Tag Archives: Monday

3 Stamps? 16th June

Stubbs Bridge to Sykehouse Junction

Shore leave permitted for an hour whilst we had breakfast and got ourselves ready for the day. Our chosen route back to York had been because we wanted to top the diesel tank up before setting forth on the tidal river again, so a return to Goole was needed. Then we plan to head out through Ocean Lock and turn left heading up stream on the Ouse.

ABP operate Ocean Lock at Goole, you can pay to go through at a chosen time, but passage is possible for free at certain times of the tide, for us it’s 2.5 hours before high tide. The other day Mick had called to make a booking, the ABP keeper doesn’t give advice as to journey times, when to lock out as C&RT Lock Keepers do. My question to Mick, was there enough time with the tide to reach Naburn? He’d booked that lock the other day but the person who answered the phone didn’t have the knowledge to give advice, they could just book us in.

Green fields around here

For reassuance he tried giving Naburn a call, just the answer phone. Maybe someone would be on duty at Selby Lock, there was. The keeper, checked a couple of things and said we should be fine. Mick asked if there would be anyone at Selby should we need to pull off the river, yes there would be someone on duty. However quarter of an hour later they called us back, saying if there were no bookings for the lock then no-one would be there.

A stoppage notice came through. Selby Swing Bridge has a fault and is closed to boat traffic, looks like we’d decided on a good route to avoid the closed bridge. But it also means there is even less likely to be a Lock Keeper on duty in Selby when we pass.

Blue skies and water today

Just as we were about to push off Gary from All Seasons Covers rang about our pram cover. Sadly he didn’t have a template for our covers still, but I could possibly use the other side panel to see if they might have matched. Or he suggested as I was a creative person I’d be able to make a template, if I could find something large enough to use. With the wind being as it is round here this is unlikely to happen soon.

We pushed off, the sun shining down, should have put sun cream on but didn’t think about it until my arms felt a little bit hot! At Whitley Lock there was a volunteer on duty, Mick had the VHF radio on and had heard some conversation between a CRT boat and Off Roader at Pollington. A boat was coming up in Whitley Lock, a single hander who had closed the gates behind him and then was clinging onto his lines for dear life as his boat rose after the volunteer had set the sluices going. The lock fills from the lock island side, so where his boat was positioned the water was bouncing back off the wall where he was trying to hold his boat. If he’d got on his boat before the volunteer had pushed any buttons it would have all been so much easier.

The volunteer worked the lock for us along with a widebeam that had arrived whilst we were waiting. No mention that Off Roader was on its way.

A long sleeved top was now required to cover pink arms. I own a couple of nice linen shirts, but they have been packed away in a suitcase at the house for eleven years! As we reached the maintenance yard at Great Heck we could see the approach of a very heavily laiden Off Roader, sat much deeper in the water than I’ve seen her of late at Lemonroyd. We made sure we held back some to give her enough room to come past all the work boats. As it came towards us the wheel house rose up having just come under a bridge.

Pollington Lock with it’s bottom gate open

Would there be a Lockie at Pollington? No just a single hander who I rushed to assist saving him some effort by working the lock to bring them up. Down we went, the bywash below not quite as strong as it has been recently, but enough force to keep the body of a deer pinned to the bank, the second one we’d seen today.

Not so green on this side of the canal

I had planned on roasting half a squash and a big bag of carrots this morning, but only remembered now. The aim had been to do the cooking whilst the world was still cool then be able to cool the boat down before it got too hot. I peeled and chopped the veg and set the oven going. Opened every window, side hatch with mesh in it, trying to create enough breeze through the boat without aiding a cat to escape.

One boat moored by the reservoir at Sykehouse Junction, but no-one on the 2 day mooring. We pulled in and took up our preffered place, not too close to the aqueduct but on the T studs. Shore leave rules were recited and the doors left wide open for Tilly to enjoy the outside and the boat to hopefully cool down with a breeze blowing through. After about half an hour all the doors were closed as Tilly had returned with a friend! Itcs dwaed godod herere, she said with her mouth full!

Watching and listening

The afternoon was spent doing colour samples for panto. Should the twisty bits be golden, cream, yellow, bright green or dark green? Should the background be a solid colour or sprayed out to the edges? Then what should the front cloth look like in comparison? Far too many decisions and too many colours on my samples to really make up my mind. I’d look again in the morning. I did however decide how I should paint the roses, an Art Nouveau style rather than a boaty roses and castles style.

Every brush stroke will be blown up to 25 times bigger

Over lunch we decided to change our cruise up to York. Going all the way from Goole to Naburn is possible, but it’s a long time to be stood at the back of your boat, but would we be able to change our lock bookings? Mick tried calling Selby and left a message. You need to give them 48 hours notice, this was only 46. He then rang Naburn to change our booking to the following day, left a message there too. Kenny called back within the hour, booking changed. We still needed to hear back from Selby though.

Just a touch tired

It was hot out there, so when Tilly returned with still twenty minutes of shore leave to go we opted to close the doors and keep her in, dingding time a touch early today, at least the wet food would help to hydrate her. But I hadn’t finished, I had buisness to attend to! Don’t you know this is a three stamp of approval outside!! She wasn’t happy, but thankfully she soon fell asleep exhausted.

