A day to sit in the shadows as the temperature was forecast to rise. So we just about managed a lie in, then enjoyed our Saturday newspaper with a cuppa in bed.
Tilly checking out the shade
Tilly was given 9.5 hours which she used pretty much all of, just returning for the occasional ‘thank you for coming home’ Dreamie and to check we hadn’t moved the outside with her in it.
Mick filled the stern gland greaser and tightened the stern gland, a job to do when the engine is cold.
Not quite so shady now
I set about hunting for hooded zip front overalls on the internet. Overalls tend not to have too many measurements, height, chest and sometimes waist or across the back. These of course are helpful. But when the majority of your actors have a body shape that does not conform to the average trying to find the right size can be a touch of a mine field. One of the actors would fit a Small height an shoulder wise, a Large chest wise, but a XXXL waist wise.
Keeping an eye on the world
I worked through one brand hoping I was making the correct decisions on sizes, then found the same overalls elsewhere £5 cheaper with different sizes and measurements! In the end there was only one way to go forward, order one of every other size and get them delivered to me to be measured. This unfortunately meant signing up for Amazon Prime, a service I know a lot of people can’t live without, but it pains me not being able to support smaller companies. At least it’s a free months trial so it’s not costing me or Dark Horse anything and I have already put a reminder in the diary to cancel it before it starts to cost.
A long awaited for chat with David the Director of Chippy Panto regarding the coloured model. One or two small adjustments needed and a few extra bits of dressing are required such as a wheel barrow and a tea urn. He’s considering cutting a whole scene, one that doesn’t progress the plot and would save a lot of puppet making and UV paint.
A touch more green required
Then it was back to putting some paint on the costume designs for #unit 21 whilst listening to the Prime Minister delaying the lifting of restrictions for four weeks. Later on the local news we realised just how far down the country we’ve come. Jo from Chippy Theatre was being interviewed with regard to the delay and how panto has been on sale for two years now. Looking at a map, we are currently level in north/southness with Chipping Norton which lies just an hours drive away to our west.
Loads of asparagus
A towpath barbecue was enjoyed with an abundance of asparagus followed by salmon and veg kebabs. The day hadn’t turned out to be that hot, in fact it was a little bit disappointing in the heat department.
Veg kebabs and Salmon
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 stern gland greased, 1 stern gland tightened, 9.5 hours of towpath frolics, 1 speedy hire boat, 2 many measurements and not enough, 4 overalls ordered, 1 float, 9 costumes half painted, 3 highlight pens required, 1 hour chatting panto, 1 urn, 1 wheelbarrow and a few flowers, 4 more weeks, 2 London Leckenby chats, 1 Fatso windfall, 21 C Max.
A quick check of all the apps and forecasts this morning whist lying in bed. It was actually too late to make a move when we were doing this as Nigel had already driven past to the lock and returned as I checked the wind speeds at Trent Falls.
A lovely morning here, just lunchtime and early afternoon further down stream would not be so clever. So time to sit out the day again in Selby. Maybe these posts will have a name change to The Selby Escape!
Not much space for anything else today
The drawing board came out again. Today the last couple of sheets of working drawings needed to be checked over and then it was groundplan time. This is a plan of what goes where. Normally in a play there aren’t too many scene changes, so there may only be need for one of two groundplans. But with Panto going all over the shop, although not to an actual shop, I needed to draw out seven of them. This took quite a while and took up just about all the space in the main cabin, I did manage to leave the sofa for Mick and Tilly to sit on.
Mick headed into town in search of a new pair of jeans. The only place selling mens clothing, other than trendy skinny spray on jeans, was Wetheralls a local department store that so far has managed to survive the pandemic.
Model all packed up for storage
Rain showers, torrential rain and even a touch of hail came and went through the day. We were very glad we weren’t down on the river battling our way through all the weather.
Mick called Keadby on the off chance that the shift times on the C&RT website were incorrect. He chatted through our plans for Thursday morning, lunchtime, afternoon and evening. Not being able to get off the River Trent at Keadby means it will be a long day.
Our current plan is to lock down in Selby, head to Trent Falls where we will anchor rather than beach, then a little while after the flood we will head upstream on the Trent, pass Keadby to moor on the pontoon at Gainsborough. The following morning after the flood has come past we will follow it, hopefully all the way up to Cromwell.
