getting déjà vu. Their powder blue electric narrowboat NB Falcon was familiar from somewhere, I think I’ve talked to this couple before, possibly on the River Nene.

Our turn next, up the deep scary lock. Stenson used to have quite restrained ground paddles which worked counter intuitively. But now they seemed to rush water into the lock, with two boats in the chamber both paddles could be lifted together, so I don’t know if it’s still counter intuitive. Boats arrived above, the next pair ready to swap with us and the hire boat. I hopped on board, my walking done for the day until later.

**A surprising property.** Click photo for details

Now the run towards Willington. The house that is hemmed in between the canal and railway is for sale. It would be tempting apart from the railway behind it. Gradually the amount of boats moored up increased as we neared Mercia Marina. A top up of water and disposal of rubbish at the services before we carried on westwards running alongside the A38 for much of the way.

The Trent and Mersey now becomes a narrow canal at Dallow Lock. We pulled in next boat in line, one going up, one about to come down. I chatted to the crews of the boats, we all had connections to Goole and Hull, two downhill boats heading back towards base avoiding dropping levels until maybe later in the year.

Now we hoped to find a mooring. Shobnall Fields would do us, there was a gap and then space nearer the bridge where there are picnic tables. We opted for the gap, this would do us for a couple of days.

Tilly was impressed at the size of the trees, but not impressed with the lack of friendly cover and the constant stream of woofers. She opted to stay in the pram cover rather than venture further afield. I however decided to have a walk up to the station to see how far it was for tomorrow morning. 16 minutes brisk walk got me to the ticket office, that would do nicely. I chose to walk through residential streets rather than past St Paul’s and the Town Hall, I’d save that way for tomorrow.

**More interesting than the residential streets**

I picked up a few things for my lunch tomorrow at Lidl along with some meatballs before returning to Oleanna to make a fish crumble. I’d totally forgotten to buy something green to accompany it, frozen peas filled the gap.

3 locks, 11.1 miles, £1,150,000, 4 goats, 6 chickens, 3 miles between locks, 2 familiar boats, 1 hot chocolate without marshmallows, 95 brisk minutes, 16 to the station.

https://what3words.com/test.stand.draw

An Aphrodite Rescue. 19th August

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Turnover Bridge 19 to Henry Knibb Bridge 3A, Trent and Mersey Canal

Eggs and mushrooms on toast for breakfast, they needed eating so we just had to. The water point was free by Beeston Lock so we made use of it, filling up the tank and disposing of rubbish. A boat came through the lock just as I was heading up to set it for us.

Beeston Lock has a paddle painted red at either end, these should be left up when you leave the lock so that there is enough water flowing down the canal through Nottingham to feed the locks. During the summer Beeston Lock only has a rise of a few inches, of course sometimes it has a much bigger rise when the river is in flood. The lock landing pontoon on the river side seems to be inhabited by several boats, thankfully leaving enough space for a narrowboat to pull in to drop off or pick up crew from the river.

Up stream we counted several of the huts/houses up for sale on the off side. Were these still the same ones we’d seen a couple of years ago? I think one of them is. Did there used to be two lovely old boats along this stretch having work done to them? Only one moored now all under wraps.

With the lack of rain the river is lower than it normally would be at this time of year. Near Barton Island we could make out what might be a submerged wall which was creating a shallow weir effect, was this where NB Legend had ended up getting stuck and requiring RCR to rescue them a few years ago. We did our best to keep well clear.

There are two more warning signs in the river, more signs on the banks, most of which are overgrown by willow trees, so it’s hard to see which side of the river you should keep to. Round a bend, up ahead we wondered what was going on. A cruiser seemingly adrift towards the east bank and a narrowboat doing his best to pole himself off the bottom near the west bank. The cruiser turned out to be tied to a distant tree and looked to have an anchor down, no need to worry about them.

Could we help the narrowboat. At first we thought it was facing downstream, then the penny dropped it was a boat we’d seen on the canal with a pointy stern and a tiller more the type you get on a butty. A chap was stood on his gunnel with his pole pushing and getting nowhere, no life jacket in sight.

We slowed asked if we could help, he nodded. I headed up to the bow, the chap walked along his gunnels to get his centre rope. We’d be using our bow line to pull him backwards off the sandbank, not his, which might not take the strain. Mick reversed us back. I coiled the rope to throw to the chap, he stood on his gunnel, I asked him to step back to a safer place, I’d rather throw the rope numerous times until he caught it than have to try to get him out of the river! Once caught I asked him to tie it securely to his stern T stud, he wrapped the rope round a few times. No it needed to be secure, I tried to explain how to tie it. In the end I got on his boat and did it for him instead, knowing it would now hold.

Mick reversed, his aim to try to dislodge the boat whilst not getting stuck ourselves. The other boat was also in reverse, it got back afloat whilst biffing into us, it’s tiller going right over. Rope untied, we just needed to get out of his way so he could come backwards more to avoid returning to where he’d been stuck. But no, he went forwards! We managed to get out of the way and stay clear of the sand bank. Next move was to try pulling him free at the front, no room for us behind now without getting stuck ourselves.

As we got ready to back up to him, we could see that his bow was floating, the current was taking it round. Brilliant, he was afloat. He just needed to turn back to face upstream and follow us. This took quite a bit of time, his boat ending up almost passing the warning sign on the wrong side, eventually he was back on course. We slowly made our way up stream, he was far slower than we were, maybe his engine wasn’t strong enough, maybe he just liked travelling at the speed he’d do on canals against the flow of the river.

Round the next bend there is another warning sign. We did our best to keep him in sight, but he seemed to have gone off course again and was heading for the east bank behind what once had been a warning sign. Should we turn? We really didn’t want to get stuck ourselves. It’s one thing pulling a boat off a sandbank in a shallow river, it’s another going past a warning board where things are more than likely to put you at risk too.