2 locks, 8.2 miles, 1 right, 2 outsides, 1 heavily loaded Off Roader, 1 very sunny day, 2 pink arms, 1 designer who can’t make her mind up 2 many colours, 7 pink roses, 1 air brush required, 1 cuckoo, 24 yellow hammers, 4 hours shore leave, 1 booking moved, 1 to make, 1 friend at least, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approvel, that’s the third one, it’s an award winning mooring!

https://what3words.com/idealist.purist.typed

Guarding The Box. 9th June

Granary Wharf, Scarborough and Chipping Norton

A silly timed alarm clock for us onboard today. I was up breakfasted, butty made and on my way into the station at 7am, Mick stayed in bed, Tilly stayed curled up. Today I would be heading to Chipping Norton for the white card model meetng for Panto. Mick would be heading to Scarborough to do things he’d forgotten to do with a pint of milk and a key. Tilly would be snoozing a lot, but looking after the boat, a very important job.

Perfect, a seat for the model

First train took me to Doncaster, I had two seats to myself, so one for me the other for the model box which had only just squeezed into an Ikea bag yesterday for ease of carrying. Next train was from an adjacent platform, this would take me to Birmingham New Street, I had several tickets to cover me for this part of the journey which meant changing reserved seats. Instead I opted to pop the model box on the top of the luggage rack and sit opposite it on an available seat so that I could keep a close eye on it.

A very close eye required now

Next was a change at New Street and a wait, glad not to be rushing to change trains. The train would get me to Banbury, but my split ticketing (to save at least £100) had me moving seats several times. Blimey the train was chocka! Could I be bothered in fighting to reach my first reserved seat and then hope I wouldn’t have to move for someone else? The answer was no, instead an hour of standing protecting the model box as bets I could, moving out of the way for doors opening. I’m so glad I don’t have to do this as often as I used to when I lived in London, and the models then tended to be far bigger.

Hello Chippy! It’s nice to be back

Hello Banbury, no aroma today! The familiarly coloured roof of John’s car/truck came into view, I had a lift rather than catching the bus out to Chippy. Time to catch up on lots of stuff during the drive, who had left the theatre since I was last there and who was new.

All set up in order and ready to show the model

We set ourselves up on the stage, all black tabs (curtains) and lots of speakers about the place. A table, angle poise, note books, laptop, everything to hand apart from a cuppa. The two of us were straight into working our way through the show with the model. A useful time. Should that move there, or here? The next scene change would be harder if we did that. How to transition between this and that, a few bits of writing required, it’s handy the director also being the writer.

All quiet out front now!

A sheet of notes for me to address once home, one scene just nudged about a touch and a bit of model adjusting required for it, but generally all was good. We had eight minutes left before others would join us, time to finally make a cuppa and grab a few bites of chicken sandwich before we started.

Not so neat and tidy after going through it twice

Paul joined us (Technical and Facilities Manager) and a new lady who I think works in develepment and fundraising. Gemma (Production Manager) joined via zoom, sadly she’d not been able to join us in person. We worked through the model in a more practical way as John and I’d already done the arty bits. An hour and a bit later we’d got through the show, no indictation on how we were in regards to the budget though. Some chat about trying to get ahead more this year. Last year this had had to happen as their designer wasn’t hands on like me. So we need to find a balance between the two, enough to keep me occupied and far enough ahead to reduce hours during rehearsals.

Time to head back to Leeds. I had several possible trains I could get with my tickets and luckily Paul and his wife Helen gave me a lift back to Banbury so I managed to avoid the bus again.

Oh!

Unfortunatly there had been a tree fall on the line which had held my train up by half an hour. On the southbound platform it was worse as there was a trespasser on the line further south, so all trains were being held at stations until the line was clear.

Knee location

Time to go into guarding mode again, the train packed with people trying to get somewhere, anywhere. I stood in the vestibule, but thankfully after a couple of stops I spotted a spare seat. Time to sit with the model on my knee. Another change in Birmingham, another busy train, my journey now an hour later than planned, another seat with the model on my knee. Thankfully at Sheffield the train thinned out and I got the seat next to me for the model box, no need to watch everyone going past anymore. Finally I could get my knitting out and do a few rows, toe 199 coming along nicely.

Toe 199!

Arriving back in Leeds just gone 9pm I was glad all I had to do was walk down to the South Entrance and back to the boat, only 2 minutes of brisk walking done today. Mick had been warned of my lateness, so he’d bought in pies and baked some potatoes, all accompanied by a much needed glass of wine.

Mick had traveled to Scarborough by the Coastliner from Leeds, so his bus pass came in handy, swapping buses in York meant he got a comfort break too. He did the few things at the house that were needed and tip toed around avoiding getting anything dirty. Then had caught a train back to Leeds using up a spare ticket he still had.

Hitching a ride

Tilly, what had she done? Well she’d watched the local swans swimming about showing off their cygnets and had a good old snooze for much of the day. It’s a hard life!

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 trains, 2 buses, 2 lifts, 5:50 alarm, 1 full on solid day, 3 bite lunch break, 1 warm welcome back to Chippy, A4 sheet of notes, 0 major, -1 pint milk, 1 shed door locked, 2.23 miles walked, 2 minutes briskly! 3 cygnets.

It’s Just Some Old S**t. 1st, 2nd June

Aire and Calder Navigation

Another Sausage Day!

Paul Fernley Whats-his-face, Shetland plans, Sherry, Mars Bars and AI train Announcements were the topics of the Geraghty zoom on Sunday morning after we’d had a cooked breakfast without eggs.