Is that the flood barrier across the lock?
Mick asked about the Aegir on Friday morning. We have been told to tie up on the pontoon in Gainsborough very tightly, facing the north, no slack what so ever on the ropes and add long spring lines. Paul from Waterway Routes has tied up on here before using four ropes each tied off to different points on the boat and pontoon. Advice from the Lockie was that on Friday morning we should wait for things to calm down after the wave has been through, say ten/fifteen minutes and then turn to follow it.
A chat with David later in the day means that the flotilla will be splitting up. Sea Maiden and Lulabelle are looking at heading to York instead, biding their time for the bridge here in Selby to be open to boats, who knows when Tankards Bridge will be open for those higher then 7ft, good news is that Beal Lock on the River Aire is now open, the dredging there complete.
This does however mean we will be a lone boat at Trent Falls. There’s not that much a second boat would be able to do if you got into trouble, but just a bit reassuring.
Posh bag for a chippy
A different van came past late afternoon, just as the heavens opened, the Environment Agency. Two chaps worked through the rain and closed the flood barrier at the lock. This can only be done by the EA and not by C&RT. The tides are getting higher every day at the moment and with the amount of fresh on the river we suspect it was a precautionary measure.
To celebrate finishing off my drawings we treated ourselves to fish and chips. Mister C’s in Micklegate does gluten free on Tuesdays, presumably when they clean the fryers out and have fresh oil or lard. Their website and bag boasts about their awards and we have to say they were very good. Mine were just as good as at Capplemans in Scarborough.
Chippy tea!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 flood barrier, 1 cruise plan coming together, 1 extra crew on standby, 1 missing river, 7 groundplans, 1 flotilla splitting up, 2 of each, 1 river found, 1 new pair of jeans.
Today passage had not been possible due to staffing shortages. Nigel was at Naburn this morning to pen a cruiser down onto the river, this would mean there being nobody available to pen us at a suitable time of the tide, so today had not been an option. This did however mean everyone had their radios on to listen in.
Lock cottage for sale
Around about 9am we could hear one side of a conversation on Channel 9, the cruiser was approaching the bridges. We all gathered at the lock hoping to see what we could see.
The amount of trees not only inhibit an advanced view of the lock, but also there are only a couple of places you can stand to be able to see Selby Rail Bridge swing.
Selby Rail Bridge
Air droughts were checked with the bridges. Yes they would need to swing. The cruiser was told to hang back whilst permission was sought for the Rail Bridge to swing. There was a gap in trains so the bridge keeper commenced the procedure. Selby Toll bridge followed suit, the traffic there a lot easier to stop.
Once the bridges were open the cruiser was allowed through, having to turn back round to go with the flow.
Open and ready
The skipper wasn’t aware that there was another bridge coming up, Selby Bypass Bridge, so we could hear conversations on the radio down there. Hope they made it to Grimsby okay.
Yesterday David had sent through a set of charts for Trent Falls, the Lower Ouse and the Lower Trent. Humber Charts. These lay out not only the depths of channel, but also the heights of the sand banks above the lowest tides, it is essential to understand these sections of the rivers. We printed them out, all the figures too small to read, ideally you’d want them on a computer so as to be able to zoom in at any given time. Under cover this would be possible, but we prefer to cruise with our pram hood down, giving better visibility all round, this does however have the drawback of things getting wet should it rain.
Trent Falls
Mick headed off to chat with David about the charts as I set too hoping to make the most a spare day to get some work done. I put together a story board of panto with photographs of my model and emailed it off to keep others informed.
Assistant hard at work
A blue van came past the chink in the curtains, Nigel was here, he pulled up alongside Sea Maiden. Time for the escape committee to convene.
David had been looking again at the weather at Trent Falls for tomorrow. The patches of sun were now replaced by rain and thunder, wind a touch more than we’d had on our journey up to Selby. He wasn’t too keen. The weather for Thursday looked much much better, sunshine and gentle winds. Tides would mean a later start, therefore a later finish. Another option would be to go to Barmby Barrage a day before and set off from there saving an hours cruise, giving us an extra hour in bed.
