Category Archives: Stainforth and Keadby Canal

One Down, One Up, Two Upside Down 25th March

Went Aqueduct to Bramwith Junction

A cruisier was moored behind us last night, they opened their curtains as we rolled up the pram cover, we wouldn’t be leap frogging the bridges along the New Junction Canal with them this morning. Then just as we were about to push off a paddleboarder approached. Sometimes these are quite fast, other times quite leisurely. We waited for them to pass, sadly they were quite slow and we’d have been better to go ahead.

They paused on the aqueduct to take photos, so we were soon ahead, we’d not be playing leapfrog with them today either.

The sections where the bank has been relaxing look a touch more disturbing from the towpath. Cracks along the tarmac four foot away from the edge and in places the bank has given way. I made sure I kept my distance.

The light at Sykehouse Lock remained amber as we came through the swing bridge before it. Hooray! I’d get to work the lock at last, a bit of physical activity. However when I got there we’d been beaten to the lock by a boat coming downhill.

Because it was on manual everything has to be done in the right order, key, road barriers, bridge, sluices, gates, sluices, gates, bridge, barriers, then and only then will your key of power be released. If they’d waited just a couple more minutes it could have been our key in the panel and then no-one would have had to wait to retrieve theirs. But as no-one was in a rush they didn’t mind waiting, time for a conversation.

They very kindly offered to close up the bridge behind us for me. But I’ve been waiting the last few weeks to be able to do the bridge and lock having been deprived by there always being a Lockie on duty. The couple let me lift the handle and push the bridge back into position, closing the nearest barrier too. Then they could retrieve their key again.

At Kirkhouse Green Lift Bridge a cyclist approached, I’d let them through. Then I spotted a car behind them, they went to over take whilst at the same time another car over took them, all just after a bend and just before the bridge. I pinned myself against the fencing having only just managed to cross the road! Everyone survived thankfully.

Over the aqueduct and under the Don Doors for the last time, we went straight ahead on towards Barmby Dun. Here we filled with water and deposited our mountain of rubbish, the bins back in Goole have been overflowing for what seems like weeks now!

Then we reversed back past the moored boats, winded and headed back to the junction where we pulled up in our preferred spot. Here we’ll get sunrises and sunsets.

Today I finished off the seventh pair of socks, the heel being turned between the lock and the next lift bridge. I’ve another two pairs of requested socks to knit before the end of the month for my sponsors.

1 lock, 6.02 miles well maybe a touch more, 3 lift bridges, 3 swing bridges, 14 held up, 1 refusal, 2 overtaking, 2 winds, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish left on board, 7 pairs, 8th started.

Who Stole The Outside!?! 23rd March

Pollington Visitor Moorings to Goole, opposite the concrete works, again!

I know I need to wash the windows, but…!

Who stole the outside!?! It had been an alright outside in the end, but now someone had stolen it! Thankfully by the time we wanted to be on the move the sun had started to burn it’s way through the fog, however a layer of merk lingered all day.

There were rendezvous to be met back in Goole, we just hoped that there would be space for us where cars can pull up close.

Through the haze we could only just make out Drax Power Station.

A Kingfisher sat singing as we passed.

A deer sprang it’s way across the fields stopping to check on us before heading into the woods.

Someone was moving house on the M18.

Back in Goole there was actually a choice of spaces where we wanted to be. We pulled up in the first one. A van was pulled alongside one of the boats. Mick chatted to the chap who was from a covers company from Hull. Did they do repairs? Yes, they could resew the zips into the cratch cover for us, £25, but they’d have to take it away for a few days. Fortunately they will be working on a couple of boats in Thorne next week, so we will coincide with them there.

Frank arrived an hour or so later, just as a batch of chocolate chip cookies came out of the oven! Then he set to on the freezer drawer.

With three layers of ply beneath the drawer Frank used his router to cut out a large rectangle, this would allow more air to circulate around the bottom of the drawer, there were already three holes to help air come up from the bilges.

A couple of ply runners were added to the floor to lift the drawer up slightly. These had a layer of candle grease liberally applied to them. Then the front edge of the drawer had some gliss domes screwed on. This is so that when you pull the drawer out there is a frictionless surface that will slide across the floor rather than a hard edge of wood. Small recesses for the gliss domes were chiselled out of the bottom of the dinette so that everything slid back into place. All we needed now were longer screws to reattach the drawer handle.

