The Easter Trip on Rosie 2011. (Week 3)

Friday. Day thirteen. Sprotboro Lock. - Eastwood Lock.

The six men in a boat saga continued when Westmoreland left the moorings early. However we had a more leisurely start to give them time to get ahead. We had an interesting altercation with fishermen and boats moored on the landing stage at Waddington lock, as reported elsewhere. click here

We passed Westmoreland again when they moored up at Swinton Road bridge. Which is coincidentally outside a pub. We pressed on and later I was treated to the sight of a Ring or Water Ouzel at Aldwarke Lock. Which is slightly smaller and a bit slimmer in size than a Blackbird. The give away being the striking white blaze across the birds chest. This sighting was almost in the same place as we saw an Osprey last year. We soon arrived at Eastwood Lock to meet up with the crew of Nb Wayward Spinner again. The Memsahib, was feeling the need for some more shopping therapy and soon disappeared off down the towpath in the direction of the Parkgate Retail Park.

It was good to watch the evening departure of the large group of swans that frequent the area around Tully's boat yard. The mass take off (in several waves of up to 20+ birds) each evening is a sight worth seeing. The best views are from the moorings at Eastwood lock.  However the morning inward flights tend to be a bit more fragmented and birds arrive in smaller groups.

We spent an interesting evening swapping tales with the crew of Nb Wayward Spinner. Nb Westmoreland passed us as it was going dark, obviously needing to moor closer to a canal side pub. Rotherham town lock being the closest location for a selection of local hostelries and hostilities. An uneventful and quiet night was enjoyed by all.

Saturday. Day fourteen. Eastwood Lock - Ickles Lock

We were up early - the Memsahib needed to go back to the retail park to buy a coat that she had seen but did not purchase. I don't understand why, but it seems I was also required to visit the retail park as well. The outcome - she bought two coats but not including the one she went back for in the first place. Me, all I got was wet through and a pack of three rubble sacks. The Memsahib however was able to wear one of the coats she had just purchased. I wore a tee shirt, shorts, sandals and a grimace.

We had an interesting time at Rotherham town lock as a very young fellow accompanied by his mum asked all about what we were doing. I did a running commentary of what and why we did each step. When we had finished he was quite satisfied. He did however turn down our offer to be the  cabin boy operating the locks for the rest of the voyage and trotted off with his mum towards the town centre.

On our outward bound trip we had noticed that there was a build up of mud where the Sheffield canal deviates away from the River Don just after Rotherham Town lock. It was no better on our return, hopefully when the flow of water returns with the rain it will be flushed away. Soon we arrived at Ickles Lock, the sluices have to be opened gingerly on this lock as the flow can be very fierce. We moored up close to the site of the Sheffield and Rotherham Canal Association for the night. We helped to lock Nb Phoenix through the lock.

Sunday. Day fifteen. Ickles Lock – Tinsley Marina

Today was something of an anti-climax as we progressed from our overnight moorings at Ickles Lock, passing through Holmes and Jordans locks to reach the bottom of the Tinsley Flight. A couple of hours going up through the flight in company with Widebeam Toad has us back at our moorings. Just in time for the Memsahib to do a quick mucking out session and for me to draw up a list of jobs to catch up on.

Distance 104  miles
Locks 77 locks
Swing / Lift Bridges 16
1 Pump-out

Rosie's Running Total
Distance 227 miles
Locks 156
Swing / Lift Bridges 25
2 Pump-outs

Later....