Sunday 6th May 2012
Bramwith to Keadby Moorings.
I was up at 5:30 this morning, the sun was streaming in through the windows and the grass was covered in a coat of white hore frost. Pheasants were calling form the nearby fields. After the dogs had been out and I had put a few more logs on the fire - I went back to bed.
At 9:30 I was awake again, this seems to be a much more welcome hour of the day. A few boats that had been moored near to us were setting off for the day. The sun was still shining and it seemed to be a day for taking your time.
At 10:30 a boater moored nearby asked to borrow our tap connector as they had left theirs behind on the last water point. I think everyone has done that at some time. So this is how we met the crew of Nb Greenham Mist.
At 11:00, we got underway and headed the short distance to the lock. We arrived just in time to share the lock with Nb Greenham Mist. We shared locks and swing bridges all the way to Keadby.
The sun was with us for most of the day and we only had two very short showers of rain. The wind however continued to have a bite to it. On arrival at Thorne Lock we found that the top and bottom gates were partly open. It seems it was set this way to run some water out of the canal. We also had a problem at Thorne Lock with the sensor on the top gates. We had to nudge the gate closed several times before the bottom sluice would operate.
As we came out of the lock we found about four people fishing from the landing. I let Rosie roll onto the mooring at slow speed so that they could get their rods out of the way - only to be met with a tirade of abuse. I tried to explain that its only idiots that would fish from a point where boat after boat would come in to pick up their crew - but it fell on deaf ears, or the light was on but there was no one home. I was also told we have got your boat name and we are going to report you to the police for deliberately trying to smash my fishing rod. I was shaking in my shoes, with laughter.
The Princess Royal swing bridge was also a problem. After trying for about half an hour I made a call to British Waterways. After I had hung up, the bridge decided to work again. Another quick call back to BW after we had made our way through saved the "man who can" from a wasted trip.
Wildlife: Apart from the Pheasants first thing this morning. Several trilling skylarks who were like small dots in the sky were noted. Several Coots and one Moorhen were noted sat on nests as we passed by. A few Meadow Brown butterflies were making the most of the sunshine.
I need to go and check the high tide tables on the River Trent at Keadby for a trip to West Stockwith Lock. Then we can have a cruise down the Chesterfield Canal.
Daily Total
Miles: 14.4
Locks: 2
Swing / Lift Bridges: 9
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 5.6
Accumulated Totals
Miles: 655.2
Locks: 648
Swing / Lift Bridges: 113
Tunnels: 6
Pump Outs: 9
Engine Hours: 2102.3
Later.....
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