Selby Lock
Martin and Wendy on Lulabelle are thinking of staying in Selby to wait for the swing bridge at the end of the basin to be mended. A notice a couple of days ago had suggested the bridge would be lifted out mid to late June, opening up the navigation again. At the other end of the Selby Canal there is currently a height restriction at Tankards Bridge. Nigel confirmed that this was set at 7ft, a scaffolding bar flattening off the arch of the bridge. With the current fluctuation of the canal level with water coming off the fields 7ft was a safe height. This of course means Sea Maiden wouldn’t be able to go that way until the bridge is mended. The dredging on the Aire is scheduled for around about now, so the rest of the way back onto the Aire and Calder Navigation should be fine.
Nigel called someone up to enquire if there was any more news of the basin swing bridge, there had been a big meeting last Friday with lots of pointing going on. Permission is still need for a road closure from the council, then works can begin. The official line still being around three weeks.
River level
Maybe in a couple of days time passage up to York would be possible, the fresh water having decreased by then. Time waiting for suitable tides and weather could be done whilst bobbing back and forth between Naburn and York. The next morning tides not for a couple of weeks.
Conversation came back to Thursday. Low tide at Trent Falls would be 16:24. The cruise from there with the incoming tide would be around a couple of hours to reach Keadby Lock. So arrival would be around 18:30 maybe a touch later. All fine until the Keadby Lock Keepers hours were checked. Currently the shift finishes at 20:00, but Thursday 16:30! Oh B***er!!! We’d still be two hours away.
Maybe we could carry on to Gainsborough and moor on the pontoon there overnight and be up early for the next incoming tide? Maybe!
This would be further than David and Karl had planned and the conditions would need to be spot on for them to go, they may stay and pootle up to York for a bit waiting for the next set of suitable tides and lock opening hours.
Nigel would still be here at a suitable time to let us out tomorrow morning if the forecast improved and we decided to go for it.
We chatted through the charts with David. Learnt of another useful app called Anchor Watch. You can set the position of your phone (boat) on the app and should your phone move by more than 20m an alarm will sound. We then all went away to think things over.
Panto technical drawings
I got the drawing board out. Time to update my technical drawings for panto. Not too much has changed so alterations and a tidy up adding title boxes to my plans. I worked through most of them before it was time to pack up for the day.
Mick busied himself in the engine bay. The new bilge pump he’d put in a little while ago hasn’t been working. It makes the right sort of noise, but no water has been pumped over board. Yesterday he’d had a look at it, maybe the bodge job he’d done fitting it had failed!
The new bilge pump has a wider diameter fitting than the old one did. This means that the pipe from the skin fitting is too narrow to fit onto it. Mick has added a short length of narrower pipe which fits inside both pipes. This is taped and jubilee clipped in position as a temporary fix until we can get some pipe of the correct diameter.
Tilly keeping a watch on the weather
Now we watch the weather, river levels, and wind. What else could be added to our escape calculations?
Ah Yes! The Trent Aegir!
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 penning, 2 cruisers zooming by, 1 postponed cruise, 3 charts, 3 weeks, 1 very helpful Lockie, 4:30 clocking off, 3 to 2 to 1 possibly, 8 sheets, 3 pipes become 1, 3rd episode LOD, 1 cat who has given up all hope!
As each boat came up the lock off the Ouse on Friday, Lock Keeper Nigel chatted away. He’d been talking to the Lockie at Keadby and all looked good for a departure on Sunday morning, this had been the original plan. The amount of fresh on the Trent shouldn’t be a problem. Once we were all moored up in the basin we had a boaters conference.
Swimming
We’d all enjoyed the cruise to Selby. Our concern as to whether Lulabelle had enough power was unfounded. This was Martin and Wendy’s first stretch of tidal water, they’ve done rivers before but mostly canals, so they took today at a steady pace, enjoying it out on the river. Lulabelle had more power if required, but they’d hung back to give more space at the lock knowing we’d not all fit in together.
Nigel’s news that we’d be able to pen down on Sunday had been a little bit of a surprise, but everyone was happy to hear it, although the forecast hadn’t looked so good for down at Trent Falls. We’d check the weather apps and reconvene tomorrow, David mentioned another new one to us Windy which we later downloaded.