Outside knitting, until it got too cold.

Inside a narrowboat isn’t such a good place for gongoozling someone at work. Mick followed Frank around with the vacuum cleaner, Tilly busied herself in the trees and friendly cover and I got a chair out and sat in the sunshine knitting.

An Indian Takeaway from Leaf Tandoori was picked up and enjoyed with a glass of wine and plenty of conversation. I held of on my second glass until after I’d had a telephone conversation with a Director about a possible show, it went well, hopefully tomorrow I’ll find out for sure if it went well enough.

0 locks, 7.98 miles, 1 straight on, 1 deer, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Frank, 1 sliding drawer, 1 hugely massive battery, 4 hours, 2 fingers crossed, 4 poppadums, 1 shish kebab, 3 currys, 3 rice, 1 phone call.

https://goo.gl/maps/M4NnxrqSxpTE1Au9A

Suds. 22nd March

Pollington Visitor Moorings

Mick decided to turn Oleanna around first thing, so as to make the most of todays sunshine on the solar. This would mean no shadow cast across the panels from our chimney. The big wide Aire and Calder is handy for such manoeuvres, no need to cruise to the next winding hole here, just untie and turn round.

Once we were moored back up Tilly sniffed the air. A new outside! It smelt similar to the last one they’d tied up. When the back doors were opened up she skipped up the stern steps and then realised, Tom only span it round!!!!

Two phone calls this morning. The first one from the Keadby Lock Keeper Mark. At one time there were three Marks who worked there. He apologised that nobody had called back sooner, but he’d been off with Covid and today was his first day back. Mick checked tide times with him for the days we were considering. Spring tides early in the day, so if we wanted to we could do Keadby to Cromwell in one go. We’ll make our minds up about that nearer the time, possibly on the day. I popped a notice on the Trent-link group offering to be a ‘Buddy’ boat as we’ve done the trip several times before.

Next came a phone call from the opticians. My glasses had arrived! Hooray!! An appointment was made to have them fitted in a couple of days time, I’ll go to Doncaster on the train.

Time to make use of our location and the sun. The washing machine was put to work, three loads in total. The whirligig was popped up and filled, then the airer was popped out on the towpath for our socks.

The pram cover was unpoppered and laid out on the picnic bench by the water point. Mick attached the spray to the end of the hose and I filled a bucket with soapy water. The covers were going to get a good scrub.

In the first lockdown we gave the covers a spray of Wet and Forget which with the assistance of sunshine and rain gradually cleans your covers, or helps to keep them clean. We found it to be quite good and still have at least another two sprays worth left. Our covers though after two winters being stationary had gone very green especially where they are horizontal and meet the the cabin roof, so I’d decided that we’d give them a scrub first before a spray was applied.

The picnic bench here is handy to be able to work at a good height and before lunchtime the pram hood and sides had all been scrubbed both inside and out and given a good rinsing. I got to the scrubbing, Mick the rinsing and Tilly the supervision, when not looking for friends.

The cratch cover followed in the afternoon. As soon as they were just about dry they went back on the boat. Much better than they were and now we just need to find a suitable spray bottle, to avoid RSI, a couple of days of sunshine and they will get a spray of Wet and Forget to improve them more.

Mick then set about swapping Oleanna’s ropes for new ones. The ones being replaced we bought when Oleanna was new, the ropes she came with were too thin for the reduced grip on my right hand, so thicker 16mm ones were needed. They have served us well being used for over 5000 miles, but they were looking a touch tatty.

Old centre lines, worn soft shackle and a nice new one

We’ve had the new ropes for maybe a couple of years, just never felt the need to swap them over until now. A new soft shackle replaced the old one on the roof for the centre lines too. The old ropes will be kept and possibly used should we end up mooring up for winter again.

A spin round in the tumble dryer for our socks and pants meant that Tilly ended up with a nice cosy bag to snooze away the evening in. She’d had a very busy day despite there being few trees to climb within paws reach.

By the end of the evening the next sock had had it’s heel turned, what a productive day.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wind, 0 shadow, 3 hours scrubbing, 1 hour rinsing, 3 loads washing, 8 hours! 2 friends counted, 2 hours reading, 1 lock booked, 1 pair glasses waiting.

