Monday 28th March
We’re off the Trent, hurrah! Actually it hasn’t been too bad. Today we left Torksey at 7-30am and travelled 27.5 miles to Keadby where we turned on to the Stainforth and Keadby canal on our way to the Aire and Calder.
It was frosty and foggy this morning when we set off. We were rushing around a bit because I set the alarm for 6. Unfortunately, as I haven’t set an alarm lately, I managed to set it for 6PM rather than 6AM! Consequently it didn’t go off and we were late up.
At 7-20am the other boat which was going to Keadby today left the moorings, trying to get the drop on us and get to the lock first. As it happens he didn’t need to do that because there is room for 3 boats in Keadby lock. We and B and B left the moorings at 7-30am and rounding the corner after about 10 minuites cruising spotted in the foggy gloom an island in the middle of the river. Glancing at the Nicholson’s we could see the widest part of the waterway was to the left of this island. Barry has boating sat nav (posh) so he could also see to go to the left. Unfortunately the boat which had left before us had gone the wrong side of the island and had become grounded. With the tide running out quite fast we were unable stop and help them because of the flow of the water. Although we felt quite bad just leaving them there there was no guarantee we would have been able to get them off and then we may have missed the window of opportunity at Keadby Lock.
I phoned Keadby and told them this boat was stuck and he told us we couldn’t do anything and to keep coming. There was a bit of a cock up as we got near the lock because there were 2 boats in the lock already and I phoned to say we were nearly there and the lock keeper said we could go straight in with these 2 and all 3 of us could go up together. I told him there were 2 of us as well and he said he would lock the 2 already in the lock up and we would have to wait, treading water on the river while he got the the lock ready again. Fortunately the tide had just turned so this was not very difficult.
When we eventually got in the lock I asked the lock keeper if he had heard anything from the people who had grounded earlier but they hadn’t informed him that they wouldn’t be coming or anything so he didn’t know what was going on with them.
After we came out of the lock we found all the visitor moorings without boats in had anglers on them! We wanted to moor up so when we pulled level I had to let them know we were coming in and they had to pack up their gear quick!
There are 2 pubs here and you can see them both from the moorings. We all felt we deserved a drink after 5 hours on the Trent in freezing foggy conditions (to start with) and having to wait for the lock. But, disaster, both pubs were not only closed but closed down!
However, all was not lost, one of the anglers (who we hadn’t had to move) directed us to the nearest pub (not near enough for George though) so off we went. It was a good job George didn’t come with us because the resident pub dog, Charlie the bulldog, was holding court! Mind you by that time it would have been warm enough to sit outside anyway.
Tomorrow we are hoping to get to Thorne and hole up for Wednesday as it is supposed to rain. It is only 10 miles but there is a sliding railway bridge, 5 swing bridges and a lift bridge between here and there. Deep joy!