The next stretch of river up to Cranfleet Lock was done as slowly as possible. I hopped off at the lock landing, Mick secured Oleanna and walked to the end of the long pontoon, the boat wasn’t in sight. I emptied the lock opened the gate, still no sign. I worked Oleanna up, we’d helped as much as we could, should someone else take over now? But who should we call?

Mick found a non emergency number for the Fire Brigade. They listened and suggested we contact CRT. We called CRT. They listened too, we were concerned that this chap was now stuck on the river somewhere it would be hard for other boaters to help him. Their attitude was if he was stuck he’d call them himself, maybe we should call RCR. This chap was quite unlikely to be a member, so we decided we’d done what we could, unless he called for help he’d be stuck. To be honest he didn’t really seem to know what he was doing, we hoped he was okay, maybe he knew of a mooring on the east bank that we weren’t aware of.

**The Lock Keepers today weren’t much help**

Which paddle to open first on Cranfleet Lock, someone once told us, but I couldn’t remember. The order I chose seemed to work, well nearly. Now there was just the task of opening the top gate. The water was level, but could I get the gate open. I ended up asking some cyclists to lend me their bums, that worked.

At Trent Lock we turned to head upstream passing new mooring rings on the bank. How many times in recent years have we hoped for a mooring on the pontoon only to find it chocka block? So how come today when we needed to cruise further on there was only one boat moored there?!

At Sawley Lock a hire boat was just coming down, we swapped places with them and were soon joined by another boat that had been on the service pontoon on the river. Earlier in the day we’d heard that Derwent Mouth Lock was open again, levels had improved, so we followed our new lock companion across the river section and onto the Trent and Mersey Canal.

A boat was coming down, we swapped with them. Our companion was going to pull in above the lock to decide what to do, where to go as closures seem to have followed him for the last few months. We’d decided to head on through Shardlow and up the lock so as to be off the pound that had lowered at the weekend. The level had been good, water running over the by wash, but we really didn’t want to get stuck tomorrow.

We pulled in just after the permanent moorings and opened the doors. Tilly was ecstatic with this outside, we hardly saw her until it was dingding time when she came in with five minutes still to go.

5 locks, 9.4 miles, 1 almost straight on but slightly to the right, 1 rescue, 1 helmsman course required, 1 boat off course, 1 unicorn lock keeper, 3 spaces free! 1 level back to normal, 2 hours shore leave, 1 hour spent buying 7 train tickets, £100 saving.

https://what3words.com/wonderful.clicker.wisdom

Below links to the houses for sale.

https://www.sdlauctions.co.uk/property/47564/lodge-for-auction-nottingham

https://www.auctionestates.co.uk/property/prickle-pin-lodge-trent-side-barton-in-fabis-nottingham-ng11-0bl-299028

https://copeandco.co.uk/properties/4-bedroom-house-house-for-sale-in-canal-bank-shardlow-derby-derbyshire-de72-2gl/437295

Kettle Black. 18th August

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Stoke Lock to Turnover Bridge 19, Beeston Canal

We opted to have our tea with breakfast today as we wanted to cover some ground. As we pushed off a narrowboat at the other end of the pontoon had their engine running, but their dog was still lapping up it’s breakfast, would they be heading the same way as us?

Upstream, under the Radcliffe Viaduct, when we reached the 5km mark Mick radioed ahead to Holme Lock, it would be ready for us, ‘come in on the green’. Once in the lock we were asked to wait, there was another narrowboat behind us, they’d be ten fifteen minutes. Holme Lock is vast and on previous experience it takes quite a while to fill and empty, so we were happy to wait. The following boat didn’t take too long to arrive and turned out to be the boat from Stoke Lock, NB Kettle.

As the lock filled and the noise waned there was chance to chat with our lock partners, firstly to find out if they would be carrying on up stream and into Nottingham. They were, we’d have someone to share the locks with. Now NB Kettle is not only black, but it has always stood out from the crowd because of it’s sign writing. We’ve seen her about on the network through the years and the rabbits and moon have left a lasting impression. I chatted to Claudia, they’d bought NB Kettle back in March this year, they’d done no boating before picking her up on the Trent and Mersey. The previous owners had been a writer and illustrator, so the sign writing had been designed by them, possibly even painted by them. Earlier this year Claudia and Lee repainted the boat, as she is know by many they kept the sign writing. Good on them!

We led the way upstream. There is a mass of scaffolding on the big weir and further upstream at Lady Bay Bridge you have to use the most southerly span as works are on going there too. Approaching Meadow Lane Lock we could see there were no moorings available below the lock, the steps on the other side of Trent Bridge also looked very busy, a mental note taken for future weeks.

Just finishing going up in the lock were a couple of cruisers, they pulled in just above the lock. Was another boat coming down? No-one made a move. Claudia and I set the lock for our boats. One of the chaps asked if we were both coming up, err yes! They seemed to have been wanting to use the lock again, but with no obvious boat waiting?! ‘Can you get two boats in these locks?’ Claudia asked, they were new to boating, this possibly their first uphill manual lock ever, it had taken a while for them to find their windlass.

Just as we were closing the gates the top paddle was being lifted by one of the chaps from the cruisers, half cut on drink or other substances. I walked up to the top end. ‘You get on we’ll do it for you’. He may well have been capable but… ‘My boat my lock and anyway I boat to work locks. Thank you anyway’ The chaps stood back and once the noise had faded we talked quite amicably, he was however suggesting we’d barged in as they had a couple more boats to move up the lock.