Standing
Saturday morning we checked the weather, we checked the river levels, we checked the wind at Blacktoft for Sunday. We’d be penned out from Selby around 06:30 make our way down to Trent Falls, anchor there until the tide turned. The wind looked strong down there between 17 and 20mph southerly. Once the tide had turned the wind would then be in our faces and being over tide this would make the cruise up to Keadby a lumpy one.
Giving up!
After our weekly Geraghty zoom the escape committee convened. Not looking good. Tuesday the weather looked more promising, maybe even a touch of sunshine. We decided to postpone our departure from Selby. Monday wouldn’t be possible as there wouldn’t be a lock keeper available to pen us down.
Billy no mates
Mick rang and left a message here at Selby for Nigel, then called Keadby who later called us back. All three boats now booked to pen up at Keadby Tuesday afternoon. They also talked about what time we’d be able to pen back out on Wednesday to make it to Torksey or beyond. A late tide would see us arriving at Torksey a little before dark, or Thursday morning as soon as the Lock Keepers shift started which would be a touch later than they would normally pen you out, so not getting the full effect of the tide.
We’ll be on our own from Keadby as Sea Maiden and Lulabelle will have achieved their goal of being on the other side of the breach. A late finish, or an early start pushing against the tide for some of the way? One to think about.
Selby Abbey
A walk into town to post a birthday card. A visit to Boots Opticians, my new reading glasses have been hurting after five minutes so the kind lady made space for me in the shop and took my glasses away to adjust them, much better.
A recky for suitable places for Sunday lunch. I took photos of nice looking cafes and pubs to look at later. Then we called in at Sainsburys to do a top up shop. We’ll most probably have to do another before we leave as I want to be prepared should we get stuck on a flooded river, after all we know that Cromwell Service Station on the A1 doesn’t do much food with any nutritional value.
In the afternoon I repainted parts of the Town Square model for panto. A pale chrome green and peach substituting the blues. The outcome isn’t quite a bright as I’d wanted but will go with the costumes better. To brighten things up a touch though I added some bunting to the windows and that did the trick.
New version
Photos done and uploaded for people to see I could now pack away my model making equipment. Hopefully the model is now finished and all that remains is to update technical drawings, oh and see if we can afford to have it built!
Old version
Sunday. Instead of heading out onto the river this morning we busied ourselves having a good tidy and clean through. Yep we were expecting visitors.
Today I kept a very tight hold of my mobile phone as Bridget and Storm arrived. They were to be our first visitors inside Oleanna since restrictions have been lifted, in fact they were the last visitors we’d had inside in August last year.
They both were very well and there was a lot to catch up on. Sunday lunch all round at The George Inn by Selby Abbey, we’ve known better but it was still nice to be out with friends. We exchanged news of travels, they’ve just spent a month touring Wales in their motorhome and family news.
Bridget and Storm
A very lovely afternoon spent, much better than clinging on for dear life at Trent Falls.
A quick look at the river level about six hours after high tide suggested there was a LOT of fresh coming down, the height looking more like high tide and the speed at which the water was passing, eek!
Beans on toast with a light dusting of cheddar
This evenings dinner, well a rare plate of food, yummy all the same.
All three boats currently booked to pen down Tuesday at 08:00.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 flooded river, 1 change of booking, 2 arms bent, 6 bananas, 1 pack of bacon, 2 chocolate flapjacks, 2 roasts, 1 pork (with failed crackling), 1 beef (quite dry), 0 Yorkshire puddings, 2 lovely friends, 1 pot of chutney, 3 boats biding their time, 1 bilge pump not pumping, 1 extreamly bored cat, 1 Heather on standby.
Mick was off on a train late morning, heading back to Hull. This time it was for his second Covid jab. He’d booked it through the NHS website at the Late Night Pharmacy which is just on the eastern side of the River Hull. Yesterday he’d had a phone call from his doctors surgery in Scarborough offering him one on Friday, which obviously he turned down.
Shhh baking
On arrival he had to wait outside until he was called in, after seeing several people he was given his jab and sent out the back door on his way, making room for the next person. A much smaller operation than we’d both been to at the Rugby Club in Scarborough.
Shh jam
Whilst he was off the boat it gave me the opportunity to do some secret wrapping and start to bake his birthday cake. Thanks to Christine (Mick’s sister) for sharing a rather tasty looking apricot tart the other day I’d decided to bake a Bakewell tart this year. The pastry base made by substituting gluten free flour and then the almond filling, ground almonds with lots of eggs, sugar and butter.
