narrowboatworld

THE urge for She Who Must, etc, etc, to take the boat through Standedge Tunnel now that it is self-drive, really was too much, so against much kicking and screaming from the rest of the crew, once again the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was attempted.

I particularly mention 'attempted', for though we managed it once when boats had to be dragged through in a convoy, alas once when we attempted it they closed the canal completely, and at our next attempt it was closed when water leaked into a factory from a lock, so that it (the lock) could not be used. So it really was third time lucky.

Sunday sailors

Down the Trent from Sawley on a Sunday for a change, and for the first time ever, after using the river countless  times during week-days, we actually saw sailing dinghies—and very obviously Sunday Sailors. With one who was so intent on winning he ended up clouting us, as we obviously hadn't the manoeuvrability to get out of the idiot's way, but he came off worse! And yes, we had taken the marshal's advice and kept to the left and kept the speed down as told.

This time we had company in the form of very much newbie Ray on his recently purchased Dianne, who's only boating experience was six days on the Trent & Mersey Canal, single handed. Not really a good start to boating, and though many do, and safely, I won't take the boat single handed even after 18 years! And Ray was taking it down the tidal Trent to Torksey.  His map reading skills left something to be desired, for telling a fellow boater where he was going, the boater pointed out that he had taken the wrong turning—he had turned onto the Soar!

However he certainly wasn't a know-all, so we had pleasure in giving a bit of instruction, which was appreciated, mind you, he does go on a bit! We had a bit of a problem mooring on the pontoon at Newark, for three boats had nicely spaced out taking up the space for four, so it was a struggle mooring for the night elsewhere.  This was right outside the British Waterway offices, but obviously such mooring was of little concern.

Then down onto the tidal at Cromwell Lock, with Ray close behind, until we reached the pontoon at Torksey for the next night to wait for the right tide. On the pontoon was moored a great plastic job whose skipper had managed to bugger-up one of his engines racing against the tide,  and was going around in circles, so suffered the ignominy of being dragged up river by a narrowboat!

The narrowboater explained that though the plastic job came up river at a fair rate of knots, he did ease off whilst passing, otherwise he would not have had a tow!

An engineer rolled up complete with tools, but soon departed followed by the crew with long faces, loaded down with bags trundling to the road.