We paused to use the elsan for our yellow water, then had just about caught up with NB Kettle at the 90 degree bend. Here’s hoping we won’t be making a visit to the Urgent Care Centre here, we’ve already used it three times! Castle Lock had just been vacated by a cruiser so we could go straight in. A narrowboat arrived shortly before we left so the gates could be left open for them. Time to wave our lock partners goodbye, they were heading into Castle Marna for a few days to explore Nottingham. We found ourselves a space on the moorings by Sainsburys and headed off to stock up for the next few days. Thankfully it is still possible to get your trolley back to the boat. We had lunch and then headed on further.

Now Nottingham used to have a reputation, we tend not to take much notice of reputations and rely on our feelings for a place. We’ve stopped by Sainsburys numerous times, making sure the boat is well secured before heading off to explore Nottingham. Today it felt just that bit different. A tent on one of the grassy banks where the students used to have lunch. Dilapidated cruisers (which have always been about) are more plentiful and their possessions strewn across the towpath into the hedges, cans of beer being drunk and a heavy smell in the air. Today we’d have moved on anyway, which was the original plan, especially as I’d just booked a table for a meal tonight.

I walked ahead able to scout out moorings nearer to Beeston. Boats were pulled in at places I’d not noted before, their mooring spikes hammered into the bank whether it be grass, tarmac, concrete or stone. The first mooring was pretty well occupied, up ahead closer to our meal there was plenty of room, Tilly wouldn’t be impressed but we’d still let her out.

Oh it’s Nottingpants! Super fast Toms on their wheels had me running for the cat walk, time after time. A wall, one of those with little if any grip! Zero friendly cover. Pants!!!

A walk into Beeston to The Victoria. We hadn’t expected it to be that busy, but by the time our food had arrived every table in the pub was full. The menu here is not your average pub food. Yes there is sausage and mash, you can choose one or two Bangers, they are not your average bangers, they are long hotdog length but quality Lincolnshire sausages. I checked what I could eat and was given a list of dishes. Paella, sadly they’d just served the last one. Hot Fish platter, with salmon, hake and halibut, very nice. All accompanied by a pint of beer each from the local brewery, their session IPA is gluten free, very wise brewers. No room for pudding so we headed back to the boat.

Levels at Derwent Mouth Lock were still low, maybe tomorrow they will have improved enough.

3 locks, 9.6 miles, 1 right, 90 degrees, 1 kettle black, 2 new owners, 1 shopping trolley back to the boat, 2 lots paracetamol, 1 box aspirin (just in case), 89 minutes brisk, 1 pants mooring, 1 table for 2, 3 fish, 2 bangers, 2 beers, 1 pleasant evening.

https://what3words.com/beard.broker.sailor

‘S’ Approach. 17th August

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Hazelford Lock to Stoke Lock pontoon

**Thank you for the tea, thank you for my mug Tilly**

Paracetamol has been doing it’s job and Mick woke this morning not feeling the need to take more. We enjoyed a leisurely tea in bed (TIBED) and joined the Geraghty zoom to catch up with Mick’s siblings. There was conversation about our trip to Mansfield Emergency Department (when did they stop being A&E?), sibling ambulance rivalry, the RNLI, Barbara Windsor, Proms and Torches.

How had Mick strained his chest muscles? On tidal waters we keep the well deck clear so should we need to deploy the anchor there is nothing in the way. So spare poo buckets, fenders, ash pan, hose etc all get moved into the shower. The spare poo buckets tend to hold mooring spikes, nappy pins etc and with such contents they are a heavy cumbersome lift, especially when they need to be lifted over the bed and put into the shower out of the way. I’ve injured my back when stooping to pick them up in the past and they may well have been the culprit this time.

So we need to amend how we do some things to avoid injuries. Empty the contents from poo buckets before lifting them, unless it happens to be poo! Emptying the yellow water can be amended too, less lifting of the heavy container by using our long yellow water hose in places like our current mooring which is awkward. This method worked today, it did mean shouting louder to each other. The container was then tucked away in the welldeck where it wouldn’t be in the way until there is easy access to empty it.

Mick radioed up to the lock, there were cruisers coming down so we’d have a bit of a wait. We opted to push out from the bank and hold back on the river ready to enter the lock. Cromwell isn’t the only lock on the Trent that has a problematic sandbank below it. Here there is one about 20 yards below the lock, you can see it quite clearly from above. Yesterday when we returned from the hospital there was a Dutch Barge stuck on it. They’d approached the lock as normal and got stuck, luckily for them the volunteer lock keepers managed to flush them off when they next emptied the lock. The way to approach the locks is to stay well over, at Hazelford to the starboard side of the river then at the last minute turn almost 90 degrees towards the lock then another 90 degrees into the lock a sort of S route. It worked for us and would be handy later in the day at Stoke Lock.

We were joined by a small cruiser who clung onto the lock ladder with boat hooks as we rose, then they vanished off into the distance. The Lock Keeper told us that there wouldn’t be a Lock Keeper at Gunthorpe Lock, my favourite (not) lock on the network!

A lovely stretch of the river, trees just starting to show their autumn colours. We pootled on admiring the boats on the moorings, plenty of people out for a Sunday stroll on the river bank. Just a shame it was a grey day, but that didn’t really matter it was good to be moving, the two of us boating together, just how it should be.

**Crews at the lock landing at Gunthorpe**

Up ahead I could see a narrowboat being overtaken by the little cruiser. That would be the single hander that had been moored in front of us yesterday. Approaching the lock he pulled in onto the pontoon, crew from the cruiser were heading up the ramp. What would I like to do? Stay on Oleanna let them work the lock, rope round a blue riser, the location of our only other need for an ambulance ten years ago. Or should we offer to work the lock, me pressing buttons up top?