Boat Conference. 21st March

Bramwith Junction to Pollington Lock, Aire and Calder

Time to put a plan together. Sitting around waiting for my glasses to arrive doesn’t get the water tank filled or other boat jobs done. So after breakfast and updating the blog we had a boat conference. These are actually quite rare, most discussions of our plans are held as we stand on the back of Oleanna, but today we needed to concentrate.

Our original plan had been to make use of the weeks whilst Thorne Lock was shut. The London Leckenby’s have a few days in York so we’d planned to join them, maybe even a boat trip into our home city as Jac and Josh have never done this and the tour guides on Oleanna know exactly where to stop to see our family home from the river. Various boat jobs to get done and do. Friends to catch up with around the area etc. Also being in the area for a change over of lodgers at the house would be handy. It all had fitted together quite nicely. Then after Easter we would head southwards on the Trent, the quick way south.

But since the dates for the stoppage at Thorne Lock have changed we’ve been in a quandary. Spending time in York is very appealing especially since Andrew and I haven’t been in the city together for at least 6 years and that was for a funeral. Catching up with friends is something we’d wanted to do summer before last, but floods and the pandemic put paid to that as we were rafted up with other boats at Naburn for several days.

Should we stay and do all those things?

Should we leave before the lock closes in a couple of weeks?

We’ve spent a lot of time mulling this over and every day for the last week we’ve discussed it further, but still not come up with a plan. Today we needed a plan.

Our discussion actually was relatively short.

If the London Leckenby’s hadn’t been coming up to York then we doubt we’d have been considering heading that way at this time of year. We’ve upgraded to a Gold Licence this year and if we stayed on this side of Thorne Lock and then exited via the Pennines it would mean us loosing about a months worth of Goldness. Decision made, we will be heading south on the Trent as soon as the tides look suitable.

A list of things we need to do was drawn up. Approximate dates worked out and ,most importantly a phone call made to Keadby Lock to book our passage. Sadly there was only an answerphone to talk to, but we knew someone would call us back.

With water needed we pushed off along the New Junction Canal again. If my glasses arrive in the next few days we’ll aim to be near a station to get back to Doncaster to collect them.

We made our way back swinging and lifting bridges. Before Sykehouse Lock three narrowboats that passed us yesterday were moored up, they looked like they were settled for a few days of company, jobs and possibly even a barbeque.

As we came through the last narrowing where a swing bridge used to be the light at the lock changed to red, shortly followed by green. There were plenty of people around. The volunteer who must live there in the tower, another C&RT chap by the bridge and a couple of boaters, so there was plenty of help to move the bridge out of our way and then back once we were below it.

At the end of the New Junction we turned left and headed towards Pollington Lock.

A couple of bank slippages are marked with yellow buoys. These were there when we walked the stretch shortly after the breach happened Christmas 2020. Short red posts and some spray paint mark the worst bits.

The visitor moorings below Pollington Lock were empty so we pulled up to the space closest to the water point and got the tap going. We very quickly remembered that the pressure is appalling at this tap, no sitting and waiting for the tank to fill, best to get on with other things and forget about it. Thankfully we can check our water gauge every now and then to know when the tank was full, the pressure so low that there’d be no boom from our tank and no major gushing of water coming out of the over flow, just a gentle trickle. It took longer than two hours to fill us up!

Tilly checked out the picnic table, but wasn’t overly impressed with the mooring. She’s managed to get on the other side of the ditch here before which makes for an interesting rescue. Mick however looked at the picnic table and realised what we’d be doing tomorrow!

1 lock, 7.32 miles, 3 swing bridges, 3 held up, 3 lift bridges, 6 held up, 2 outsides, 6%, 6th pair knitted, 2 plus hours to fill, 2 pairs of odd socks, 1 conference, 1 plan at last, 1 call booked, 1 useful picnic table and tap.

https://goo.gl/maps/CSMReDdA7iSvRyML8

Heading For Shelter. 20th March

Bramwith Junction to only just on the New junction Canal

A very sunny day, but the wind where we were moored seemed relentless. Looking up and down the canal we could see that it was a lot calmer just across the way at the beginning of the New Junction so before we did anything else we released ropes, let the wind push the bow round (well we had no choice in this) whilst the stern was still tied and then finished our turn, just as a cruiser was heading our way. Luckily the South Yorkshire Navigations are very wide. There was a little bit of confusion as to which side we were heading for due to the wind and our wind, but we both passed with ease.