Shhhh Bakewell Tart
On his way back to the station he went in search of The Bay Horse on Wincolmlee. No longer a pub sadly, so he couldn’t stop for a pint, but at last he’d seen where Tom Geraghty his Grandfather lived in 1901 at the age of 10.
Once The Bay Horse
Not far away he stopped by The Charter House too. The Master of the Charter House was Mick’s Great Uncle, Arthur Kent Chignell, during WW2. So it wasn’t just a trip for a covid jab.
I finished off making the giant strawberry and took loads more photographs of what I hoped would be the final model, although after passing them onto the costume designer I now need to amend one colour choice as it would clash with her costumes. Yes it is panto, the brighter the better, but sometimes it’s better to be a touch more harmonious.
Strawberry
A little while before 7pm there was a knock on the boat roof. It was Joan’s husband delivering our pre-birthday dinner. Peking Duck with pancakes for Mick and lettuce for me with a green onion sauce that she’d made with gluten free soya sauce.
Lots of boxes
This was followed by crispy lamb ribs which came with roast potatoes and stir fried veg. All very very tasty and highly recommended. If we get the chance for some more food from her I’m hoping the sweet and sour seabass will be on the menu as that looks very interesting. Not your normal Chinese takeaway, but real Chinese home cooking.
Yesterday a new notice about Selby Swing Bridge was put out by C&RT.
Update on 18/05/2021:
We anticipate it will take around 2 weeks for our Contractors to carry out the temporary footbridge installation and the damaged bridge lift, though we are awaiting a precise date from our contractor for this work to commence. There will also be a short closure to reinstall the bridge in around 3 months time (date to be confirmed).
This is good news as it means the route to and from York will be open, just a shame it won’t be in time for us. David called ABP this morning to book all three boats to pen down at 14:30 on Friday. Goole Docks will need to be called on VHF Channel 14 at around 14:00 to request permission to proceed into the docks. He has suggested a channel for ship to ship comms and done loads of calculations as to speed and time of arrival at Selby. Then he has forwarded pages from the Ripon Motorboat club book. We have a copy of this which I bought for Mick years ago. It turns out that David produced the edition we have. So our flotilla will be in good hands. We just have to pray for good weather now.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 2nd jab, 0 2nd job, 1 colour amendment, 1 bridge to be replaced, 1 yummy Chinese, channel 14, 6, 9, 74, 28 beacon, so many fingers crossed for good weather.
Here is playwright John Godber talking about the upcoming production of Moby Dick. I designed the premiere production of this show about twenty years ago for Hull Truck in their old home at Spring Street. John and Hull Truck are my Hull theatrical roots, I think he’s a bit excited.
Late yesterday a boat transporter arrived, backed into the maintenance area opposite us and stayed parked up overnight. This morning Geoff was busy with the boat lift.
Getting ready to go
The wagon pulled forward, then Geoff followed with the yellow cruiser. The boat suspended over the trailer, inched forward. Pads were moved around, adjusted to fit the shape of the hull, then gradually the boat was lowered. Straps added and eventually the wagon pulled away, turning round the buildings to exit the marina.
This wasn’t where Geoff stopped though. He seemed to spend much of the remainder of the day moving cruisers about. We now have two small cruisers just in front of us, each one taking quite some time to get sorted with wooden supports which had to be brought by forklift.
Onboard Oleanna Mick busied himself with the washing. The washing drawer already getting full after being back on board for a couple of weeks. Being on shore power he was going to make the most of what time we have left. I’m not sure how many loads went through the machine during the day, but it seemed to be going round constantly.
One whirligig full
Mick cycled to Boyes to buy some oil and antifreeze. This meant he could now change the gear box oil, another maintenance job ticked off the list.
Then once the next load of washing was finished Mick put up the whirligig. This is most definitly (am I ‘H’? I can never spell the word!) a blue boy job. Hanging washing out on the whirligig when attached to the tiller is just that bit too high for me to manage. Tippy toes maybe, but over stretching ones back is not a sensible thing to do in my experience. So Mick gets to do the washing.