Having a car meant we could head to Tescos to stock up on a few things that Lidl wouldn’t have, enough supplies for one onboard and a loaf of bread for Mick to take back to the house. After lunch I cracked back on with model making as Mick reset the toilet, our fourth solids bucket being put into action. Then the trolley came out along with bungees and three buckets of some old S**t headed off to go in the boot of the car then on to Scarborough to do its composting for a year or so mixed with garden waste. The fishermen must have wondered what sort of bait Mick had and so much of it!

Model bits for Act 2 were started.

Monday and Mick awaited the chaps who were coming to fit the new lean too at the house, we hadn’t heard anything from the company for a few weeks, admitedly we’d not called them last week to check they were still on track, but sure enough they were. The hope that the roofer would return today to look at some dodgy flashing that a cowboy had done a few years ago was obviously postponed due to their van breakdown…..again! Here’s hoping they turn up and sort things which will in turn sort a persistantly damp wall in the kitchen.

A healthier breakfast

Time to harvest the first of the Alpine Strawberries from the roof of Oleanna. These little plants have regenerated several times over since I bought them from an honesty box on the Trent and Mersey years ago, they seem to have enjoyed being repotted this year and hopefully there may be some berries at the house too.

Bamboo for your bum

Wiggly things and more beads stuck to wire and card today, more inventing for intentions sake. Mid afternoon there was the Hello from Mick returning with empty buckets, a huge bag of wooden cat litter and several weeks worth supply of toilet roll, he’d ordered plenty from Naked Sprout so I suspect The Shed room in the house is now filled with bamboo toilet rolls with nowhere to sleep.

We delt with the yellow water, water supplies onboard were deemed to be enough to last out the next few days. Then it was time for Mick to head off to return the hire car to York and catch the CoastLiner bus back to Scarborugh to see how the lean to had progressed during the day. Not bad, all the frames were up, no glazing but that would follow tomorrow.

By the end of the evening I’d only got one more scene to make in the model box, the walkdown finale.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 return trip to Scarborough, 3 buckets of deposits, 1 broken down van, again! 6.71 miles, 95 brisk minutes, 0 new PA notes, 1 framework up, 1ft diameter giant wiggle, 47 beads, 2 more sausage days for Tilly, 1 hire car returned.

A Touch Wet Under Paw. 26th to 28th May

Aire and Calder Navigation

Nosy neighbours!

A refill of the water tank, we’d been using the washing machine and had had to top up on the electric too. A shower for me whilst the tank filled so that I’d not need to head to the water point this week. Then just as we were untying to leave it decided to rain, not much thankfully. Sarah waved as we pulled out and turned back towards the canal, maybe next time we meet we’ll be able to have a longer chin wag.

A new arrival on the towpath

We pulled into the first available gap alongside the road that leads to the marina and awaited a supermarket delivery. Stocks were quite low and the wine cellar under the back steps nearly empty! With everything stowed we pulled away again and went to find a view for this week, away from badger holes. Mick added a spring line and we hoped that our chains would be strong enough should Off Roader come past heavily loaded.

Hooray!!!!

Time for Tilly to stretch her legs again on the towpath after being cooped up for a few days. With boat chores done Mick packed his bag and headed off to catch a bus into Leeds and then the train back to Scarborough. The roofers are returning to the house to tidy up, Mick thinks he’s found a probelm on a different bit of the roof! Time to get the house ready for our next lodgers.

Late evening I recieved an email from John, he’d spent all of Bank Holiday Monday working on the script for panto. There were new ideas he wanted to pass on, one that should give us a wonderful end to Act 1. Time to amend the current storyboard.

Crossing the River Aire

A walk before the rain was due. I’ve changed the shoes I’m wearing to walk in to see if that might help with my calf. So far it is better, but it’s not a miraculous recovery. On the other side of the River Aire is the site of some open cast mining, now St Aidans Nature Reserve. Numerous lakes and reedbeds were busy with so many birds it was almost deafening as I strode my way through a central path.

Great Crested Grebe, numerous geese and Tufted ducks, a lapwing who was camera shy and then this duck. The size of a female Mallard but with far superior plumage. Could it have been a Gadwall?

Big, medium and little boats

As I walked back to the boat I could hear that something big was on the canal. Off Roader had just come up Lemonroyd Lock. Would our chains hold as it went past deep in the water. Thankfully it didn’t get up to full speed as the canal was also being used by rowers, so Oleanna just bobbed about a touch, the ribs with the rowers causing more wash than the multi tonned barge!

New treads and flying bar supports and a spruced up prosc

Back at Oleanna I edited the storyboard for panto and emailed it to John, hoping this version would have a better responce. The answer came back from an initial look, he was all smiley, thank goodness! He’d be in touch tomorrow after spending some time with it. Phew! I pulled the model box out of my clothes cupboard. It’s been used a few times since I last had it and was showing it’s age. I deceided to give it a make over, and new rests for the flying bars, whilst I waited for Johns verdict.

The Queen of Oleanna

Tilly spent much of the afternoon avoiding getting her paws wet as the rain set it. She has taken to sitting on the stern hatch, so her bed was moved out there a week or so ago. Today it made for a very good DRY vantage point to watch the ducks and swans whilst listening to the rain.

Deer just visible near the piling

6:30am we bumped the side, Off Roader was on it’s way towards us. I peeked out of the front curtains, there it was some distance away. But more worryingly there was a deer in the cut! Oh blimey! Could I mount a rescue mission? It swam away from Oleanna trying to find somewhere to get out. I thought of various ways I might be able to help, the highish bank wouldn’t help, should I end up in the canal too that would not be a good thing as other than Off Roader there was nobody about. I so hope it managed to swim up stream where the bank is lower and doesn’t have piling.