As we got close the single hander asked if we could work the lock, the cruiser crew didn’t know what to do and he was single handing. The cruiser crew suggested we went straight into the lock, his key of power in the panel. Well the very VERY last thing I want to do at Gunthorpe Lock is climb one of the long ladders. Mick put our bow in to the pontoon, far easier and safer for me to step off.

**Plenty of keys with no means of retrieving them should they fall in the water**

Another cruiser joined us making four boats in the lock. Most of the Trent Locks now just have two buttons at either end to operate them, Open and Close. You press the button when the green light is constant, then hold it to open or close the gates. But here at Gunthorpe it has to be different, you have control over near and far sluices and the gates. I hate this lock with a passion and had jelly legs anyway, now I had four boats to keep an eye on as they rose up. I raised the sluices gradually, all went as it should.

I suggested to the little cruiser to come out of the lock to where there’s a lower wall and I could pass them down their keys. No float on the key ring, No phone number, two big sets of car keys on it too! Stupid testosterone man, ‘Go on chuck them down! Go on!!!’ I refused, why would he risk loosing car keys! Once the keys were safely in the ladies hand they shot off.

All three boats pulled in at Gunthorpe pontoon, well the little cruiser pulled in on the private jetty by the pub. We carried on, Gunthorpe left behind us.

**Egyptian Geese really should learn to wash their faces better**

Approaching Stoke Lock Mick radioed ahead, time to do the ‘S’ manoeuvre into the lock. We’ve seen a narrowboat stuck on the sandbar here before! We waited for another boat to join us then were penned up by the volunteer. The sandbar below the lock makes Stoke lock just about impossible to work by boaters as it blocks the low side landing.

Damn, the low wall mooring was already occupied, the pontoon had two boats, but we could squeeze on the end, over hanging. We took our time, knowing that the usual current here wants to pull you away from the pontoon, not too much evidence of that now though. A late lunch and no shore leave for Tilly, she wasn’t impressed with all those trees around us.

**The new mooring when we passed earlier**

A walk down the river bank to the pub at Stoke Bardolph, dropping off rubbish on my way and checking to see if I could find the 9km mark hidden amongst the trees, no sign of it. There is a new IWA mooring outside the pub. The wooden fixed pontoon has been there for years, we can only assume the river has been dredged to give enough depth and maybe a few more mooring rings added. Three narrow boats were making the most of it.

I turned to walk along the fast flowing outflow from the sewage works and then followed roads back towards the river. The small church of St Luke’s was locked, but the doors have glazing in them so I could have a peek inside. The next footpath was looking like it would cross a maize field, I’ve not been lucky with such paths recently, but thankfully here the farmer had left a good 8ft free for walkers. Back on the river bank a small child whizzed up and down the tarmac track on an electric scooter, over taken by a smaller child on an electric motorbike.

Back at Oleanna it was close to 6pm, dingding time. The two boats that had been moored on the low mooring had just moved off, a perfect Tilly shore leave mooring. I kept quiet about it as she tucked into some Salmon in Jelly.

Low water levels at Derwent Mouth Lock on the Trent and Mersey have closed the lock today. This is on our current route. We’re hoping it’s from many people using the lock to return to home bases. The stretch of canal is fed from the River Trent so hopefully with CRT opening up a sluice at Wychnor Lock the problem will soon be rectified, even if it’s 25 miles away, we’ve our fingers and paws crossed.

3 locks, including THAT lock, 9.8 miles, 2 cuppas in bed, 2 car keys handed over, 2 ‘S’ approaches, 2 jelly legs, 0 shore leave, 59 minutes brisk walking, 2 snoozy boaters glad to be boating.

https://what3words.com/isolating.solid.icebergs

Covered Cruising. 15th August

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Cromwell Lock to Hazelford Lock

Up early, we were in need of filing with diesel and to cruise around three hours today. Currently we have a destination in mind for my meeting on the south coast which needs us to keep moving, not too much, but a constant direction to move in. Once I’ve visited the set builders for panto the original plan was to start heading southwards to be around Banbury or Oxford by late October for me to go to work on panto whilst being able to return to the boat at weekends. Unless there is significant rainfall in the next month we really don’t see the waterways that will be closing on the 26th August or that are already closed due to low water levels reopening in time. So we need another plan.

Current thinking is to stay in the Trent/Soar area so that we don’t miss our repaint slot at Redhill. Originally we’d planned to be out until the New Year with at least one lodger already booked in for the Christmas show. But if we can’t get onto the Oxford we may see if we can come out of the water earlier than planned and very sadly curtail our years cruising, returning to Scarborough when our current lodgers leave. Well that is our current plan and almost certainly going to change for one reason or another, but we are almost certain we’ll be back in the house before Christmas.

Back to today. It was going to be hot, really quite HOT with little cloud cover, so we set off quite early for us , the first to leave the moorings. Paul from Waterway Routes had asked us to check if something wasn’t there, a photo was forwarded to him from the location to confirm that there was only blue sky.

A couple of boats had wild moored on the banks, the second one turned out to be a miserable chap on a cruiser who’d been plonked right in the middle of the high wall at Cromwell when we arrived yesterday fishing from his boat. He’d got miffed off with boats mooring around him. As we passed him today, his fishing line was out and he shouted over to us that he was waiting to be rescued as he’d got his rope around his prop. Somehow he’d managed to tie to the bank using his hook up cable. It sounded like someone was on their way to rescue him so we passed slowly and left him to continue to be miserable.

On the off chance, Mick radioed ahead to Nether Lock, a reply surprised us both from the Cromwell Lock Keeper who was at Nether, he’d already set it for us, the light would be green so we could go straight in. We’d been spotted by the Lockie on duty at Cromwell. As ever at the Trent Locks we were asked if we’d be continuing on to the next lock or not, this is so they can let the next lock keeper know there’s a boat on the way. Apparently all the locks are manned at the moment, 9 to 4. Handy to know as there are a couple of locks with sandbanks below them which makes it hard to drop crew off to operate them.

