Straight and Deep

Thursday 4^th May to Friday 5^th May 2017

The first thing that we did after readying the boat was to pull back about 100 metres to the water point and fill the tank – although there was still plenty in there, theses are new waterways and best to fill where you know there is a tap.

After all of that we were off, but we didn’t get too far before we had to slow down and wait for a very short while – we had gone no further than about 600 metres and we had to wait for less than a minute.

It was the first time we had seen anything like it.

Train on the bridge - no way will we be able to get beneath that - train or bridge

Now you see it...

...now you see less of it....

...and now you see it not at all

One minute there is a train going over a bridge less than a metre above the water and next the navigation is completely clear of the train tracks – a sliding railway bridge – controlled by a person in the tower above the line – he came out to wave us along and as we tentatively started the bridge slowly retracted until it had disappeared.

After going through it the tracks mysteriously reappeared and 2 minutes after that a train was going over the navigation again.

The line to nowhere - for now...

....and then it reappears

We then settled in for straight cruising – deep water and Ferndale loves it – the sun was out and we enjoyed the views of the surrounding countryside – the canola and the wind turbines.

Looking across the landscape, the blue sky, soft white clouds and these tall guardians of the land surrounding them – some people bemoan their appearance, but they impose a certain grandeur.

They take their Health and Safety seriously here - a crash test dummy
for the row boat

The wind had picked up since we untied earlier in the day, but it was now gusting up to 50 kmh – with this and the regular need to stop for swing bridges, we had some interesting episodes of trying to hold the boat mid-stream or otherwise try to push it off the moorings against the wind.

To make it interesting, a few of the electronically-operated bridges decided to play some tricks, but we got through it all together.

One final bridge to negotiate – this time a lift bridge and we had made it to Thorne where we had planned to moor up for the night.

Just coming into Thorne - wind and bridges behind us for the day

A walk up through the town centre to the supermarket for essentials – this time it was not milk – and then the return back to the boat.

Another spot we had moored up which was as quiet as it could be – we have had a pretty good run with these places.

The next morning, it was sunny again and with the wind still around, but it was a lovely day to cruise and so we did.

First up – a swing bridge that had some problem with the interlocking of the pedestrian gates, but again Diane got it sorted out and we were through another one; but the most interesting one was the lock that we needed to get through – immediately on top of the top gates was yet another swing bridge – so close that the bridge needed to be swung open to allow the boat out of the lock.

Trouble was it’s interlock was linked into the operation of the lock (electronically operated), but it was mentioned in the “fine” print of the lock instructions – it took a little to work it out.

They say that problem-solving is good for the health of your mind as you get older – we have had a lot of good mental health in these two days so far.

There was to be more to come, as we would find out.

After all of this we could settle back and now enjoy some cruising not involving straight lines – the curves of the navigation and the trees lining the sides were reminiscent of other places we had been – like the Grand Union; like the upper Trent and Mersey; like the Coventry and Ashby canals.

Just as beautiful as so many other waterways

...and with boats moored halfway across the waterway as well

The wind is coming from the right; it would be nice to moor up on the right
but we are going to be blown to the left - damn  these swing bridges

The last lock before the junction and completely manual - being so large
it would have been nice to have the electronics

above that same lock

We reached Bramwith Junction and took the left hand turn to Sheffield.

Approaching the junction....

...just in case we weren't sure which way to go....

...plenty of space out there...

...looking back - we came in from the right, but on our way back we will
head left.

Still lovely countryside around here

 A lift bridge at Barnby Dun was easily completed, although the traffic bank up was a bit long – took me longer to cross the road than it did to operate the bridge.

A reasonably major road with a lift bridge - any wonder the traffic backed up

The real highlight of the trip on the South Yorkshire Navigations came about 10 minutes after the lift bridge.

I was down in the boat making the coffee when there was a familiar whistle from out the back – the whistle is usually to denote a degree of urgency.

Quickly getting to the back door the words “Ray, there’s a boat coming” were my greeting.

Now let me say that Diane is entirely used to passing boats on even narrow canals and here we were on a wide, wide section – very wide in fact – so I was a bit perplexed about it – only for that split second between hearing the words and getting outside to review what was happening.

I think the boat that was approaching in the distance – well by now it was about 250 metres away – it was relatively easy to see that the boat was a little bit bigger than we had seen for a while – it was about 380 tonnes big.

"Ray, there's a boat coming" - a famous line that I hadn't heard for a while...

...it was a bit bigger than usual...

Alright, a bloody sight bigger than usual

Glad to see the back of it

The boat that moved used and reclaimed oil between Rotherham and Goole was there in front of us – we were not expecting it on a Friday – it’s normal day was Thursday – simply move out of its way, move to the right and slow down but not stop; the skipper on the larger boat is used to seeing the likes of us and he acknowledged it in the usual way – no, not the salute with just a couple of digits – it was a full and complete wave.

That emergency out of the way, normal service was resumed and after rising through the next lock at Long Sandall we decided to moor up on the visitor moorings right there.