Tilly has now worn this outside out, she’s used it all up so she says. Sitting in her viewing area wasn’t even enjoyable today. I walked round the block taking the rubbish to the bins at the marina. Plenty of Recycling and General Waste bins, then two wheelie bins with no lables on them. I assumed one would be for glass, correct assumption. The other for food waste, well nobody else seemed to have made that assumption had they!

Rose

Back at Oleanna I returned to a great email from John. Just one scene to rework and his choices on options I’d given him for other scenes. I now just need to finish off the storyboard to make it pretty and get cracking with the white card model and sketch working drawings before a meeting that is looming. I decided to treat myself to getting the basic set made for the model with an outline design drawn onto it. By 10:30pm I’d achieved my goal for the day. By 10:30 I’d given up hoping for a lap to sit on! Come back Tom I need someone to pay me some attention! I would just like to point out that I am not ignoring Tilly and I’m more than happy to play the fishing rod game at bedtime. Too right, if that stopped I’d be looking for somewhere else to live!

At Last, model bits!!!!

0 locks, 0.5 miles, 1 full water tank, 0 response from Aquavista still, 1 wind, 1 left, 2 moorings, 1 empty wee tank, 4 boxes wine, 1 full fridge, 2 sausage days, 1 world wet under paw, 8.57 miles walked, 130 minutes briskly, 1 Frank PA phone call, 1 viewing position, 1 edging restuck, 1 actor squeezed in, 2nd WIP storyboard, 1 big thumbs up, 1 scene to amend, 2 portals, 1 front cloth, 1 cyc, 1 improved modelbox, 1 theatre designer needing some new things to listen to.

Orange Tips. 19th May

Aire and Calder Navigation

How many decades of dust and crud?

The roofers arrived this morning and stripped off the other end of the roof. There used to be a couple of windows on this section but we’ve decided that they didn’t really serve any purpose for 99.9% of the time as they were in the roof space rather than the room and we’d rather have a water tight top to the house. Mick got the chance to stick his head through where there was once roof and see if he could see the sea. I think he needed a little bit more height to achieve that.

Ready for a tidy up tomorrow

By mid afternoon the hammering stopped and the world fell silent, the roofers had insulated, membraned, battened up and added a gully where there should have been one between us and our next door neighbours concrete roof tiles. Next job will be to tidy up. Mick has helped them a bit by chopping up some of the old wooden battens and saving them for fire wood.

Relaxing on the deck

Here on Oleanna, Tilly came and went whilst I got on with finishing off my sketches for the panto storyboard. These were then scanned, trimmed, put into order, descriptions written, references added and emailed off to John in the afternoon. I could do with a speedy reply and I’m aware that I omitted to add in obligatory crates and barrels into the Market scene. There’s always a market scene! We’ll see what John thinks.

The deeper wier

Tilly was gone for quite some time, I went out to check on her, walking straight down to the tree of refuge. As I called there was no reply so I worked my way back towards Oleanna, where opposite the side hatch I could just her a faint meow from deep inside the friendly cover. Friendly cover! That is serious obsticle course, danger deep mud, entanglement! You need a PHD in catness to work your way through that stuff. She managed to work her way through eventually popping out and requiring a good wash before returning for some more outside world.

Orange Tip

Today I opted to walk down to Lemonroyd Lock, the path on what feels like the offside of the canal is tarmaced and lined with young oak trees. The sun was warming the world up again. Male Orange Tip Butterflies sat on flowers, one decided I was quite a nice perch too. There is an old gravel works wharf that you have to walk round, here Red Hot Pokers rose from the banks.

More orange tips

On the river side there are two wiers, one just a small drop, the other makes up the depth of Lemonroyd Lock. The new rowing club, that on the CRT notice suggests it’s a years trail, seems to be quite large with getting on for 8 sturdy containers all painted dark green and surrouded by fencing. A group from a local academy school were warming up on the bank before climbing aboard. They certainly give the impression they are here to stay.

The tap working again

Down at the lock todays watch from the local Fire Brigade were having a look at things, presumably should they ever need to rescue anyone. The water point was back in action, a wide beam busy watering thier flower pots and topping up their tank. A lovely walk there and back, sadly still with a hobble.

All wrapped up

The afternoon was spent doing some secret wrapping. Tilly helped. Then I had to help her adjust the card she’d got for Mick. Normally we have to hide in the bedroom to do this, but today we had the luxury of using the dinette table. Some secret baking was postponed til the morning as the butter was too hard to cream with sugar. Here’s hoping the morning warms up to help.

0 locks, 0 miles, 16 sketches, 22 references, 1 email, 1 Designer waiting for 1 Director, 3.78 miles walked, 63 minutes briskly, 4 presents, 1 cat card adjusted, 1 cake on hold, 1 roof prepped ready for new tiles.

Houses In The Woods. 12th May

A day of work and opening and closing doors and hatches for Tilly to come and go. She wasn’t too bad and with the heat of the day she mostly stayed asleep either on top of the drawing board slot or the bed. I think I should feature in panto this year! What do you think?

First thing was to open as many windows as I could, get some cool air into the boat. I suceeded and ended up having to wear a jumper until lunchtime, but I’m sure it made for a cooler day at the office overall. This mooring isn’t as shaded as the one we tried earlier plus it has the disadvantage of sticky overhanging trees, so it’s a good job I’d not got round to giving Oleanna a good old wash down.