This was to be the only boat we saw for quite sometime today.

We pootled a short way up the New Junction to where there was a horizontal bar to put chains round, the bank here a touch lower than elsewhere. Tilly was given eight hours shore leave, she headed straight off into the friendly cover and started eying up the local trees. Despite her presence the Chiff Chaffs sang their hearts out for us.

A cooked breakfast, another round of when and which way should we go. Still no decision, it would help if my glasses arrived!

Time for some boat jobs. Mick climbed into the engine bay and set about doing a gearbox oil change. Fuel filters will follow another day and the reason for an engine oil change (leave it with nice fresh oil whilst idle over the winter) has passed, so that can wait until the engine hours reach the next 250 hours.

I got out the wood polish. Time to give the interior wood a touch of tlc. I don’t polish the wood that often, in fact it is quite a rarity, possibly only the third time since Oleanna was new. Life has far too many interesting things to do which doesn’t include polishing wood or boats in general. But occasionally I just feel the need and have to act very quickly before the feeling passes.

My dodgy right hand isn’t too keen on certain jobs and a dodgy left shoulder now too, meant I did a very good job of our bedroom but then stopped for the day. Maybe next weekend I’ll tackle half of the living area, leaving the galley for the following weekend.

Over the last week Mick and I have been trying to wean ourselves off closing drawers as we enter backwards down the stern steps. Ever since Frank added the magnets to the ring leader drawer we have had no problems with it at all. After four nearly five years of always having to close drawers as you enter it is now hard to get out of the habit.

The freezer seems to be cooler too now in it’s perforated drawer. We just need it to go back on drawer runners, have an area underneath cut out for extra ventilation and maybe it needs a new handle as the old one fell off the day after Frank had put it back on for us, I think the thread has gone.

Considering it was a calmer sunnier day than yesterday we were surprised at how few boats came past. One rib zoomed up the cut creating a similar wash to Exol Pride. Then mid afternoon a narrowboat appeared, followed by three more boats. They’d all fit in Sykehouse Lock together and be able to leapfrog each other through the bridges.

You wait for ages, then three/four come at once

I normally avoid mentioning politics and world events here, but today I need to record news regarding my cousin Tim. Today we received news that he and his wife are in Ukraine. The fact that he has a new wife was news in itself! News on the social media grapevine, at least fourth hand, is that they moved out from their home in Chernihiv (north east of Kyiv) due to the fighting and were now in the countryside about 2 hours away with no electricity and an earth toilet. This was three to four days ago. I so hope they have made it to somewhere safer and that better news filters through the grapevine soon.

0 locks, 0.18 miles, 1 windy wind, 8 hours, 2 many woofers for a Mrs Tilly stamp, 1 polished bedroom, 1.5 litres oil, 1 inch short of a sock, 1 missing cousin.

https://goo.gl/maps/1s8FgPBsQUzhs7en6

Too Windy For Much. 19th March

Bramwith Junction

Exactly as the title suggests today was far too windy to go anywhere, even Tilly wasn’t too enamoured with the constant blowiness. Yet other people were on the move. Adams Ark a local widebeam was busy taking groups of cubs from Barnby Dun up to Bramwith Lock and then along the New Junction for a short distance. There was usually a very short person stood at the helm guessing which way to point the bow, they were accompanied by two adults who could see over the roof. Other boats came past struggling in the wind, one getting stuck on the bank opposite us as they hadn’t had enough umph to keep going.

After the Saturday morning Geraghty Zoom (amongst the topics, missing glasses, avoiding Labour and Swedes) we headed out to walk back to Barnby Dun to post off my socks and find a newspaper.

The ladies at the Post Office/Spar shop were very busy chatting away. The lady at the Post Office counter did interact with me briefly, but the lady I bought our newspaper from didn’t even look in my direction. Everything was purchased using contactless and nobody even mentioned how much things were. I checked my receipt a few hundred yards away, well it seems that I got some postage for free because they were all too busy gassing!

We walked through the village, which has been subject to new house building through the ages. Originally the village was an agricultural one, when the canal was built in 1732 produce was moved from Hull to Doncaster and Sheffield. In 1860 George Frederick Milnthorpe brought prosperity to the area by opening a malt kiln, this meant those who worked in the fields could now work through the winter. History Link. Land was sold off to Pilkingtons. Stainforth and Bentley pits were sunk at the beginning of the 20thC pulling people into the area. In 1959 Thorpe Marsh Power Station was built bringing more jobs to the area. The power station still appears on quite a few satellite images of the area even though the last two cooling towers were demolished in 2014 using no explosives, just a wire! They also appear in our Nicholsons guide in the Aire and Calder Section. A Gas fired power station was planned for the site, but has never been built.