I busied myself working through my A4 sheet of model notes. A painted archway needed to be lowered, this was my biggest job. I still can’t decide whether to fade my cyc out to the sides with black or not. But by the end of the day the box of finished pieces was full, only a giant strawberry to finish off. This may not look that big, in fact it’s actual size is around about a standard strawberry size. But theatre models are made at 1:25. So this strawberry will end up being half a meter wide and nearly as high as a dining table!
Could it be too big, no it’s panto!
During the afternoon David/Paul and Karl came to top up with diesel. Mick had quite a chat with David. It was decided that they would call ABP to book all three boats in to pen down on Friday. One phone call much better than three. We’re already booked in at Selby with the Lockie there.
Now all we have to do is finish the washing and pray for a calm day. We can cope with rain, hail even, but not wind! Currently the forecast is not on our side especially for when we plan to do Trent Falls. Postponing this leg of the journey though means that the tides get later and higher, which also means lower. All our digits are crossed hoping that all the weather people have got it wrong and that the jet stream will whisk away the on coming front leaving us with a nice calm day.
Panto bits and bobs box
On a brighter note, we decided to book ourselves a meal for tomorrow night. Sometime earlier this year on arriving at the marina we’d noticed a big sign had gone up just outside the marina gates. Joan’s Home Kitchen collection point. What was this?
We had a look round on the internet and found her on facebook Joan’s Home Kitchen. A Chinese takeaway menu is published every couple of weeks with a limited amount of dishes, all of which look tasty. The only problem being that Chinese food isn’t always so good for a gluten free diet, but I really like it.
Sadly she isn’t open on Thursday, but is tomorrow. Mick gave her a call to ask about gluten free options. She was making suggestions of dishes that she could make gf for me, in the end we decided to have a chat in person. Well Joan’s boat is only about 25m away for us. There in the wheelhouse window her 5 star hygiene rating sticker.
A tasty sample to try
We chatted through dishes that I could have without too much extra work for her and placed our order for tomorrow evening. Joan handed over a sample of her seafood dumplings for Mick to try. Blimey four! I have to admit I did try them despite their flour content. Very very nice. We are now very much looking forward to our meal being delivered tomorrow.
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 maybe 4 loads of washing, 10 litres oil, 1 shower brewing, 1 very bored cat, 1 empty box, 1 full box, 1 whacking great big strawberry, 0 digits left uncrossed, 4 dumplings, 1 chef across the way.
Here’s a little bit of footage from my Scarborough theatre roots about their reopening.
It was left up to Tilly this morning as to when we’d move. Her last morning of freedom for sometime, so she was told to make the most of it. Off she went scouring the long grass for friends.
By about 10am we were the only boat left, David/Paul and Karl had headed off early and WB Lullabelle followed. Did they know when it was due to rain this morning?
Much better versions on the right
At about 11am we were either ready to push off or I’d be settling down to do a couple of hours work. NO sign of the second mate so I set about finishing off the bits for my panto model. My new version of the under sea scenery much better than the original.
When Tilly wants to come in she either comes to the side hatch when it’s open, or jumps on the back of the boat, quite often jumping up onto the roof hatch making the engine board rock to make a noise. Well on her return this morning we heard her land on the stern, but her bell sounded different. Had she managed to change it herself for a quieter version? Or had something happened to it, muffling it slightly?
What happened?
To us we guessed what had happened, this was confirmed when Mick opened up the back doors. One wet cat. Was this down to wet grass and hunting? No, her head was dry! This was almost certainly down to jumping in, or maybe a fall, or maybe some other excuse for not abiding by the rules which are laid out every time she goes out!
That’s not just damp Tilly!
You can be angry. You can laugh. You can chase her round with a towel trying to catch as much of the water as possible before it soaks into the sofa or bed. You can worry every time your cat is out. You can keep them indoors. Or you can let your cat be a cat. Then you can be grateful that she got out from where ever and came back home to share the clean up experience with you.
That’s soaked!
We think where she got wet was most likely to have been in a short section of drain or pond in amongst the trees. But there is a possibility that the number of ducklings was too big a pull towards the canal. If that was the case, thank goodness she managed to find a way out. However the wet paw prints came from the bank and not the stern button.