The morning was spent re-reading Act 1 of the script, then looking out for more references. The afternoon was the same for Act 2. All references were put on Pinterest a handy tool, but from past experience if you share your boards with someone you may not end up looking at the same picture as they get jumbled up. So much of the evening was spent thinning them down in number and downloading them into a folder to share with John.

I’ve a few ideas formulating. Last time I did some sketches before our first meeting, then had to redo quite a lot of the work after talking to John, so I’ve held back from that so far, hopefully tomorrows meeting will be a good one and then I can get sketching.

One of the houses in the woods

In house news, the roofers arrived, delivered some materials, then went off to finish another job! Later in the day Mick heard their van had broken down so they’d be back with us on Wednesday morning. Mick believes them.

Six boats have been past all day. The first I knew was coming as Oleanna started to move about a LOT. It could only have been Off Roader. I’m kind of glad we moved moorings as she would have just started to pick up speed where we were before, so the wash would have been much bigger.

Gruffalo

Two boats pulled out from near our mooring. I strongly suspect one of them has a separating toilet and had off loaded their yellow water bottle very close to Oleanna’s side hatch this morning! I’m hoping the smell doesn’t return tomorrow.

Snow drifts

After lunch I went to stretch my legs and walk up the other side of the cut to see what a garden area was all about. Carved Gruffalos, the donkey from Puss in Boots. Further along the path there were houses in amongst the trees. Add to that seed filled snow drifts, it was really quite magical. I managed a few brisk hobbles before I got back to the boat, but nowhere near my usual. My calf just needs to take it easy for a while.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 boats, 1 big bugger, 327 pins, 300 copied,1 hour of PA conversations, 1 FRIEND, 4 hours shore leave, 1.46 miles, 14 minutes brisk, 1 pile of roofing stuff, 0 roofer, 1 pair of socks hand delivered, 1 cat trying to pose for panto.

To Goole And To Work. 5th May

Stubbs Bridge to Spicers Auctioneers, Goole.

90 minutes won’t be sufficient!

Tilly was allowed some more shore leave as we had breakfast, She could have taken the full 90 minutes, but chose to come in a while before it elapsed, the doors did not reopen. Overnight the laptop had finished doing what it had been doing for over 24 hours and thankfully all the folders and photos had synced too!

Yesterday the temperature had dropped, today it came accompanied by quite a head wind as we moved off. Blimey oh riley it was perishing out there! Extra layers had been donned but really weren’t enough, I looked forward to getting back inside to be by the stove.

Approaching Whitley Lock

At Whitley Lock we’d just been beaten by the crew from a small cruiser, he’d not seen us approaching and had just started to drop the full lock for his boat. Oh well. I asked how far they were going today, he said ‘we’re aiming to get to Manchester’. He did know that would be impossible to achieve today! He wasn’t sure which route they’d be taking, although the Leeds Liverpool is the only route across the Pennines that is currently open.

Anglers as far as the eye could see

By the time I’d penned them up another boat was arriving below so I could hop onboard and let the next crew operate the lock for us. It seemed to be getting colder as the morning continued, a little jig was required to keep from getting frost bite or so it seemed. Along the next three miles or so, anglers lined the banks, a chilly pass time for this Bank Holiday Monday.

Off Roader the new working barge on the Aire and Calder

At Pollington Lock a lady beat me to the top lock panel, she opened the full lock for us. Below there were two boats waiting to come up, a narrowboat just appearing in the distance and the huge Off Roader Commercial Barge moored up on the lower lock landing. I opted to get back onboard and travel down with Oleanna, resting my key of power.

A lovely little boat waiting to go up

A cruiser was clinging onto the side of Off Roader just where the strong bywash wanted to send us. Mick had to seriously up the revs to avoid any possibility of contact.

The rifle range was very busy, we could hear them from miles away. Zooming in, there seemed to be crowds lining up to shoot guns, not an obvious choice for a Bank Holiday Monday for us. At Sykehouse Reservoir windsurfers zoomed across the lake with the force of the wind.

NORF!

Straight on for us today, round the corner to face Drax Power Station. This is normally a sight we see at the end of our boating year, but it’s far from that now.

Syntan

Heading towards Rawcliffe we could see quite a big boat approaching us. Was this Syntan, one of the Beverley Barges? I’d spotted on their Facebook group that they have moved their boats to Rawcliffe as the River Hull is currently closed due to collapsing banks. They must have sneaked past the banks to have got to the Aire and Calder. They are running boat trips for members from Goole throughout May. To become a member is only £10 which includes a ride on Syntan, we may consider joining.

Hard to recognise under all the layers

As we passed we waved and had our photo taken. Hang on, did we know the chap at the helm? Jeremy used to be the Production Manager at Watford Palace Theatre when I worked there many moons ago. He’s lived in Beverley for some years now and I knew he was connected to the barges. We last saw him at Lizzie’s 50th last year. I waved even more, but then Mick pointed out that he’d have no chance of seeing who we were due to all our layers!

They came into Goole to wind later, I wasn’t quick enough to say hello.

On into Goole. Where to moor? We ended up opting for a paid for mooring outside what used to be the Waterways Museum, now Spicers Auctioneers. The office was closed but word was to pay in the pub at the marina, £15 a night including electric. The stove could be allowed to go out and the Alde boiler could take over the heating whilst plugged in, the washing machine could also go on too.