We headed for the Farm Shop that I visited a few years ago. Set back from the road there is plenty of parking and a couple of picnic tables to enjoy a slice of cake and a coffee outside.

When last I visited there didn’t seem to be much fresh produce, although I think I’d only come for a carrot and a cooking apple which I managed to get. Today the place has changed.

A full rack of fruit and veg, fresh eggs, a butchers counter, plenty of the posh preserves and some frozen items. Little was priced! This always puts us off.

We picked up some spring cabbage and a leek for next week. Ogled at the 31 day dry aged beef in it’s climate controlled fridge, blimey those ribs looked good! At £31 a kg they weren’t the most expensive item, fillet steak was at least another £10. With no price on the boxes of eggs we refrained from buying any.

The people in front spent over £75, the chap behind had a shoulder of lamb and some pork fillet along with a box of eggs, his bill would be big too. In between them we stood with our cabbage and leek, £1.96! Well we are on an economy drive.

On our walk back be passed the Co-op, Mick popped in and bought the last dozen free range eggs. I wonder how long it will be before you can buy free range eggs again, or are hens destined to be barn dwellers forever due to avian flu?

Lunch today consisted of sad git’s Hot Cross Buns (M&S gluten free, very tasty) followed by our treat cheese. Ribblesdale Blue Goats and some Wookey Hole Cheddar, plenty left for another day.

Mick considered doing an engine service, the one he’s been meaning to do since November! But with the wind blowing straight across the canal he was worried he’d loose things like funnels, so this was put off again.

I got on with a new tension square with Lisa’s yarn on slightly bigger needles. This had meant pulling out the pouffe and revealing the secret passageway to Tilly, she’d so easily amused! I discussed sock knitting with lots of ladies on the March Knitting Challenge Group. I’d always been put off of knitting socks, never being able to get my head round four or five needles. But when I came across circular needles designed for socks and I gave it a go. I now love sock knitting and have my own pattern.

Cauliflower Cheese with extras, click on the photo for recipe

This evening I cut up the cauliflower we’d bought at Doncaster market. Blimey it was huge! I got half way through and decided I’d keep the other half for Monday evening, possibly a roast cauliflower korma that we’ve not tried before. Have to say size isn’t everything, we’ve been spoilt with our organic veg in Scarborough, Tree Top Press‘s caulis have so much more flavour.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6500 steps, 5 pairs posted, 1 newspaper, 2 chatty, 1 PO balance that won’t balance, £1.96, 12 eggs, 1/3rd of a sock, 0 service, 1 very blowy mooring.

Nose and Toes. 18th March

Doncaster Visitor Moorings to Bramwith Junction

This morning it was time to find Oleanna’s Red Nose. I made this three years ago when we were in Goole and it has been in storage under the bed since then. In the last three years we have had a new bow fender, and although they looked to be the same size would the nose still fit?!

Mick climbed out onto the bow to fit the red giant crochet cover, it fitted! No adjustments required. The colour had faded on the top last time, so Mick put it on inside out to make it as red as possible.

I made a phone call about my glasses to the Scarborough branch, the lady said she’d check things and call back. Thankfully she did, but unfortunately my glasses still have not arrived. They’d been sent between branches internally which could take between 7 and 10 days, they’d been sent out last Friday. I could have walked back to Scarborough and back by now! If they don’t arrive by next Friday then a new pair will be ordered for me. I explained about living on a boat and how no one had mentioned the 7-10 day delivery when I ordered them. All a bit frustrating, we won’t hang around them, if I need to come back by train so be it!

Time to head out to do some shopping. We’d timed our visit perfectly as it was market day. First into the Fish Market to see what we fancied. We got a couple of Salmon steaks for the freezer and a large mackerel which was filleted for this evening. I did a quick google to see how I’d cook it and found what sounded like a tasty recipe with roast potato hash.

Some bacon and a chicken were bought from the inside market and Mick treated himself to a Diddy Pork Pie. Lots of tasty sausages on offer, but none gluten free sadly.