As much of a towel dry as I was allowed to give her, she then set about drying herself off by having a bath, thankfully for my end of the sofa, whilst sitting on a towel. Mick lit the stove, the boat warmed up to help with the drying off.
What’s happening there?
A small boat kept coming past this morning with a C&RT chap sat in it. In front of him it looked like he had a laptop. Was he doing a survey? He headed all the way up to the cofferdam a couple of times.
A big mound of earth just in front of the digger
After I’d finished my model bits and had lunch it was time to push off and head back into Goole. As we winded I did a last zoom in with my camera towards the cofferdam. There a digger was busy and a mound of earth could be seen. Every now and then this morning we’d been able to hear pile driving. Which part was being dug up? I’ll have to wait for Mark’s next set of photos to see. Next time we are up this way the breach will hopefully be mended and we’ll be cruising through it reminiscing.
Goodbye for now
The four damp miles back to Goole was tracked again on Nebo. I also remembered to have my camera ready to take a photo of the ladybird tile on one of the culvert bridges.
Time to put the panto model together and see if I want to do anything else. A list of notes was written out, nothing major but a couple of hours work. I also took photos so that the costume designer can see what colours I’ve used.
These were also sent off to David the Director for him to have a look at before we have a catch up, so any notes from him can be sorted prior to the finished design meeting with all the creative team and producers.
The Cotswold Thunderbolt
0 locks, 3.92 miles, 1 wind, 1 soggy moggy, 2 hours drying off, 170 model photos, 1 okay Inn, 1 lovely ship, 1 giant anemone, A4 of notes, 1 model nearly finished, 1 glass of wine to celebrate.
Yesterday afternoon another narrowboat arrived, keeping well over to the other side of the canal, yet pushing quite a bow wave. We then sat and bobbed about in the resulting waves for a good fifteen minutes until calm was restored.
One of two mums and their babies today
Have to say we’re a little surprised that not more boats have come out from the marinas for a touch of freedom. Yes the motorways are not that far away and constantly audible, but the amount of sky beats the view of other boats any day.
Fishermen lining up for todays competition
The fishermen arrived and set themselves up along the northern bank and at 11am a shout from one end to the other could be heard, then the plop of bait followed by rods. Todays catches reached 27lbs 6oz. No idea if this is a really good haul, but it sounds like it to me.
Hawthorne
After a slow morning watching the local baby boom we headed out for a walk. The towpath officially on our side of the canal, although the northern bank is far busier, we followed it up towards New Bridge and the breach site. The grass has recently been mown despite someone having put a fence across the towpath. There being no sign to say keep out we continued. Under the bridge to where proper fencing keeps gongoozlers away from the cofferdam and new CCTV looks down on the site.
A team of high vis chaps stood around the site. Maybe because they now had on lookers they climbed back into the cabs of the diggers and pile drivers and started to work.
Busy
The piles that Mark had photographed from the air a few days ago were now being driven further down. Each one numbered in chalk. The chaps gradually worked their way along the line.
We decided to walk along the flood bank of the Dutch River to have a different view. Someone arrived in a car to check over the generators, all quite busy for a Sunday.
The tide was going out on the Dutch River, Cow parsley stood high on the flood bank and every now and then the remains of some creatures meal sat on the path, muscle shells. Sadly between us and the canal lay a very boggy area, possibly even a drain so the best view I could muster of the level on the western side of the cofferdam was by standing on a stile. No water in view.
Back at the boat Tilly was allowed several more hours of towpath exploration, although the very quick sharp showers that came and went all afternoon brought her dashing home.
Norf
Big bolts of lightening towards Doncaster were followed some 15 seconds later by big booming rumbles of thunder. We felt for the fishermen across the way, some already starting to pack up ready for a swift exit after the weigh in at 5.
Miserable out there
I continued with my model painting. The Inn now thankfully finished and a few more bits and pieces painted. The underwater scene was partly painted when I had a big change of mind about it, a much better idea which shouldn’t take too long tomorrow to make and paint. This will be a Black Light Scene, illuminated in UV with puppets of fish and mermaids swimming to our principles rescue. After that it will be time to put everything back in the model box, take notes, work through them, take photos and then wait to see what the Director thinks.
Bits and bobs
An up date of the technical drawings then hopefully the model can be tucked away for safe keeping in my clothes cupboard until needed and we can concentrate on boating for a while.