Mick packed a bag, another trip to Scarborough tonight. We walked into town, Mick to the station and me to Tescos for something to eat this evening.

Back on board it was time to do some work. Whilst this lot prints itself out I’m going to take you back to the beginning of February when I received a two sentence email.

How was life without a panto?! Would you be interested in discussing this coming winter’s show, or was life better without?

When this arrived we were on our way back from visiting boat painters in Cheshire. Mick immediately and rightly reeled off the cons for doing panto again. The way it takes over both our lives for months and me being away for four to five weeks during rehearsals were the main ones. On my next walk I thought about it. I realised I’d been hoping such an email would land, but did I want to do panto again?

If it was possible to get the show designed earlier in the year, that would free up more time for boating in the summer. The first few years of working on Panto we were living onboard full time so Oleanna was on the South Oxford Canal, meaning I could return home at weekends. Maybe this would make sense to do again and then work our way back north around stoppages to reach the boat painters at New Year (rivers dependant). This would mean Oleanna could be lifted out, saving us some money on our CRT licence until she’s been painted. Also being there a few months before our slot means we might be able to be painted earlier if someone gets stuck because of flooding.

We don’t like leaving the house unoccupied during the winter, but if we can get some actors from the Christmas show in Scarborough that would be perfectly timed. In the last month we’ve already got one of our favourite actresses booked in! Just need another to bring the plan fully together.

With building work happening at the house over the next couple of months, we’ll have quite a few days where we won’t be cruising. So instead I can spend days working, spread out in the boat, whilst Mick is at the house overseeing things.

So, I have obviously said yes to Chippy Panto.

So today I started work. Time to read the script for Beauty and The Beast. Tilly wasn’t too enthralled so decided to empty the washing drawer instead! Thanks Tilly! It took me until 10pm to read through the first draft of the script.

On work days I’m wanting to concentrate on working, so we get to enjoy full days boating when we can. I’m hoping to still post everyday, but they may well be short posts, we’ll see. I’m aware that some of our readers now attend Chippy Panto on an annual basis, who knows more may go this year too, so I’ll do my best not to post too many spoilers.

2 locks, 14.7 miles, 1 straight on, 24567 anglers, 1 bitter day, 2 many layers, 4 sails, £15 a night, 0.75 of water, 1 load washing, 1 train, 3.29 miles walked, 43 brisk minutes, 1st reading of 128 pages, 1 panto out of the bag, 1 model box still in the cupboard, 1 Indian meal for 1, 1 bored cat, 1 woofer in Panto, 0 cats in Panto, She should have turned it down!

https://what3words.com/skippers.blossom.bagels

Liquid Chocolate. 28th April

Museum Gardens, York

Being in York meant that I could accompany our friend Frank on a hospital appointment here. A slow start to the day had been planned, but then I discovered that Frank had a whole itinerary for his visit. So it was a swift breakfast, I listened for his train crossing Scarborough Bridge and then had a brisk walk to meet him at the hospital.

Buzz on top of the world at the hospital

Appointment One (Junction 5) was short, so time for a sit down by the main entrance before the next. Here I bumped into an old school friend whom I haven’t seen for most probably 40 years! Lynn and I managed a ten minute chat before her lift arrived, quickly catching up on news of other friends we’re still in touch with.

Jane, Pip, Lynn, Emma at my 5th birthday party

Then it was Junction 6 to await for Franks appointment. Followed by a much needed sit down before his final appointment of the day at Junction 8. We ended up covering quite a few steps going to and fro from department to department, so when Frank was sat on an exercise bike he was actually glad of a sit down. That was before he knew he had to cycle up the Col de Tourmalet!

Refreshments at York Tap

Unless York has changed getting a taxi has always been problematical, you really need to have booked one, well in advance, like a week! So hoping that you could just climb into one outside the front door of the hospital was not realistic. So we had a steady walk back towards the station, thankfully I knew the way, more or less a straight line through Bootham Park Hospital which was built in the 1770’s as a lunatic asylum, designed by John Carr (founder of my Dad’s architectural practice). Frank was surprised at how pleasant the walk was. At the station we met with Mick at York Tap for a beer. They had a cask of gluten free beer for me as well as a good selection of other brews for the boys.

Pizza!!

A much needed pizza was required for the man of the day, so we walked over Lendal Bridge to Pizza Express. Enjoyed far too much food and a glass of wine each. Before we all left, there was the obligatory visit to the toilets. The building used to be the Yorkshire Club and the tile work in the loos is wonderful, in the gents the old urinals have been brought back into use too.

Fab tilework

We had a cuppa back on board Oleanna whilst waiting for the next train back to Scarborough, then we waved Frank goodbye.

Cliffords Tower

I was still short on my walking so opted to walk round the block, well three bridges down and back again. The sun was going down. The road works by York Station were getting noisier. The aroma in the air was as if Rowntrees Factory had exploded, such an evocative smell from my childhood, liquid chocolate……..mmmmmm!

I walked round the back of Cliffords Tower and noticed that this side of the huge bank was covered in blue bells. How lovely, earlier in the year it is covered in daffodils.