A lot of the fruit and veg stalls sell things in bulk, this was fine for Blueberries, £1 on the market for the equivalent of £7 in a supermarket, the majority of them went straight in the freezer. Then we found other stalls who did smaller quantities and topped up on veg for a roast and a big cauliflower to add some cheese to tomorrow.

That was the market done. Time to visit Scicluna Deli, possibly my most favourite deli. A visit to Doncaster wouldn’t be right without walking in through the front doors. It is food heaven. They stock just about everything you could dream of, with one exception, chestnut flour.

Having Mick with me helped to keep my time in there to a minimum. Some banana shallots, a quick look round and then time to choose two treat cheeses! Our bill still came to over £10.

Back at Oleanna we had lunch and then decided to head back down stream, getting out of Doncaster and into the countryside.

The moorings at Long Sandall were still full so we descended the lock.

Kirk Sandall has a tarmac towpath which is popular with bikes and dog walkers, not ideal for Tilly, so we carried on.

At Barnby Dun Lift Bridge a chap with a cruiser asked if he could go through with us. I went to press the buttons. A chap in a sporty number asked if the bridge was about to close, yes but only when you’ve gone over it! Then a gap in traffic, I pressed the button. Lights and sirens going just as a complete to**er in a white van drove along at speed, no intention of slowing or stopping. He looked straight at me with a stupid smug face and carried on across the bridge as I released my finger from the button.

I did stop the traffic. I stopped counting how many vehicles I’d stopped when I reached 60!

Back at Bramwith Junction we winded to have the hatch to the towpath and moored back up.

Ends were woven into the latest two pairs of socks. Then each pair was packed up ready for posting tomorrow. One of the skeins of yarn from Lisa was wound into a ball and a tension square knitted. I think however I need to use the next size up of circular needles as it was all a bit too compact. This will require some digging in the pouffe where I stash my crafty things.

This evening we watched the moon rise across the fields. A real shame my camera didn’t do it justice.

1 locks, 5.69 miles, 2 winds, 1 lift bridge, 60 plus cars, 1 tag along cruiser, 0 glasses, 1 punnet blueberries, mushrooms, tomatoes, 6 bananas, 1 huge cauli, 2 salmon steaks, 2 mackerel fillets, 8 slices bacon, 1 chicken, 27 mini sprouts, 1 lemon, 2 treat cheeses, 4 sad gits hot cross buns, 1 worm moon.

An Inch Short. 16th March

Bramwith Junction

What a grey day! Even Tilly wasn’t impressed, preferring to spend much of the day asleep inside. With rain forecast for 1pm we had a choice of moving off this morning or staying put. The next proper mooring can be quite popular, this time of year especially so as there is parking, water and bins. An hours cruise to find out and if full it would be another hour back again, bringing us into the window of rain opportunity!

We decided to stay put, we like this mooring even on a grey day. A walk around the junction was on the cards and there was enough time before we’d get wet.

As we walked down to Bramwith Lock we could hear an engine, then see a flag between the trees, coming along the New Junction. It was Pax a kind of cross between a Dutch barge and a trawler that had been in Goole. They turned towards the lock where some friends had already opened the gates for them.

A narrowboat arrived below the lock, pulling into the lock landing, as we walked past we had a chat with the chap. This was to be his first solo lock, the boat new to him, maybe only by a few days. We wished him luck and carried on to where a footpath heads off to the Don Doors.

The side you don’t get to see from the canal

Water was spilling over the edge of the aqueduct, more so than yesterday when we’d crossed it. I was amazed at how little space there is below the trough to the river flowing beneath. The sides of the trough have plenty of extra support to help it withstand sideways pressure when the river is in flood.

We climbed over the top to the other side, sadly no view along the New Junction as the guillotine gates were in the way. But it being so grey the pictures wouldn’t have been too appealing anyway.

Was that a Chiff Chaff? It was! A sign of spring.

We crossed back over the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation. The first Blackthorn blossom opening up hunting for the missing sunshine. Bees buzzed round. Was that a Woodpecker we could hear? Spring with all it’s new life.

The single hander came round from Bramwith Lock heading towards Long Sandall. He’d been helped up the lock so still had his first solo lock to come. We wished him well, his next obstacle being Barnby Dun Lift Bridge.

A looooonggg LOUD horn could be heard. Was that someone annoyed to be held up at the lift bridge?

