Unable to connect to internet yesterday, so here is the belated uppdate.
The Torksey lockie came onto the pontoon just before our scheduled departure time of 10.30am. He had come for a chat, naturally; and to tell us to look out for Easedale, one of the gravel barges that was on its way inbound. Chatting over, we cast off into a reasonable breeze which the approaching clouds would have us believe could get a bit stronger. Looking across the bank to our right as we made the turn out of the Fossdyke, I could see Easedale heading rapidly towards us on the flood . Keeping well over to our side, the skipper gave us a wave as we began pushing the flood towards West Stockwith. Passing Torksey castle on our right, another barge, Farndale H was heading towards us just under the railway bridge, again a wave from the skipper. Most of the way to Gainsborough it was in hazy sunshine, but a few of the reaches where the breeze had picked up were quite rough, the gusts leaning Martlet over a bit. There was an interesting chapel at Littleborough and a small tower on the hill at Burton Chateau just before Knaith. These helped to break up the industrial feel of the power stations on the banks. Gainsborough Mill could be seen a few miles beforehand and as we went past the mill, there was a number of flats (sorry – waterside apartments) under construction before the road bridge, and conversion of warehouses as we were almost out of the town. Fossdale H passed us as we left Gainsborough, I later called up Stockwith lock on VHF to be told that the lock would be ready for us on arrival. Rounding up as we passed the lock entrance, the lockie stood at the upstream bullnose of the lock. He had told me to head straight for him, and when he gave the signal, tiller hard over and full revs to enter the lock. With his help, we went straight into the lock, and a large fist full of reverse brought us to a stop. Ropes secured, we rose slowly and after leaving the lock, stopped for lunch through the road bridge. We stopped for the night at Br78 winding hole, with the rear end almost mid channel. We were on the bottom nearly all the way, the Chesterfield is no canal for a boat drawing 2’6” static!
The 2008 journey thus far: Locks - 65 Miles – 132