Mick rang ahead to King’s Marina, they’d just opened for the day, their diesel was £1.10 domestic. We’d considered on topping up enough to reach Shobnall where the price will be much lower, but for peace of mind we decided to top the tank up. Mick did a perfect manoeuvre onto their service pontoon, but nobody noticed! Paula the Harbour Master came down to serve us, 103 litres, yes we were welcome to top up with water and use their bins. She’s a very friendly lady and happy to help. The marina toilets and showers were being upgraded along with the installation of a dog shower, I think most Aquavista Marinas are getting these. There is also a pergola going up as a social space for the moorers.

**Newark Castle quieter here today than in April**

Back on the river Kiln Pontoon was just about full, several boats were moored on the low wall opposite. Town Lock opened up for us and a volunteer took our ropes and saw us up. Everywhere we go at the moment people say what a wonderful day it is, good boating weather. We have to disagree, we’d far rather it was chucking it down!

Now along the meandering river heading for Hazelford Lock moorings. The Newark Crusader pulled out from Newark Marina and followed us. Mick radioed them to see if they wanted to pass, they’d see once we’d got out of town. Sure enough soon after the houses stopped they radioed back asking to pass on our starboard side. Starboard side, our starboard side? We did as requested, looked over our shoulders to see that they were adjusting course to pass to our port, which is the correct side to pass on. They had to adjust course again.

With the sun beating down on us we opted to raise the pram hood to give ourselves some shade. With the front window rolled up and sides off it wasn’t too bad, but we’d still rather not cruise with it up as it impedes visibility, plus if you catch it on a bridge, it’s a costly repair. Today we really didn’t want to get burnt and knew there’d be no low bridges.

Boats came towards us, almost a constant stream of them. We’d best get used to this as we’re on a busy river again, today it felt like we were on the Thames it was that busy. Some boats just out for the weekend, some for the day. Quite a few after the CRT notices yesterday doing their best to get back to their home moorings, some cruises having taken people three weeks to reach here and now they have 12 days to get back!

All the way the visitor moorings were just about empty, but would they be at Hazelford? We had our fingers and paws crossed for some shore leave for Tilly on the lock island. As we rounded the last bend we could see one wide beam on the moorings and our preferred space was free. We pulled in deployed the big fat fenders, opened the side hatch followed by the stern doors for Tilly. Two hours to start with, then another three would follow if she didn’t get too hot. We’d managed to moor up at lunchtime, perfect.

I did a bit more touching up of cloths for panto, then headed across the bridge below the weir to walk to Fiskerton. A nice riverbank walk. Plenty of fishermen set up for the weekend with their tents. Cows grazing the brittle yellow grass. Thankfully the sun had lost it’s heat so I had a pleasant walk, returning through the Blackthorn archway that in April had been so white, today most of the sloes have been picked.

Time to barbeque and make the most of the setting sun whilst sitting out on the big steps at the moorings. Burgers and veg kebabs with a glass or two of wine. We like this mooring, we all like it a lot.

2 locks, 13.6 miles, 103 litres, 1 slip up, 57 brisk minutes, 1 pram hood up, 4 hours shore leave, 1 pot of blackberries, 2 burgers, 4 veg kebabs, 1 sunset, 1 lovely evening.

https://what3words.com/correctly.benched.blackbird

BANG! On 11am. 14th August

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Stockwith Basin Bridge to Cromwell Visitor Moorings, River Trent

With a 10am penning at West Stockwith Lock we got ourselves ready for tidal waters and as we pushed off from our mooring Mick radioed to the lock, could we enter the lock to wait for the tide. This was fine and as we made our way it was obvious which boat we’d be sharing the lock with, they were heading to Torksey, where as we’d be heading on to Cromwell today.

As soon as both boats were in the lock we were told that the tide was ready, there was three foot over the cill so we could go, despite it being before 10am. There is so little fresh coming down river that the tides can be early at the moment. As we were heading further than the other boat we got to leave the lock first, gosh that tide was running fast, out of the lock we were straight up to 8mph on the bend! Mick knocked back the revs a touch, we wanted to keep up with the tide, try to keep the other boat in sight, but we also wanted to get as far as we could before 11am.

**A new topping to the pontoon. No life jackets in view!**

Gainsborough was far quieter than it had been on 1st April when we came through blasting horns at the start of the Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign cruise. The pontoon mooring was getting a new top fitted to it, men carrying 8 by 4 sheets down the ramp. Today a few people stopped and waved, but today there were no camera crews or drones to follow our every move. We were glad though to be on our own heading for Gainsborough Bridge and not be line astern with lots of boats.

**Gainsborough Bridge, more head room today compared to April**

We’d picked up a branch on the bow, after the railway bridge Mick slowed us right down with the hope that the tide would carry it off, it worked in the end and we could carry on. A pleasant breeze kept us from getting too hot and thankfully the sky had plenty of clouds to hopefully stop our sun cream from running out.

A **photo from later of West Burton Power Station, it’s 8 cooling towers in two groups**

I started a count down to 11am. West Burton Power Station came into view, cooling towers rising up quite close to the river. We got closer 2 minutes to go. We weren’t here however for West Burton, 1 minute. We rounded another bend in the river. There it was East Cottam Power Station cooling towers. I grabbed my camera and quickly took a photo. Almost immediately, bang on 11am the cooling towers started to lean inwards and crumple in on themselves shrinking down into the horizon. Then up came clouds of dust followed a few seconds later by the loud rumbling bang from 4.5 miles away. What perfect timing!