This morning the marina was busy. A big cruiser was lowered into the water, then backed away from the slings on the lift. It reversed it’s way out of view before an older yellow cruiser came to replace it, ready to be lifted out. Once on dry land Geoff set to jet washing it’s bottom.
Preparing to move the outside is very exciting for our second mate
With no need to be in Goole for the next few days, we decided to have a weekend away. So after doing the chores, filling the water tank, emptying the wee tank, disposing of the rubbish we untied our ropes and pushed off.
Our normal routine of me giving the bow a BIG push did not work today as the wind was coming from the wrong side. So the stern was pushed out past NB Summer Wind into the gap between pontoons. Once we’d got so far the wind then caught the bow and started to push that round enabling us to turn without getting too matey with any neighbours.
Busy today
It was busy out there! A narrowboat heading in to the diesel point at the Boathouse, David/Paul and Karl tucked into the corner and the boat formerly known as Harlequin just pulling out from the water point. We headed past waving to everyone as we left, maybe next time we pull away from Viking Marina it will be for the last time.
Wharf at Rawcliffe Bridge
It being a grey day the four miles back out to Newbridge was a little bit dull. A few fishermen to break up the long straight lengths of the navigation. I wondered what industry had been along this stretch. Two wharfs opposite Rawcliffe Marina and another a bit further on by the Sugar Mill Ponds. Now that name was a clue, but not to the industry that started on the site.
Another wharf outside Croda Chemicals
In 1838 Rawcliffe Brickworks stood on the site, the clay was dug by hand from the adjacent land. In 1873 the works were modernised and a 30m high chimney was added to the site. Rumour has it that the two clay pits filled with water in the 1870’s overnight creating the ponds. 1890 the site was sold and sugar was refined here, made from the local sugar beet. By 1900 the factory was completely modernised, but the bottom had fallen out of the sugar industry, so the factory never opened, although locals were still employed to keep the machines in working order.
By the Sugar Mill Ponds
After WW2 the factory produced glucose, closing in 1963. Then Croda Chemicals who had a plant on the other side of the village used the site for storage. By the 1980’s the site had become redundant and derelict, but since 1996 the ponds have been rejuvenated into a wildlife haven. Further info on the Sugar Mill Ponds.
Cofferdam ahead
We pulled in on the southern side of the cut, a short distance behind WB Lullabelle.
Hopefully at the end of the wooded area we will get some sunlight for our solar panels, Tilly can climb trees and we won’t be in the way of any fishing matches over the weekend (14 orders for Sunday breakfast have already been placed).
Forth time lucky!
A forth attempt at the Inn backdrop was started during the afternoon along with baking Mick a loaf of Country Grain bread and preparing gluten free pizza dough. It had been slightly chilly in the boat so Mick lit the stove, but by the time the bread was cooked followed by two pizzas it felt like we were in the middle east, even Tilly ended up sitting on the bathroom floor!
Tuna pizza
Yesterday Mark visited the breach site, the first opportunity to fly his drone safely for a while.
13/5/21
We’d noticed on our walk the other day that rusty piling had been removed from the bank and some rather long lengths of new piling were sat on the access road. Today we could see what they were being used for.
13/05/21
2/5/21
The hole in the grass has gone and there is now access for machinery on the western side of the drain.
13/5/21
Here the large piling is being put in on the drain side.
13/5/21
The size of it can be appreciated by this photo of three men sitting on one length.
13/5/21
13/5/21 Old piling left standing by the yellow digger
24/4/21
You can also see that some of the concrete (?) behind the old piling has been removed, leaving a narrower stretch of the original concrete above the drain.
13/5/21
Thank you Mark.
In other news a C&RT notice came through this afternoon saying the following regarding Selby Swing Bridge
Update on 14/05/2021:
Contractors and other parties involved in the works have conducted a site assessment and decided on plans to install a passenger footbridge. Assessment have also been made for the safe removal of the Road Bridge and these works are looking to be done as soon as possible.
Once the road bridge has been lifted the navigation will be reopened. Please expect some disruption when the passenger footbridge is installed which we are anticipating maybe for a couple of days. The expected duration of all the works involving the removal and installation of the footbridge will be 3 months.
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!
