Friday 9/9 Sykehouse Lock to Ferrybridge (Aire & Calder Navigation)

Another lazy start to the day. While I showered Lawrence walked back to Sykehouse Lock/sb and found a very chatty lock keeper in attendance. He told L. that we had done well last evening, that if you don't do it all in the right sequence " it all goes to shit". L. took this pic of the lock this morning with the swing bridge open

Where the sb sits when open

We moored up last night in the stretch between the lock and Kirk Lane sb. The sight of Sykehouse Rd lift bridge in the far distance was what stopped us.

We set off at 10.10am and in a few hundred metres We were at Kirk Lane sb and the cottage beside it.

The sb in the process of swinging open. Not a better pic because I had to keep a finger on the open bridge button on the grey box.

Lawrence taking Aqua Life through with the bridge fully open

And hovering, waiting to pick me up. It was quite windy which makes hovering really hard and L. is doing a masterly job.

Onto Sykehouse Rd Bridge

The bridge starting to lift

After Aqua Life had gone through I closed that bridge and then wait for the traffic that had built up to disperse before attempting to cross the road. I'm sure a boater who had held up someone inclined to road rage for 10 or 15 minutes would make a tempting target. After removing the boat we cruised up the canal for a 1/2mile or so and Lawrence requested I put the key back in the ignition. For some reason it is the custom with narrowboats to keep the ignition key, the door key and the CRT key all on the one ring attached to a blotchy brown cork ball. The cork ball I can understand. So to use the CRT key, you remove the keys for the ignition, which doesn't turn the engine off.

Now as you know, I need the CRT key to operate the electric lift and swing bridges. So I felt in my pocket for the key - NO KEY!

I remembered that I had taken my hands out of my pockets as I stepped back on board the boat at the lift bridge. You can imagine the string of profanities that fell out of my mouth when I realised I had dropped the bloody keys into the cut, which is huge and choppy from the wind -how were we going to find a half submerged motley brown cork ball!

Lawrence turned the boat around, not easy in the wind. He was very sweet and didn't yell or lecture. He sent me forward to scan the water as we went back - perfectly fruitless task in the conditions.

We got back to the lock landing and I'd hopped off to start searching the water when a single hander appeared bow hauling his boat through the partially open bridge. He called out "come back for your keys then , they're still in the box?"

I can't tell you the feeling of relief the flooded through me, hearing those mocking words. I told him how happy I was that I hadn't dropped them in the water and the cheeky sod said "in that case you can close the bridge for me".  That I might have left them in the control panel never occurred to me.

One thing I did learn from this little episode - besides don't leave ones keys behind is that you don't have to fully open the lifts bridges (which takes forever). You can take your finger off the button as soon as there is enough room for your boat and skippers head to get through unscathed.

So with today's drama over and done with we proceeded to the last bridge on the New Junction canal

Immediately after we crossed the Went Aqueduct, in the distance you can see the junction where we turn left

At 11.20am we turned onto the Aire and Calder Navigation, made up of the Aire and Calder Rivers interspersed with canalised sections.

Leaving the huge Pollington Lock - with the key back in the ignition!

Going through the outskirts of Nottingly, the heart of power station country, we have been passing huge mountains of coal which was once all shipped in via the canal network.

Someone is try to bring a little colour to the canal along here

We moored up at Ferrybridge, now joined to Nottingley  just shy of 3.00pm. I wasn't sure why L. wanted to stop so early, and in such a place. As soon as we were tied up, all became clear; he shot into the boat and pulled out his table and started streaming the last 1/4 of the Geelong/Hawthorn match.

As there were no other boats moored in sight of us I went for a walk to see if any further moorings were available. Further on, just before the Ferrybridge flood lock I found some gated CRT visitor moorings. By the time I got back to the boat the footy had finished and Lawrence was a very happy boy. We moved the boat to the CRT moorings and although we are still alone we both feel more comfortable.

Tonight's mooring in Ferrybridge.

13miles, 2 swing bridges, 2 locks in 5 hrs