An Unexpected Dip

Friday 26^th May 2017 to Monday 29^th May 2017

We had spoken with Jackie and Cyril the previous evening about a start time for the morning and we all thought around about 8am would be good – I think we are as bad as each other – eager to head off and we were through the first lock by the time that 8am clicked over.

The strange thing is that the locks are double – meaning two boats can get through but the pontoons on the river side are nearly all only long enough for one boat at a time.

Yet another lovely day – sunshine everywhere and a light cool breeze – just about the best.

We found the going a bit easier this time on the River Aire – there seemed to be a bit more water under us.

The two boats worked their way through the three locks without any problems – well, bar one.

At Beal Lock, there was some difficulty closing the bottom gates – a little bit of propeller work from both boats cleared whatever obstruction was down there – we think that it must have just been a bit of silt preventing the full closure.

There was certainly some power under the engine boards.

Above the last lock – Bank Dole Lock – we were heading due west and Predator was heading back to the east. We had enjoyed the travel with Jackie and Cyril and look forward to one day meeting up with them again.

But for us it was onwards again – more new territory to be covered – a chance for Diane to colour in more of her map. We have a complete map of the waterways and over the years Diane has coloured/highlighted on it, the waterways that we have traversed – there is an awful lot of yellow highlighter on the map for this year.

The Lock Chicks

We headed off first and Predator would be making that turn just to the
right in this shot

Knottingley has an initial industrial area which is typical of what you find with canals, but after passing under the first bridge it evolves into a most delightful outlook – you could be in any town or city.

The sun was certainly out and the navigation was just like glass -  the bank sides
complemented it all

It was simply lovely to be on the water

Even the older and more industrial areas were delightful

Through the Flood Lock at Ferrybridge - that's the river heading off to the left

Past some more parks and the still operating flour mill and we were though the Ferrybridge Flood Lock and onto the River Aire – deep and wide – yet again.

The cruise between Ferrybridge and Castleford was pure bliss

Bulhome Lock ahead...

...but mooring up was a bit precarious

Just over 4 miles and into Bulholme Lock – a cruiser which had been trailing us since the Ferrybridge lock came in with us and foolishly tied up beside us.

One of us was almost crushed as the lock started filling – putting Ferndale into hard reverse to take up the slack of the rope attached to the bollard prevented sideways movement into the cruiser – they got the idea and moved forward pretty quick.

We needed to fill the water tank immediately out of the lock and finally moored up on the left hand side before the boatyard and the next bridge – the mooring side was about gunwhale height and we have been here for the duration of the long weekend.

There were a number of jobs on the mental work list - I had wanted to give the roof a good wash for a while and Diane had the dirty side of the boat to wash – both jobs got done and we had a chance to sit back for a while, whilst we watched the dark clouds come rolling in as had been promised in the weather forecast.

A few spots of rain appeared, everything had been packed away, and then it came teeming down – we moved in rapid time with chairs and made it inside the back area without getting wet.

It really was bucketing down and we were glad to be out of it – or so we thought.

Talk about a weather change...

As it was starting to ease off, Diane looked out of the window to see one of our tyre fenders drifting out in the middle of the water – about 15 metres away from the boat – too far to reach with the boat pole – just one solution for this – someone would be getting themselves into the water to fetch it.

Stripped right down to just my undies, it was rather refreshing in the water after all of the humidity and heat that we had experienced that morning.

...but with a fender out there to collect, there is only one way to do it...

....edging back - it was not the Olympics...

...here's your b____y fender, dear!...

....now to get out....mmmm, no ladder - what the ???

Tyre retrieved and handed back to Diane on the boat – she had to put the camera down to take hold of the tyre.

Problem now was getting out.

It is probably appropriate to say here that we had purchased the wood and had the rope to construct a ladder for just such a situation. Nearly all of the holes had been drilled and with what would probably have taken (and did take) another 20 minutes we would have had the said ladder….

….but we didn’t. Diane managed to tie a length of rope onto the back seats base; I made a loop in the rope and using that and the horizontal plate on the rudder, managed to get out in a very inelegant manner with help from Diane and the fellow off the boat behind.

Back on my feet on land the tyre was placed back in a more secure way; I was still as I had gone in – anyone looking out at the sight would definitely have felt very sorry for Diane – meanwhile she was just smiling and laughing just enough to suggest that she also felt a bit sorry for herself or maybe I just looked like the drowned water rat that I was.

A nice warm shower and change of clothes helped a lot and we just spent the rest of the day inside.

During the days that we have been here we have been into the town a few times for coffee and for shopping as needed – an Aldi, Morrisons and a lovely indoor market have done us well.

On Sunday, we ventured a bit further afield, although it was not exactly planned that way.

We had been told that a just past the lock was a nature area and a bird hide that looked out – would make a nice short walk to have a look and then come back to the boat – we left at 5:45pm

It always looks shorter on the map

But still very pretty out there

These are old excavations and now filled with water they provide safe havens
for the bird life

Diane's favourites - mmm, not really

We had walked so far that we made it to the next county

...but it was a lovely day to have a walk - just not a 6 mile one

Two hours later we were a bit exhausted after a 6 mile walk – sure we had made it to the bird hide and spent about 10 minutes looking out onto the lake with the wildlife out but after leaving, Diane suggested that we turn right (not left as planned) – this took us to the road, a lengthy walk up the road to the Visitor Centre (it closes at 5pm and was in another county) and then we took the route back – along the river – looking for familiar landmarks as we went; hoping that we hadn’t crossed any other borders, maybe into another country (not just another county).

There was a time when I thought that I saw Blackpool Tower, or it may have been Old Trafford or even the BT Tower in Birmingham, but spotting the old disused railway bridge near the lock was so joyous and then to find the Lock – we were saved !

Back on board we both collapsed into the chairs in the lounge and took a while to recover before moving again.

Monday was a bit more recovery – except that I needed to work (not a public holiday in Australia), Diane by now was happy that the French open is on ITV4.

It seems that this weekend has again left its reputation intact as the one most likely to produce always produce a lot of rain – it continued on Monday – all the better to stay inside.

As I write this it continues to drizzle and the heat that started the day on Friday has completely gone, with some boats even lighting their fires – we are a few days closer to winter again folks!!

12 Miles, 4 Locks

YTD:  532 miles (856 km), 240 Locks, 15 Tunnels, 9 Lift Bridges, 19 Swing Bridges

Total: 5164 Miles (8311 km), 3391 Locks, 139 Tunnels, 75 Lift Bridges, 191 Swing Bridges

A bit of an Aire crawl

Sunday 14^th May to Monday 15^th May 2017

What would be the first thing to do on a Sunday morning – yeah, well after that – apparently there is a very good car-boot sale on this very morning and someone on the boat had a need to visit it.

So after our morning coffee, we headed off.

There had been some overnight rain and the shortcut through the ploughed fields did not seem the best option for us – even though it was a legitimate one – we, instead, chose the solid surface of a good made road which seemed to takes us miles out of the way; we negotiated a busy A-road roundabout and found the location – full of people with cars and things to sell.

In Australia we would call these “Trash and Treasure Markets” and in some ways a similar description would apply here – there are some things that really should be elsewhere, but there were quite a few things that under normal circumstances we would buy – thankfully with limited space on a boat it was a no-brainer.

There was a bit of a crowd there already by the time that we arrived

We did however find yet another ship’s decanter for just £1 – neither of us could resist – so we now have four of them.

Wandering around the rest of the site we could not justify spending a lot of money and we bought nothing more of any significance.

Facing the return journey we found a “short-cut” under the A-road roundabout which only took us a mile out of the way but it was a whole lot safer.

Back on board and it was time to head off – this time we wanted to head towards Selby and there would be a few more locks; more unexplored water; the usual uncertainty of moorings.

Not exactly the correct way to moor up a caravan

Turning right at the junction after Skew Bridge took us onto more new waters but now the locks were not electronic and Diane had to get her windlass back out; and then going down onto the River Aire, where there was a bit of flow, I had to get the boat out into the stream and then reverse back to the pontoon to pick her up – if there had been much more flow, it may have been a 2 mile hike for her to the next lock, but we managed it.

The Junction ahead and we will swing around to the right...

...and under that bridge...

...that one that we have left behind...

...and onto the lock....

...no electronics here my lovely - all woman power for this one

It was clear almost immediately that the river was quite low; we couldn’t gain any speed and pretty much crawled along the entire 6 miles with only Beal Lock to break the cruising.

It appears that the river does get up a bit

One of the locals that came down to see what all the noise was about,
and promptly turned her back on us

Finally, it was a welcome sight to see West Haddlesey Lock, the pontoon and the river veering off to the right. The water level difference was quite small – probably no more than half a metre, but with the heavy gates it took quite some time to get through.

It is lovely and would be more so with a bit more water, but this
is a river after all

Approaching West Haddesley Lock - we needed to moor at the pontoon whilst
the lock was readied

Straight ahead that way was the river and un-navigable

Around into the lock - they can be quite deep on the rivers

After all of that it was plain cruising for the 5 miles to Selby.

The scenery was much as we have been seeing since leaving the Aire and Calder Navigation, but it was more enjoyable to be able to not be struggling along.

We saw a few promising mooring spots for our return journey if we needed them, but finally we made it to Selby, pulling in before the swing bridge whilst Diane went ahead to see what lay beyond it in terms of mooring spots.

The stone work for this bridge looked really wonderful in the light 

and we arrive at Selby - swing bridge in place 

Her return was only as far as the swing bridge itself, which was my cue to get the boat untied and ready to proceed through where we found ourselves alone on the visitor moorings but just feeling a bit more secure than outside.

It was not too late by the time we had completed mooring up – being around 3 pm, so we decided to go for a bit of a walk – first and foremost was to have a bit of a look at the river that we would be confronting us in a couple of days time, and after that it was just a matter of finding a nice friendly pub for a quiet drink and time to relax – naturally we picked the one with the football on and watched the second half of the West Ham v Liverpool game and the first half of Spurs v United – neither game went the way that we would have wanted so we left to head back to the boat.

Here you can see the huge build up of silt around the
lock mouth...

...and some of the flotsam that inhabits the river
- we would be seeing more of this

The first business of the new day (after emptying the cassette) was to officially book in with the lock-keeper, so I introduced myself, explained that we would like passage to Naburn and it was all done.

Our passage would be on Tuesday morning about 10:30, so we had a full day to explore the delights of Selby.

Earlier I met a guy off nb Predator who had arrived late the previous day and we chatted a bit – he and his wife also would be going up to Naburn the following day, so at least we would have some travelling companions.

We had been advised by Helen and Tony (nb Holderness), whom we had only missed by an hour or so at Knottingley, that we must see the Abbey.

We came upon it all from the wrong angle – we had been seeking the Tourist Information Centre (which we found) and then the Monday market, which because of rain was substantially smaller in size, but walking through the arched access of The George Inn, we “stumbled” into the main street – full of shops and right beside the Abbey.

Coffee time first; then we went off to view the Abbey – we do so love looking through all of the old churches, but we both went “wow”as we entered – it is a remarkable first impression and to anyone making the journey up this way, you must see it.

Selby Abbey - impressive from the outside...

...but more so on the inside

Bapstismal font

There are links to the family of George Washington (before at least one of them went to the colonies), remarkable architecture – especially the vaulted ceilings; and not afraid to point out the bad points either.

We spent more time than usual in here before heading back outside again – it may have been the rain that kept us in the Abbey for longer but I think that it really was the building.

We explored our way around the town an bit more – found the Quaker’s dedication and the forever garden that they had left for the town of Selby; many of the other older buildings that were on the maps that the TIC had provided and followed the “three swans” trail as well.

A reminder to all about the legacy of the Quakers
who had been part of Selby

All-in-all it was an enjoyable day out in Selby – rain or no rain.

After all of that we still had a couple of things to do on the boat for the following day so we took care of that and then checked on the river again.

16 Miles, 4 Locks

YTD:  423 miles (681 km), 220 Locks, 15 Tunnels, 9 Lift Bridges, 18 Swing Bridges

Total: 5055 Miles (8135 km), 3371 Locks, 139 Tunnels, 75 Lift Bridges, 190 Swing Bridges