A few years ago we’d been on the Thames when Didcot Power Station was demolished, we only managed to hear it that time. Of course my footage is nothing compared to others, the best of course is from the demolition company themselves as they achieved a new world record today by blowing up 8 cooling towers in one go.

Mick put the revs back on, the tide was still carrying us. High up on the roof of West Burton Power Station staff stood and watched as the clouds of dust hung in the air, gradually drifting north easterly. I’ve not checked, but maybe one day their cooling towers will go the same way, then there will be no big powerful landmarks left on the Trent, just small gas powered stations.

We followed our charts religiously, yes we were near the top of the tide so shouldn’t have any problem with depth, but with so little water about you need to keep on the red line. Torksey church came into view, then the viaduct a big empty hole on the west bank where the power station had stood less than an hour ago. Was that something in my eye, a tiny bit of cooling tower perhaps!

Straight on for us, passing the cut where three narrowboats were sat on the pontoon and Torksey Lock was just emptying. Small clumps of people were still stood on the banks of the river, Torksey had been the place to watch the demolition from. A small group huddled round a drone, ‘if only we could make the towers go back up again’ one of them shouted across to us.

As we got within sight of Dunham Bridges we could see a narrowboat ahead of us, maybe they’d come from Torksey, we were going to catch them up. A cruiser was having a woofer wee break at the Dunham pontoon, they’d soon be following on behind us. Along the next few miles we slowly got closer to the narrowboat ahead of us and in turn we had two cruisers overtake us.

At Fledborough viaduct our charts are confusing as to which span you should pass under, we headed as always for the ‘England’ span whilst watching the boat ahead go further east. Now there was another narrowboat ahead of them, we were a threesome all headed for Cromwell. The dog walking cruiser passed us and on we headed, the river becoming more and more meandery.

Cruisers came towards us. Then round a bend came a boat we’d hoped we cross bows with, NB Avalon Two, Helen and Pete smiling and waving as we passed. One day we’ll be moored in the same place as each other and maybe we’ll end up in a very good pub with them.

Over the VHF radio we could hear the cruisers penning up. Mick called the Lock Keeper from the 48km mark, the lock would be ready when we arrived. We slowed our progress waiting for Cromwell Weir to come into view. Below the lock there is quite a sandbar at the moment, the cruisers ahead of us had been given some direction in towards the lock to avoid it, but our draught is much less so we just took it slowly when the green light showed.

Over the radio came a call from another narrowboat, NB Doris Katia, Andrew and Francis Phasey’s boat from St Pancras Cruising Club. They’d helped organise the Fund Britain’s Waterways Cruise in London, then across the Wash. Their route back to London had been blocked by broken locks on the River Nene so it looks like they’d opted to head back across The Wash to be able to return southwards.

The lock keeper got us and the other two narrowboats in the lock, he’d pen NB Doris Katia up after us. It took a while for the boat we were going to be alongside to sort their ropes. I’m twitchy in these locks about the risers so I wasn’t comfortable that the lady at the bow had her line round a ladder and the chap at the helm seemed to be happy with that. It’s hard to relay information in locks from one end of a boat to the other, but the Lock Keeper was also on the case and suggested they move back another riser, phew!

Up we rose. The moorings above were busy but we’d find somewhere to tie up to. We pulled in just before the lower section of the high wall close to the water point, a nice chap from the boat in front helped with our ropes. We didn’t need to get off the boat, although Tilly was adamant that she should! This took several hours for her to calm down and stop being so SHOUTY! about it all. I’d defrosted some turkey steaks to make some kebabs, planning to put them on the barbeque, instead the grill had to do the job for us, we really weren’t going to somehow get everything off the boat and then back on again up ladders!

Today was, I think, our eleventh tidal cruise of the year, most probably our last of the year too. During the afternoon an email had been sent out from CRT regarding the low water levels. Quite a large part of the network, but not all is suffering from a water shortfall, it has now been deemed as a ‘nationally significant incident’. The short to medium weather forecast does not indicate substantial rain, so they are now ‘putting contingency plans into action to prioritise boater safety and ensure access to essential facilities’ with the water they have remaining. Temporary navigation closures, stop planks to help retain water levels in some areas. We are all being encouraged to prepare for closures, empty and fill tanks, consider relocating to somewhere closer to services.

Then more news regarding the Oxford, Coventry and Grand Union came through.

From Friday 15th August we will be increasing restrictions and locks will be open between 10am and 3pm

From Tuesday 26th August we will be moving to a full closure of all locks listed below:

Grand Union Canal, Radford Bottom Lock 23, Calcutt Lock 1, Braunston Locks 1–6, Buckby Locks 7–13, Stoke Bruerne Locks 14–20, Oxford Canal, Hawkesbury Stop Lock, Hillmorton Locks 1–3, Napton Lock 8, Marston Doles Lock 15, Coventry Canal, Glascote Bottom Lock, Atherstone Lock.

2 locks, 31.4 miles, 1 right, 1 straight on, 1 world record explosion, 8 towers gone forever, 1 boat just in the nick of time, 1 busy river, 2 smiling faces, 3 in a lock, 1 high wall, 1 seriously miffed cat, 1 spot on flee treatment, 4 turkey kebabs.

https://what3words.com/optimists.unwound.hesitate

Straight Out Of An Agatha Christie Novel. 12th August

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Retford and Worksop Boat Club to Log Rural Mooring

There was the hire car to return this morning, a Sainsburys delivery to arrive, water to fill up and the yellow water to empty. Mick headed off to Worksop with the car, he thought he’d topped it up, but according to the computer and Enterprise it needed another 2 litres of petrol! Soon sorted and he got a lift back to the boat club where I was waiting for our shopping. We swapped over and I headed back to fill with water then stow our shopping.