Blue Boar in York

A quiet evening onboard was quite spoilt by noisy groups sitting on the bank by Oleanna, but they were soon drowned out by the road works across the river! These continued well past midnight, keeping Mick awake until 2am.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 junctions, 3 appointments, 2 more narrowboats, 0 taxi, 1 pleasant walk, 2.5 pints, 3 glasses wine, 3 pizzas, 1 old school friend, 1 twilight walk, 5.45 miles walked, 58 minutes briskly, 1 noisy mooring for a Monday night.

https://what3words.com/soups.scowls.caked

Wet, Brown And Willowy. 21st April

Selby Swing Bridge to Naburn Visitor Moorings, River Ouse

Just what we expected a rainy Bank Holiday Monday!

Coming through

Waterproofs were put on as four of yesterdays cruisers left Selby Basin. There’d be more room for us now. We moved up to the swing bridge. Looking all round, vehicles come from all directions to cross this bridge, I waited for a gap in traffic then pressed the button. Only two cars held up.

Filling and emptying as required

We pulled up by the pump out machine, time to do our chores. Water, yellow water, Tilly’s pooh box and rubbish. Mick chatted to Nigel the Lockie, yesterday he’d suggested that we should be ready at midday, but he might hold off sending us out until the tide had built up a bit as it was quite a low tide. However this morning the tide was already on it’s way in, so we should be ready to go at midday. We pulled into the lock just before the day turned to afternoon and soon next to us was NB Ooer Josh. They were returning to Naburn after being blacked in Goole.

Locking buddies

Nigel asked who would go first, we opted to lead. Once he’d opened the gates we were to wait for his signal, there’s a LOT of stuff goes up and down the Tidal Ouse and it’s best not to meet it when turning out of Selby Lock. Down we went to meet the tide, the gates opened, a big tree went past. After a minute or so Nigel waved us out.

The current here is pretty strong. Mick set us going and I knew what to expect. Once across the slack water by the lock, Oleanna started to turn to follow the current up stream. The force of the water pushing hard against the side of Oleanna means she ends up leaning over quite a bit. Disconcerting to say the least, but as we straightened up with the flow she settled herself back to being upright.

Under the railway bridge

Pretty quickly you come to Selby Rail and Toll Swing Bridges. The right hand span should be taken. Both of us saying ‘stay in the middle’, the force of the water through the Toll bridge really wants to twist you round to hit the pier (or so we almost found out on our first trip up the Ouse on Lillyanne) a tight bend in the river closely following not helping with matters. Through without touching the sides, phew!

Stay in the middle of the span otherwise the bridge will get you!

With our Ouse charts at hand I kept note of where we were, only small lengths of red line to follow, don’t cut the corners. Last time we’d made this trip I think we counted five Kingfishers, today we saw none! They were all being sensible sitting in their dry burrows possibly sitting on nests.

Spring boating

Jon on NB Oor Josh now had an umbrella up, the rain constant, not down pouring, just constantly wet. Thank goodness for Mick’s rugged tablet, not minding the rain as we whizzed along.

Through safely too

Logs and detritus sit on bends. Last time I think I referred to it as a log flume, it’s not changed! At one point Mick knocked Oleanna out of gear for us to glide through a thick patch.

Drip drip drip April shower

NB Oor Josh was kept in sight most of the time, a distance behind. Were they gaining on us? We picked up the revs a touch. Were they dropping behind? We knocked the revs back.

Trees alive and dead

The Ouse on a wet day is pretty much brown and willowy. Mud banks to either side, high flood banks obscuring any views and then the main type of tree, willow.

Cawood

Something different! Cawood Swing Bridge, we’d not need it to swing for us today, plenty of air draft. The bridge keeper normally waves, but we saw no-one today. Where had our buddies gone, it felt like an age before they appeared under the bridge.

Now the river narrows, I’d forgotten how much it narrows near Acaster Selby. Cows and sheep peeked up from behind the flood banks.

Moreby Hall now apartments

Moreby Hall stands on the east bank. I think last time we’d come through it had been a hotel, or was just about to open as one. Today it’s been converted into apartments with airsource heat pumps, EV charging points. Plenty of them to choose from if you’ve a few spare pounds. Have to say I think the photos on the details have been generated by AI as they just don’t quite seem right.

Naburn Lock ahead

Round the last bend, Naburn Lock comes into view. Kenny the Lockie stood up high and waved us into the lock. We pulled in against the wall, bow rope around a riser, the stern not quite close enough so Mick used the boat hook around the ladder, not ideal. Oor Josh came in alongside. Ropes passed round our T studs, gates closed behind and then we gently rose up to Yorks river level. It was such a gentle rise there was plenty of time to chat with our buddies, very nice to meet you both, maybe our bows will cross somewhere on the Ouse in the coming weeks.

There she is, over there

We pulled up on the visitor moorings. Not at the far end in case the trip boat was running, but near the middle. The top of the path wet with puddles from todays rain, last time we’d been here it got fully submerged and we’d ended up rafted up to three other boats by the pontoon!

Tilly was granted shore leave, she did take some despite it raining. After a late lunch I headed out myself to get 40 minutes walk in. Along the river bank towards Naburn and York, a nice path to Naburn Hall. 20 minutes out and back and chance to check if the tea rooms by the lock were still there. Yep, it’s a vegan tearoom.

Tides and when the lock is manned for April

Back to Oleanna to dry off and check in with my brother Andrew regarding some plans. This was followed by attempts at some serious planning. We’d aimed to be in York for a few days, then head upstream to Ripon. But we’ve a few trips to Scarborough over the coming weeks, would Ripon serve us well? Would we run out of time on the moorings? Would we need to book into a marina? Ripon Motor Yacht club don’t have room for a narrowboat of our size, the Marina does, at £22 a night or £140 a week?