Then another blast. Within a few minutes we could see where it had come from, Exol Pride! I so hope the single hander had been warned about the big blue boat, suspect the Looooonggg blast had been suggesting he got out of their way!

We stood and watched as Exol came past, a slight change of engine note before the junction, was that for us or just an adjustment before crossing under the Don Doors? The canal took a good half hour before it returned to calm.

A little after 1pm it started to rain. With whistling wind accompanying it we were glad we’d decided not to move today. Instead I sat in front of the stove and knitted, nearly a whole sock today, just short by an inch or so. Mick pottered on the computer whilst Tilly inspected the insides of her eye lids.

Today we added another option to our escape routes southwards.

~~Out of Keadby to Cromwell~~
Head across the Pennines, most probably by the Huddersfield Canals.
Head down the Ouse to Trent Falls and onto the Trent that way.
Cancel a trip to York by boat to meet with family and get through Thorne Lock before it shuts. Have a day trip by train instead.

The jury is still out.

It’s time to add a recipe to the Baking section. Tonight we enjoyed the last slices of my Bakewell Tart.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 walk, 3 waterways crossed, 1 solo boater, 1 Pax, 1 big blue boat, 4 signs of spring, 1 reluctant cat, 1 inch short of a sock.

Five Floating

Sykehouse Junction to Bramwith Junction

Five years ago today, really quite early, in fact a touch too early, Oleanna was craned into the canal at Finesse and Jonathan Wilson’s boatyard. I say too early as she was the first boat to be moved that day and sadly we missed her being craned in by about twenty minutes! Here are a few photos from the day and a Link to the blog post. At the time I had a broken ankle and couldn’t get on board Oleanna, so a fork lift and a pallet were brought to assist.

Today in 2022 would not be quite so exciting. Today we would head southwards along the New Junction Canal, how far dependant on a new pair of glasses for me.

First though was breakfast whilst Tilly had a couple of hours exploring, Exol Pride had moved off, most probably at first light so the way ahead was clear for us. Pushing off at almost midday we pootled past a couple of chaps in high vis who had been looking at a generator that is chained to the Went Aqueduct.

The lift and swing bridges today gave me a few vehicles to hold up including a bin wagon, a car on a trailer. Not the most we’ve stopped along this stretch before but better than a couple of weeks ago.

The light at Sykehouse Lock was amber, but as we came through the first bridge it changed to green, someone on duty. Approaching the bottom gates were open, the swing bridge still across the chamber, but this was moved before we got there. Once in the lock we were ushered above the swing bridge so that it could be brought back into position. The Lock Keeper shouted down to us to keep towards the bridge, the currents created by the paddles towards the top gates can have you going all over the shop.

Two C&RT chaps were sorting things on a small digger boat, maybe this would be heading towards Thorne Lock to assist with the works there next month?

On one of the longer stretches between bridges I gave the Opticians a call. My new glasses had been ordered in Scarborough and last Tuesday they rang me to check where I’d like them sending to, they suggested that they should arrive in a day or two, but I’d not heard a thing.

The line just rang and rang as it had done yesterday. No automated lady giving me options, it just rang. Mick suggested we both try calling at the same time, a possible faulty circuit meaning my call would never be heard at the other end. My phone rang, but a lady answered Micks call, an old 1970’s Post Office trick had worked.

Unfortunately my new glasses had not arrived with them, so I tried the Scarborough store, the lady there said she would look into it and to leave it with her.

At the last swing bridge I thought I was about to hold up a couple of C&RT vans, but they pulled in as the barriers lowered. Good job they arrived when they did. One chap was saying that the barrier on their side hadn’t been working earlier on. They removed the cover and peeked inside, Mick brought Oleanna through, then I pressed the close button. The bridge swung shut, returned to be level with the road, the sirens sounded, the chaps stood back from the barrier.

On my side the barrier rose upwards, on their side the barrier tried, rising only a couple of feet before dropping back down. The chaps encouraged it to lift and also had to give it an encouraging final umph back into it’s upright position. If they hadn’t been there to see to it, I’d have had to call them out.

Under the Don Doors and over the River Don we arrived at Bramwith Junction. This would do us for the day. The wind making it hard to moor again. Mick had to cling onto the centre line whilst I wrapped chains round the steel and tied our ropes. My right hand grip really does not like clinging on to ropes in the cold, hopefully as the temperatures rise this will ease.

