7/9 Torksey Lock to Godnow Swing Bridge (Keadby and Stainforth Canal)

This is a condensed version of today's blog. The original version somehow got deleted 🙁

Everyone had planned a sleep in today, how ever the tug boat put paid to that when before 7.00am he arrived  to retrieve the small barge that was moored behind Aqua Life and moved it to the dredger at the entrance to the channel who then started dredging.

Andy came by to say that he had talked to the crew on NB Serendipity and that they had done the trip to Keadby on four previous occasions and he thought we should follow them to Keadby instead of stopping at West Stockwith. So L. rang the Keadby Lockkeeper and explained we had never done the trip before and the Lockkeeper said no worries mate, leave Torksey at 12.30pm and you'll be fine. So the plans changed yet again.

Andy and Danny,

our travelling companions for the past 2 1/2 days. Today, they will be following us down the river until they make the turn for West Stockwith Lock and travel up the Chesterfield Canal. We will miss their company.

At 12.30 we were all ready; NB Serendipity went first, followed by Aqua Life and then Daisy May.

First obstacle was to navigate around the dredger and barge, then it was out to punch the tide for a couple of hours which kept our speed down to 4mph. This time we had remembered to don our life jackets.

We passed by the ruins of Torksey Castle, abandoned since the 16thC.

Thought it was time I threw in a church

Despite the overcast sky, it was warm and still and along with the water levels, conditions were perfect for cruising the tidal Trent in a Narrowboat.  Lawrence concentrating on our course.

Now, I don't want anyone to be under the illusion that I was just a passenger for this part of the trip. I was extremely busy. Besides having to relate our course and position to the charts and report any hazards, I had to keep times for each section, jump up and down to check on the revs, look at the speedo ap on the phone - keep up a running commentary to the skipper red all this info AND keep him supplied with fluids and food AND keep watch for floating hazards.

It eventually dawned on me, that as long as we followed in NB Serendipity's wake, provided they didn't sink or run aground all I really had to do was keep track of the time taken for each section. I think Lawrence was just enjoying watching me faff about and panic.

Rounding a bend overlooked by the folly 'Burton Chateau'

A barge tug/pusher thingie going up river

Gainsborough Bridge, the tide has well and truely turned now and we are barrelling along at 6 to 7 mph

Old wharves at Gainsborough.

4 1/2 miles after leaving Gainsborough we waved goodbye to Andy and Danny as they made the turn for West Stockwith Lock.

Just one of the floating hazards to be avoided - getting stuff like this wrapped around your propeller would be disastrous.

Keadby lift rail bridge. Built in 1916, when operated , water is pumped in to the big counter balance tank on the right hand end. Once filled with water the right hand bridge span tips upward.

Only a few hundred metres to the lock entrance.

Into the lock we go. Lawrence scored 9/10. He lost one point for making the turn too early but got 9 points for rectifying the problem and not hitting the wall or getting stuck on the mudbank on the downstream side of the entrance, we got a text from Andy - he have himself a 7/10 cos he hit the wall.

Lawrence and Nigel yarning while the lock slowly fills.

Leaving Keadby behind, ploughing our way through the weed

We've entered the flat country

And here is a pic to prove that occasionally I do do a bit of steering.

We moored up for the night just through Godnow Swing Bridge at 7.15pm. My first electrically operated swing bridge, luckily the level crossing guard was on hand to guide me through the instructions. We had finished mooring up and were about to start dinner when NB Serendipity hove into view. The weed had choked her weed hatch and Nigel had to stop to clear it. Lawrence and I opened the bridge for them getting more practice at holding up motor traffic for narrowboats.

Had a good chat to Nigel and Kim and they suggested we do the Leeds and Liverpool canal down into Manchester and then if we have time, exit Manchester via the Ashton and Peak Forest Canals and thence onto the Macclesfield. Sounds like a plan!

The day, and the tidal Trent went without a hitch, we couldn't have had better conditions and, as Lawrence said, he was never worried as I was doing enough for both of us.

32 miles (inc 27 tidal miles), 1 lock, 4 swing bridges in 6 3/4 hours.