Nice weather for slugs and snails

But as much as we want to visit Ripon again, it was making things far too complicated. We needed a rethink. A few options and a change of route may be required, all tide dependant too. Perhaps a stay in a marina? We went to bed with a possible solution for the next couple of weeks. The next few will have to wait to be solved.

Comfy cat inside my jeans!

2 locks, 14.3 miles, 1 swing bridge opened, 3 swing bridges far 2 high to need to swing, 2 held up, 1 left, 1 small tide, 1 wet day, 2.66 miles walked, 40 minutes briskly, 1 stove lit, 1 new tube of stove rope glue needed, 1 plan out of the window, plan 6 to check tomorrow.

https://what3words.com/bleak.calms.renewals

I Got To Do It! 14th April

Bramwith Junction to Pollington Moorings

Tilly was offered shore leave this morning, but she really wasn’t too keen on the idea. I’ve told you before I don’t like it being blowy!! Sort it out with this outside!!! That told us then, time to move on.

Don Doors

Two boats had been moored across the way at the start of the New Junction Canal and just as we were getting ready to push off they reversed up towards the junction then forwards to Bramwith Lock. We discussed how we’d be pushing off today, the wind wanting to do the job for us. Untying is one thing, but retrieving chains and getting back on board before the boat has crossed the canal is a different matter! We managed it with both of us at the bow, no oncoming boats and then a speedy stern rope.

Bridges bridges

Onto the New Junction, time to head north. Through the Don Doors and on to the first bridge. I now opted to walk between the bridges to operate them, swinging and lifting as required. I did however hop back onboard to travel the two straight miles to Sykehouse Lock though.

Dandelions add to an increasingly yellow world

Here an amber light greeted us. No lock keeper! I’d get to work the lock myself for the first time in an age. Sykehouse is different from all the other locks around here. This is because it has a swing bridge across the middle of it. If you come through when there is a Lock Keeper on duty they can swing the bridge when ever they like, so quite often you are asked to move to the other side of it for them to close it before you ascend or descend. But on boater operation you have no choice.

Pushing the bridge out of the way

Your key goes into a panel at the centre of the lock (the white box on the right of the photo), close to the swing bridge, instructions on it’s lid, not so handy if you are short. Turning your key releases the bridge barriers either side of the lock, these you close. This then enables you to lift the big locking mechanism (shaped a bit like a giant key on a sardine can) and then push the swing bridge round out of the way. Once it has locked into the other sardine key the panels at either end of the lock will work, enabling you to open sluices and gates as required. Then when your boat is out of the lock and gates closed you close the bridge following the instructions in reverse order. I like it, it’s fun.

Downstream panel with Oleanna starting to descend

Mick loitered by the next swing bridge for me to arrive, I then walked on to the next bridge the last on the New Junction. Thankfully the strong wind hadn’t hampered us too much.

Windsurfer and Lapwing

Up ahead at the reservoir two people zoomed along on their windsurfers, one not having quite so much luck and should have taken note from the Lapwing sat on the bank.

Grey clouds in the big sky today

One long blast of our horns and we turned to the west. There was a boat on the nice mooring alongside the reservoir, but we had plans to go further today to Pollington. More stretches of new piling where the bank had slumped after the breach. The grass seems to be starting to come through now, but these stretches don’t have a handy bar to tie to as they did nearer Goole.

4, dead slow! That’s still pretty fast

One boat was moored at Pollington, so we opted for the other end of the moorings and pulled in, just as the wind started to be really really strong. I lost my cap, which thankfully landed in the well deck and we both fought with the covers.

Tilly was given the remainder of the afternoon for shore leave, we didn’t think she’d like it, but off she went returning half an hour later for some biscuits followed by Dreamies.

Still some more steps to do I headed out, when Tilly was in, and walked up to the lock. Here a chap on a long term hire boat had pulled up and was about to open the lock gates, his boat on the wrong side of the lock, he had to walk all the way round. I then headed into Pollington and walked past what now seemed familiar from a walk quite a few years ago.

The cricket ground was being mown by a car circling with a cutter behind it, hopefully it was only the outfield being mown like this. A bank of Primroses surrounded someone’s garden. I walked back down to the canal along the road that leads to the long term moorings, eggs for sale here. There is no access from the moorings so I crossed the canal and then walked back up to the lock, the long term hirer having only just climbed back onboard his boat having descended the lock.

The hire boat just heading away from the lock

Back on board I hunted out some dark yellow yarn as I’d run out yesterday. Now I could finish off sock pair 64, or so I thought. I seem to be catching Mick’s sleepy reaction to the news, at least this time I put my knitting down before I zzzz’d off to sleep.

No Pollington sunset for us this evening. In fact we sat and wondered why we seem to have liked it here before. The water tap is very slow. Internet is even slower and TV reception optional! Tomorrow showers are forecast, we hope to find a gap in them and move along a bit to improve things.

All boats on the Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign flotilla have now reached Taveners Boating Club just north of Cosgrove. A notice regarding the Marsworth flight suggests the problem may be sorted tomorrow, fingers crossed. Link to Petition.

1 lock, 7.5 miles, 1 left, 6 bridges, 11 held up, 1 blowy day, 2 outsides, 3.75 hours shore leave, 12 dreamies, 5.06 miles walked, 66 minutes briskly, pair 64 not quite finished.

https://what3words.com/fencing.dumplings.faces