Those dry mole hills are great for digging in!

The afternoon was spent knitting, towpath exploring and a touch of planning. On the Trent-link group suitable tides have been worked out for those considering heading round Trent Falls. Mick had identified one of them as a possible for us, so at least his calculations are correct.

The fourth pair of socks was completed, then the next two had yarns auditioned and the fifth pair was cast on and knitted up to the gusset before bedtime. Ooo errr!

1 lock, 5.4 miles, 3 swing bridges, 3 lift bridges, 13 held up, 1 dodgy barrier, 3 C&RT chaps, 0 glasses, 1 boat not in a hurry, 1 possible tide, 4 grey paws, 2 glasses of wine to toast Oleanna.

https://goo.gl/maps/6zL4rfHQAP2YAKaq7

Sheer Magnetism. 13th March

Goole

A delayed breakfast today, yet we still needed to be up as we were expecting a visitor, Frank, our bubble carpenter. A phone call asking how to find us was followed by a second one, then he arrived. Time for a cuppa and a bacon butty.

There were two things on Franks list. Sort out the galley drawers so that they don’t open when ever anyone breaths at them. Somehow open the freezer drawer under the dinette fully and increase the ventilation into it.

Last year Mick purchased some 15mm by 10mm magnets which we planned on embedding into the worst effected drawers. I love my galley drawers, the idea for them came from NB Lillyanne. There are two larder drawers, a cutlery drawer, t-towels rolling pin bags and batteries drawer and finally the rapeseed oil and tins drawer. When built all these drawers opened and closed wonderfully, yet as soon as there was a slight list to port the cutlery drawer was the ring leader, encouraging the others to open.

Magnet stuck to the plate on the back of the drawer front

On a snagging visit, Kris from Finesse added some standard magnetic catches, but this was only possible on a couple of the drawers as there was nowhere to attach them to on the others. So for the last four years we’ve had to push the cutlery drawer (still the ring leader!) in every time we descend the stern steps. I really dislike my galley drawers because of this.

There are more tea breaks now than there used to be

Frank had brought his Forstner drill bits, these drill flat bottomed holes. However the depth of the magnets meant that the pointy bit of the drill was likely to come through onto the drawer front, not good. We could however still use the magnets in the carcass. We hunted round for a bit of metal that could be used as a plate on the back of the drawers and found an angle bracket that was chopped in half. This was then sunk into the back face of the front to correspond with the magnet. Hope you are following this!

The first drawer to be tackled was the ring leader. It was closed on it’s new magnet and then we all stood on the port side, it stayed closed! At F*ing last! I love my galley drawers.

A trip to B&Q for some metal washers meant the other drawer would take less time to sort, just £11 something for the washers! We know we’ll still have five drawer moments should we go on a big list, but things are far far improved.

Bakewell Tart, recipe will come another day

By now I was trying to cook our Sunday roast. First the Bakewell Tart needed the filling mixing and then baking. The case for it had been made last night and during the day today had to sit on the bathroom sink so as not to end up on the galley floor. Frank and I worked on a time share basis for the later part of the afternoon, windows of twenty minutes for magnets to be attached, then the potatoes could be peeled.

An email was sent to the Trent-link group saying how our original plan was going to be affected by the Thorne Lock stoppage being moved. I’m not sure how many people have been in touch to add weight to an appeal to get the stoppage moved.

In the evening the three of us enjoyed maybe just a touch too much wine, roast pork with everything, followed by Bakewell Tart accompanied by some chilled medication.

Two bits of news came through today. Another couple of donations to my sockathon means that with my Justgiving and Facebook donation page added together I have reached £290! £40 over target. Brilliant, thank you everyone.

Then I spotted on Instagram a post from one of the Chippy Panto actors. The nominations for this years UK Pantomime Association Awards had been announced. Rapunzel has been nominated for Best Panto in the under 500 seats category. Brilliant news! Oh yes it is!!!

0 locks, 0 miles, 2wice lost Frank, 3 bacon butties, 2 drawers sorted, 1 freezer drawer left for tomorrow, 8 hours exploring, 1 fence no boundary, 1 bakewell tart, 1 joint pork, 0 fully crackled crackling! 26 roast potatoes, 2 vagabonds, 2 crabbies, 2 plus bottles of wine, £40 over 3rd target, 1 nomination.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna