Cruising day today and it’s a glorious day for it. We do the usual routine of taking down the cratch covers, sorting out the bikes on the roof, making sure the anchor is ready, tiller on and all the other little faffy jobs done. ((This is going to be a long blog so if you happen to be ringing in sick – I hope you feel better soon, but then you can a lazy day recovering with an urn of coffee to read Peachy’s blog))
Our plan is to use the services at Beeston Lock. It’s a lovely but short cruise to the services where we spy another boater moored on the water point. Whilst we decide what to do; as if we moor on the other side these narrowboats are not the most maneuverable so trying to get it to the other side of the canal can be tricky. The chap from the boat hails us and suggests we double moor. Exciting, we haven’t done this before ((This is where two boats are side by side and tied to each other)) It works surprisingly well and within minutes we are tied onto his boat and having a good old natter.
Once he’s finished we do the tricky untying. I will try to explain without the visual – you will be able to see it on my vlog this Sunday ((Oh well done, good link Peachy. You are learning!)) I didn’t video the whole thing as we were worried our ropes would garott him or his aerial as he slowly cruised his boat under our centre line rope. ((Ohh, this is a bit like a boating limbo?)) oh you’re right Brackets. Then Chris pulled the boat into the water point and we tied up. Hope that makes sense. ((Probably not Peachy but I shouldn’t worry you Yorkshire head about it as 97.23% of what you write, say and think makes no sense!))
It’s all hands to the deck as we set the water to fill the tank as this is the longest job as I’ve explained before. We ((That royal we again)) empty the toilet and take the rubbish to the bins. I then take a wander across the bridge and to the marina shop to get some milk and other essentials ((by this she means ice-cream!)) Well, we are on holiday! ((Actually you’re not Peachy. You said you were going have two weeks of holiday and that was up yesterday)) Well, we decided to extend it okay!
I go and set the lock – this means I check the paddles on the far side of the lock are closed so that no water can come into the lock and then I open the paddles on nearside of the lock to let the water out. This means the lock gates can then be opened and the boat can cruise in. Then it’s time to closes the paddles on these gates, close the gates and open the paddles on the farside and let water in so the boat rises to the level of the water on the other side. I will try get Chris to video me doing a lock at some point to show you ((Well, I think you’ve explained that pretty well. Even I understand it.))
It’s a lovely cruise as the sun has decided to join us and once we are on the move, I knock up a coffee to enjoy whilst we cruise. The river is so much higher than when we came through here about the same time as last year. I tried to find a picture from last year so I can show the difference but was unable to find one. I think the lockie said it was about a 3 feet higher or 1 metre roughly in new money ;).
We soon arrive at Cranfleet Lock which was a tricky one last year. We moor on the landing lock and I wander up as there is someone coming down which is handy as it means the lock is set in our favour. We open the gates and they cruise out and Chris brings the boat into the lock. These gates are very big and heavy but I have a technique which is basically sort of pulling/bouncing the lock to get some momentum to be able to pull it open/closed. Once it’s moving, i can go around the other side and push it with your backside ((I’m saying nothing! Nothing!))
One thing that did annoy me was there was someone there with a dog. It’s standard that people stop and watch boats in locks. We used to, but this guy just let his dog wander around the lock whilst I was working it and as I pushed the lock gate open it ran onto it! How dangerous this could have been but he just carried on sitting on the bench not saying a thing. There would be no way I would let my dog wander onto lock gates whilst they were being opened or whilst people were trying to operate them. Slight rant over. Apart from this guy everyone we have met with a dog have been lovely.
I don’t know if maybe they have done some work on the lock mechanisms or if I’m just more experienced at operating locks but this once goes pretty well. Again, there should be a video on the vlog – sorry I promise I’m not trying to push the vlog but it’s easier to show on video sometimes than explain. ((Yeah, coz it’s not as if you’re an author or anything so should be able to explain things properly, is it?!))
Lock all done and set correctly, we move on. Some locks are different as a general rule of thumb you close all the paddles on each side of the lock but with Beeston lock you leave one paddle up on either side. I think this is due to the water coming off the river and managing it down this waterway but that’s only my thoughts!
We arrive just near Trent Lock around 1ish, moor up and have lunch. The moorings closest to Trent Lock/Erewash canal are 48 hours but where we are is two weeks. I looked back at my blog from last year and on day 3 we had already passed this area. We are currently on day 20 (in real time) well, we did say we were going to cruise slowly!
Chris wanders off on the Electric bike to go into Long Eaton which is the closest town to get himself some essential supplies. ((By this everyone now knows it means alcohol or food!)) and I start doing some clothes washing on the stern, some swans joined me but I’m not sure they were actually helping very much!
Right, I will leave it here. Sorry it’s been a long one but more to say when it’s a cruising day. We are probably going to stay in this area for a bit as we have things to do including going back to Newark to sort out a few things so the blogs should be shorter! ((small mercies!))
Until tomorrow… x
(in the picture you can see the arrow on the sign… when we came through last year there was a bank of sand/silt in front of it with various birds standing on the bottom. Shows how much more water is in it this year!)
C.L. Peache 