**Thank you RWBC for our lovely stay with you**

Phil this weeks warden arrived a bit after 11 to read the electric meter for us, we now needed to go down and pay at the club house along with using the elsan for the yellow water. All checked out and our dues paid. Thank you to the boat club for a very friendly stay. Having electric was great, over the 8 days we’ve stayed with them we used a little over £8 and did quite a few wash loads and used the immersion heater and topped our bully boy batteries right up.

Our aimed for mooring was quite a distance away so I hitched a ride. We’d already gone a few miles when I decided on my walking plan, I’d hop off at Wiseton and walk on from there, we’d have lunch at Drakeholes then carry on. Mick checked that he’d given me the key of power after using the elsan. No he hadn’t. Maybe he’d left it at the bow when stowing the yellow water container. No he hadn’t. I checked everywhere inside, doing a girl look rather than a boy look. No. A phone call back to Phil at the boat club, Mick thought it might be on the window cil in the service block. Phil rang back, it was there, he’d happily drop it off with us at Wiseton as he had a job to do using his car. What a star, that saved either my legs walking or Mick cycling back for it. It only took Phil five minutes to catch us up and drop off the key.

I walked into Wiseton whilst Mick carried on along the canal. Blimey I’d just walked into an Agatha Christie Novel. Straight ahead was Woodbine Cottage built 1830, with it’s white picket fence, lead windows and ivy covered frontage. I turned left hoping to find a track which would lead back to the canal further on, only to stumble on a For Sale sign.

**You’d need a sit on lawnmower for that lawn**

Cedar Cottage built around 1860. What a lawn and flower beds. Yours for £515,000 quite a period piece.

Further on were big wrought iron gates, no view of the hall. A hunt round on the internet suggests a new hall was built in 1771 for Jonathon Acklam. This was extended in 1787 by William Lindley of Doncaster. During WW2 the house became badly dilapidated and ended up being demolished in 1960. In it’s place a Neo-Georgian house was built for Major General Robert Laycock in 1962 on his return from the governorship of Malta. It stayed in the Laycock family until 1992 when it was sold to a colliery owner Richard Budge who then sold it in 2012. More info on the hall can be found here.

Opposite the gates is an extensive stables block built 1899. Sadly private signs are everywhere so the track I’d hoped to walk was out of bounds. But every cloud has a silver lining as it meant I got to walk past more wonderful houses.

I stopped to take a look at the octagonal chimney stacks. I said hello to a fellow sat outside, he told me that the houses used to be the Laundry for the Hall and the large chimneys were needed for the big fires under the coppers used to boil up the washing. I congratulated him for having such a wonderful house and chimney.

Back onto the canal I soon caught up with Oleanna going under Lady’s Bridge where I’d hoped to walk to from the village. The 2 day moorings were full at Drakeholes so we pulled in at the end to have lunch in the shade, it was starting to get really quite warm out there.

Now to walk the last stretch of the canal that I’d missed on the way up, over the top of Drakeholes Tunnel. I paused to say goodbye to the people on NB Misfit from the boat club then carried on up the grassy bank. I thought that the tunnel carried on under the road, which gave me a chance to look at The Duck which recently closed. Opposite behind fencing are the gate houses for Wiseton Hall (early 19th C) which look like they are undergoing renovation. I soon noticed my mistake and back tracked to walk along a gravel track leading to the other side of the tunnel.

I reached the locks before Oleanna and had time to set them, it did take a while before I could open the top gates as below the water was boiling out from under the gates. At Shaw Lock I spotted a stall at the nearby farm house, so once Oleanna was down I went to have a look. A lot of homemade chutneys and sauces for sale along with some veg. I suspect the owners have had enough marrows as these were free! Having just stocked up on veg I didn’t feel the need to help them out.

Not much further the Log Rural Mooring came into view, no boats moored so we could choose the shadiest section. Chairs were put outside in the shade and Tilly was given a couple of hours of towpath time.

A barbeque was on the cards this evening. Salmon with ginger and lemongrass, potato salad and sweetcorn. All slowly cooked over the coals. At one point it started to rain, Mick brought a brolli out, but it really wasn’t going to spoil anything and soon everything had dried up in time for us to eat. A perfect mooring for a hot afternoon, shame we don’t think we’ll find one for tomorrow.

2 locks, 6.4 miles, 1 tunnel, 1 full water tank, 4 boxes wine, £8.37 electric, 1 left key of power (which do have our phone number on them!), 1 hero Phil, 1 Agatha Christie village, 5 moving boats! 84 brisk minutes, 29C, 2 rain showers, 2 salmon steaks, 2 cobs, 1 bowl potato salad, 4 glasses wine, 2.5 hours after cat curfew permitted shore leave.

https://what3words.com/dating.juggle.guests

Pumping And Pacing. 8th August

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Main Street Winding Hole to Retford and Worksop Boat Club

Mick put his overalls on this morning, ran the engine to get her a little bit warm and then climbed down into the engine bay. The Lidl electric pump came out again, connected to the starter battery, he’d thought about this, then it set to pumping out the old engine oil. It took time and was really quite noisy, but it did the job. A new Beta pump is on order and we’re awaiting a delivery. The filter was changed then fresh oil was poured in, all ready now for our trip out onto the Tidal Trent. *Thank you Tony for your suggestion re a dribble of oil, we’ll try that before we change the existing pump.

I spent some time weaving in ends of a pair of socks ready for their delivery over the weekend. Then Tilly and I had a bit of a walk along the towpath. What a lovely mooring this is. Thankfully the field we’re alongside had already been harvested, so no clouds of dust kicking up in the air as there was over in the distance where straw was being bailed up. I spotted a snake swimming across the canal, maybe that’s what I’d seen the other day, all far too quick to get a photo.

