Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 21:52:51 +0100 From: Terry Waldron Reply-To: Canals To: Canals Subject: Trip Report North East [ The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set. ] [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ] [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ] Thursday 19 July Drove to Goole where we found our friends Marilyn and Peter had their boat Midama moored outside a barge. All the 72 hour BW moorings at Goole Boathouse were full and as they knew the barge owner he accepted them to breast up. All the moored boats had the night before received tickets from BW as they had been there for more than a week. Went visiting friends on a barge that was moored in the marina, I had picked up an old 1950's Sperry Gyro for him (this had been previously fitted into aircraft). Friday 20 July Between 0645 and 0730 3 sand barges and tankers passed. Peter took diesel and we set off heading for Lincoln. Weather very bright and sun coming through on and off through the day. No wind to speak about - usually the stretch to New Junction is very windy and causing waves on the canal but today was a radical change - no wind or waves. 3 twitchers at the resevoir opposite New Junction, very rare there are not at least a couple there, not managed to find out what they spot there. No boat traffic until we got to Sykehouse Lock, a BW surveying team were having problems with the lock, the Close Sluice button was jammed in and they could not fill the lock, they called the local BW office but before anyone could come out we had, with the help of a small hammer, given the outer ring a few taps and managed to free the button, we went through with another narrow boat and leap frogged through all the swing bridges to Bramwith Junction where we parted company. Bramwith lock was set ready for us, bottom gates very heavy but paddle gear very well maintained and easy to use. Had a good run through to Thorne where we stopped for milk, bread and fresh vegetables (and maggots for fishing). Other boats seemed surprised that we were booked out on Saturday, we were later to find out that no boats had been out for a couple of days and it had been predicted that BW would not be letting any out for a few more days. Onward to Keadby. The landscape is very flat and you can see for miles. One of the swing bridges beside the railway is interlocked with the railway crossing gates, another railway bridge is operated from the signal box and slides across the canal. The moorings at Keadby were empty, spent a couple of hours fishing, caught a few small roach, perch and bream. Got a bit noisy at closing time outside the pub beside the moorings, a few young people were talking together for an hour or so before they went along the cut to their tent. Saturday 21 July Up at 0500 had coffee and breakfast, checked out engine (SR3), put anchor onto bow and lifebuoy in an accessible position to the stern. Had been told by lockie to be ready at the bridge at 0610 to go out at 0630, but at 0610 no signs of lockie. When he arrived he quickly set the lock and opened the road bridge and we slid into the lock. We were out at 0635 heading straight across the Trent before we turned in the middle. The water was very high. running at about 2 knots and no mud showing on the banks. Two large freighters moored on the opposite side and just below the lock. Sun trying to come out through the cloud by 0800. Lots of debris in the water. Passed West Stockwith at 0820 (average speed just over 7 knots), weather getting better and hotter through the morning. The two cruisers that were in the lock were soon looking to overtake us, the first caused a large wake that went into the engine room air inlet, after he passed us he put on the power and must have been doing 20 knots plus, the second went past much more sedately causing very little wash. By the time we got to Gainsborough the flow had stopped and we knew it was going to turn before we got to Torksey. Soon after Gainsborough we could see the tide had turned and we were slowing down and pushing the tide. We met about 4 cruisers and 4 narrowboats coming towards, presumably from Torksey. Finally reached Torksey at about 1200 and were told that there was 8 foot of fresh at Cromwell and it had been 12 foot two days ago. Moored and had lunch. Onwards aiming for Lincoln, but after a short while Peter spotted a boat he knew, a converted 30 foot lifeboat, which turned round and breasted up so they could have a chat. They accompanied us to Saxilby where we moored, got the beer out and sat on the grass in the bright sunshine. Good moorings here but limited boating facilities. Had fish and chips from the chip shop just across the road from the moorings, a few more beers and an earlier than normal night. Sunday 22 July Did a bit of fishing before we set off (late morning), weather really good. The Fossdyke has banks that are not easy to see over and in the main is straight, there is a pub beside the A57 and soon afterwards a brand new marina (cannot remember the name). Soon we could see Lincoln Cathedral and not long after we came to the start of the very long line of long term and residential moorings. Stopped at the BW Offices and did the loo and carried on, the University is close by on the banks and at the end is the 24 hour BW Moorings (about 150 foot length) where we moored for the night. Shopping can be got from Morrissons which is about a 10 minute walk. Overflown by the Red Arrows who were returning from some show. We decided to go for a walk along the canal, Brayford Pool was close and full of boats, mainly fairly large cruisers and a new Marina. On the opposite bank there is a Barge conversion into a bar and seafood restaurant, from there we walke through the Glory Hole and through the city centre until we hit another main road. A fairly steep climb passed a number of churches and to the cathedral at the top, then back down Steep Hill, through the city centre with the pubs and clubs with their bouncers on the doorways and stopped at a pub beside Brayford Pool. It was a really nice hot summers evening and pleasant sitting outside with a few beers. Back to the boat after closing time and had a few more whilst sitting on the grass at the mooring. Monday 23 July A really hot morning, got sunburnt whilst fishing from 0715 to 0900. Set off heading towards Boston, through the Glory Hole, many sightseers. There are rings all along this stretch to the lock but you have to climb over the railings to get out. Just before the lock there is a water point. The lock is a guillotine which is key operated and interlocked with bottom gates and paddles, it comes up about 4 inches to let water in and when the lock is almost full then you can restart the sequence to lift the guillotine and close after boat entry. The lower gates have hydraulic paddle gear and are permanently fitted with windlass. These gates are very heavy and the lock seems to take ages to fill or empty. We carried on down the Witham until we found a pontoon mooring beside the old station house of Washborough village. Stopped here for lunch, nice quiet spot until the low flying aircraft started coming over. Overflown about 4 or 5 times before we set back for Lincoln. Visitor moorings full so we moored in a vacant residential mooring so I could get my car to the boat to off load our gear. We left and Peter and Marilyn moved to find another mooring. Drove home after another good weekends trip. Terry & Sue ---