Long Sandall Lock

We walked a little way after mooring to see the lay of the land – not a lot to see, but it was nice and quiet – again.

18 Miles, 3 Locks, 2 Lift Bridges, 9 Swing Bridge

YTD:  346 miles (557 km), 169 Locks, 15 Tunnels, 5 Lift Bridges, 13 Swing Bridges

Total: 4978 Miles (8011 km), 3330 Locks, 139 Tunnels, 71 Lift Bridges, 185 Swing Bridges

To Keadby and beyond – Take 2 on approaching a lock in tidal waters

Wednesday 3^rd May 2017

It would be difficult to call it a wonderful day – very cloudy overhead and a bit of wind early on which seemed to get a bit stronger before lunch.

We moved relatively early today, going down the last two locks on the canal and mooring up just before the entrance to the basin; we took a walk along to the basin and around; spoke to the guy we had met coming into the lock just 4 days earlier; enquired about diesel and rang the operator and booked with him for a fill at just after 1pm – all very casual around here.

We popped over to the café next to the pub for a coffee and ended up having a light lunch as well – it was a very pleasant place with a couple of lovely ladies looking after the customers – after this it was time to get back to the back and move up to the lock for diesel.

The fact is that it is easiest to fill whilst the boat is actually in the lock and since we were due to go out at 2:30 and there would be no-one coming in from the Trent, we could just stay there until our time.

 

The basin as we were readying to leave

No rush here; we are carefully tied up in the lock - just waiting

No problems with water coming down the canal - it was the amount of water
coming up the river that concerned us

The river was still flowing in quite strongly at 2pm and speaking to the lock-keeper he decided that we wouldn’t go out before at least 3pm – we watched and waited and only after the river had turned did we eventually get back on board and untie the ropes so that they were hanging over the bollards and the lockie started to let the water out.

By 3:20 we were heading out again onto the Trent – the flow was now definitely outbound and we had no need to turn the tiller to head in the right direction – we were taken by the river.

 

Finally out and away

The grey clouds overhead and a bit of wind - but we were underway

The overall views were still quite brilliant

As on the previous trip to West Stopwith, the boat speed was well up – about 10-11 kmh and even up to 12 kmh.

There is not a lot to see along this stretch but it is all pretty well peaceful and with its own beauty.

 

a few places to see

The wind wasn't that strong to blow the sails away

We were enjoying it at this point of the trip

No other craft along the river – we were well and truly on our own and with very few obstacles or silted areas to negotiate.

The weather, in particular the wind, which had by now increased in intensity, was less than ideal. The river was buffeted by the wind and waves, which were blowing over the gun-whales and the bow was dipping on occasions.

 

Then the wind came up, as did the waves on the river...

...pity I left my surfboard behind

We were hitting them front on

We had had a long chat with our diesel man before we left and as he had done this stretch a number of times and we took his advice on board.

By the time we had reached the high bridge which allowed the M180 motorway to pass over the river, Diane had the helm and was steering under the left hand archway, whilst I was on the VHF to the Keadby lock-keeper advising of our progress.

He was concerned about another boat which had supposedly left the River Idle (just down from West Stopwith) but he had not heard from them – we had not seen them at all, either out on the water or moored up anywhere.

 

The M180 ahead of us and we were getting close

Keadby Bridge and we were now very close

Really close - that's the Lock-Keepers control tower

Approaching the lock from the right hand side, the mistakes at West Stopwith were remedied – going completely past the lock we executed a 180 turn across the river and were about 20 meters off the wall (we had a cross-wind which was pushing us towards the wall, so a little bit extra power was wise).

Punching against the current we inched towards the lock entrance and as the bow lined up opposite the upstream wall, the tiller was turned at the same instant the lockie gave the signal and we entered into the lock without any problems.

 

Time to turn - at 45 deg to the lock

easing it around and using the river flow to get us heading into the lock

Phew! We made it in without touching the side...

There was a feeling of complete exhaustion and utter relief over my entire being – the errors at West Stopwith were now behind us.

 

...and it was a relief!!

On your own the lock is really quite large and the gates closed behind us; the water flowed in; we rose up; gates opened and there was a low road bridge in front of us – the lockie headed up to open that for us as well and we thanked him profusely and then proceeded to moor up on the visitor moorings about 200 metres further on.

It had been a testing day and we were a bit exhausted, so mooring up for the night was very welcome for both of us.

 

Coming out of the lock and the low road swing bridge ahead...

...thru the bridge and the moorings are there on the left

The visitor moorings were very quiet and peaceful and we enjoyed a great nights sleep – although there could have been a brass band practicing all night long right outside the boat and I am sure that neither of us would have heard it.

14 Miles, 4 Locks, 1 Swing Bridge

YTD:  328 miles (528 km), 166 Locks, 15 Tunnels, 3 Lift Bridges, 4 Swing Bridges

Total: 4960 Miles (7982 km), 3317 Locks, 139 Tunnels, 69 Lift Bridges, 176 Swing Bridges