Long tough day

Leeds upstream of the Armouries

Some of the old stuff in amongst the new buildings

sculpture

Moorings on the river section

Bottom of the 'here be dragons flights'.  A staircase of three.

I thought I had until 6pm to clear the bandit country so was a bit concerned when I spotted a notice on the last diy lock that said I had to be at the next lock by 3pm or I wouldn't get through.  aargh.  Double AARGH when I couldn't get the top gates to open.  After struggling for 20 mins I phoned CaRT and they put the lockkeepers on alert so they would wait for me.

Even after putting boat in gear and pushing myself on the lock beams I couldn't shift them.  Then a couple of walkers joined in and we managed to welease woderick.

I sped off arriving at the next lock at 3.20.  I then had a lovely relaxed time being locked up the single lock and the two triples.

My luck held for the two swing bridges as at the first one a broken down boat/boater operated it for me and the second one I started but then a walker took over.

For the unitiated swing bridges were designed for the horse boats and so they operate from the wrong side so as not to tangle the tow rope.  This means that as a single hander you have put your boats nose on the bridge, climb elegantly off the bows gripping bow rope.  Swing the bridge.  Climb equally elegantly back onto the boat, scrabble down the side again take boat through the bridge hole then reverse up to the bridge, climb off, clinging grimly onto the back rope and close the bridge, lock it and climb back and off you go.  Easy ........

a young girl sat on the open bridge parapet.  I advised her not to do that as the last girl to do so lost both her legs when her fellow 'mates' closed the bridge and then couldn't stop it once it had started.  So not nice.