Lunch, then we made ready for the off, we’d be the only boat moving along here today. I walked ahead, only a mile to walk today, then some pacing out to do. Boats had moved about a bit on the boat club moorings, one boat had taken the space we’d had ten days ago, others had been out and winded. I was on the hunt for a suitably sized gap. 26 paces required for Oleanna.

22, 24, ah ha! 26!! Mick put Oleanna’s bow in for me to get a rope, then we did an Andy spring line to bring her into the mooring which had just six inches spare. We rang the warden, Phil this week, who came riding along on a bike. Did we want to be here or further on, someone was leaving tomorrow so we could have their spot. We were quite happy where we were with some shade during the second half of the day, which might be handy. A key for the electric was found and we plugged in, we’d be seeing Phil later on at the Club to pay our dues.

An exploration of the sideways trees was deemed to be not quite as good as the last time we were here. Mick had a towpath haircut all whilst the batteries topped themselves back up to full.

Yesterdays leftover pie was heated back up and consumed along with some Jersey Royals and cabbage, very nice. Then we walked down to the club house for a drink.

Gosh it was popular, in the main room not a seat was to be had, so we took our drinks outside and got chatting to various people. Some have moored here for years, decades even, others a few months. Cruising tales were exchanged over beer and wine as the moon rose in it’s brilliant orange fullness. A very pleasant evening.

**Not the best photo of the moon rising, I needed my camera really**

In the latest Towpath Talk there’s an article on our friend Chris Stanbury who is well on his way back from walking from Lands End to John O’Groats and back. Not sure how many more days he’ll be walking for, I think the last time we caught up with his videos he was south of Tewksbury on day 127!

**Chris! Click the photo for a link to his Just giving page**

0 locks, 1 mile, 3rd space, 26 paces, 1 oil change, 9 litres, 2 outsides, 1 snake in the water, 102nd pair finished, 2 glasses wine, 2 pints of T, 1 bunged up nose, 1 familiar closeish neighbour.

https://what3words.com/tailwind.exhaled.agreed

Pump Problems. 5th August

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Mile marker 23 to Ranby 2 day moorings

I’**m in here for a very good reason, honest**

Floris was still whipping up the air this morning, we opted to stay moored for a while. This meant Mick could do an oil change, a little bit over due but now we’re through the assisted passage we’ve a day in hand. Overalls on, back doors pulled closed, the wind was blowing right in at the stern, he lifted the engine board and got started.

It was handy not to be working locks as some time was required as Frank’s medical PA.

Tilly wasn’t being too busy outside, maybe she’d used it all up yesterday. So to keep her occupied we went for a walk Blackberry hunting. The ones alongside the boat were already wizened as though they never really come into fruit, but maybe a bit further on they would be better. My hunch was correct and quite a mass of almost overly ripe plump blackberries were ready to be picked. Tilly wasn’t much help, but a new patch of sideways trees kept her busy whilst I filled a pot with almost half a kilo of berries. I feel some baking coming on.

I got the wood glue out, time to restick some of the edgings on shelves and cupboard doors. The glue seems to be giving up being sticky in some parts of the boat. So some encouragement for the glue to go in the gap, a good squeeze, wipe down and some tape to hold it in place whilst it dried. Job done.

Mick wasn’t having much luck. The sump drain pump had stopped pumping, not good when you want to pump the oil out! He’d had a go with an electric pump he’d bought from Lidl a while ago, but this would take forever and possibly drain our starter battery. After trying numerous things he ended up giving up today. Maybe rigging up the electric pump to the 24v-12v dc-dc converter in the electrics cupboard so the domestic bank could be used instead?

After lunch we opted to move on a bit to the next mooring.

**It’s a good view here when the wind stops**

This morning a CRT tug had come past with a skip boat, as we made ready it came back without the skip, would we be slowly following this to Osberton Lock? They crawled past us, but as soon as they had gone past they cranked up the speed. We followed, at a far slower speed.

This stretch of towpath is currently closed right up to the lock, the next stretch is where the problem bridge is. From the canal it didn’t look like anything was wrong, but looking up the side it’s had quite a wallop and bricks are ready to tumble onto the towpath.

Above Osberton Lock, CRT were just leaving having removed the skip to further up stream, we actually now had a lock landing to land at, then a limbo under the once five bar gate. I lifted the paddles to set the lock just as the heavens opened! Both of us retreated to the shade of the trees, thankfully the downpour didn’t last long. I opted to walk the remainder of the way, knowing I’d not be getting my full quota of steps or brisk minutes done.

**Here she comes giving me a reason to be stood here**

Past the green/cabbages/cauliflowers again, if only there was a way down into the field to see what they were. I soon approached the Ranby Moorings. Here at one end sat the boat from The Lock Keeper, they have a cat called Nutmeg, so I headed to the far end of the mooring and loitered for Oleanna. Not only am I now a mad cat lady, but I also loiter on the towpath!

1 lock, 2 miles, 1 blowy day, 1 litre of oil pumped out, 1 litre of oil put back in the engine, 0.5kg of blackberries, 5 edges stuck, 1 cat walk, 1 sharp shower, 0 climbing trees, 1 mad woman waving to the other boat.

https://what3words.com/workroom.prune.improvise

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Category Archives: Moorings

Raindrops And Bins. 26th August

Is Autumn Here Already? 21st August

An Aphrodite Rescue. 19th August

Kettle Black. 18th August

‘S’ Approach. 17th August

Covered Cruising. 15th August

BANG! On 11am. 14th August

Straight Out Of An Agatha Christie Novel. 12th August

Pumping And Pacing. 8th August

Pump Problems. 5th August