Good Crew

Insist on taking mop out of your hands and offer to clean your boat for you.

This is to be encouraged at all times!

Bradford and Bingley

Really must get some thermals for winter time.

Not needed currently though.

The bottom of the Bingley 3 Rise waiting for crew to arrive (she was teaching t'ai chi 5 minutes walk away)

As a reward for all the hard work last time I let her steer into locks 2 and 3.

Not sure she appreciated it as she is afraid of heights so I pushing her beyond her comfort zone but hey you need a challenge every so often!

I bravely tackled the 5 Rise from the comfort of the boat while she chatted up the lockkeeper - turns out they go to the same open mic sessions.  No it wasn't Barry on lock duty !  :)

Lovely lovely crew

Wednesday I had crew that I had collected Tuesday evening.  She first insisted that she cook for me before we left her house (never one to refuse someone else's cooking I accepted with alacrity!) we then repaired to the boat and I experimented with setting the sofabed up for one person.  It seems to work so just need to get some foam to fill the 'gap' and I can maybe squeeze three guests that know each other well on board!  We went for a walk in the gloaming which was full dark by the time we returned.  Spooky.

Wednesday we set off from Rodley at 10.30 and arrived in Shipley around 4pm.  As it was slightly windy we decided that she would operate all the locks and swing bridges and I would be in charge of not letting the boat get stuck!

Slight kerfuffle at the first double lock we came to as I let her go up without instruction thinking that a) she would read the instructions b) that the crews working down would tell her what to do.  Not a bit of it so halfway through filling the bottom lock she and man from house nearby said they were going to have to fill top lock as it didn't have enough water in it!!!! Oh dear how embarrassing.  Eventually we got through and she helped the lockkeeper at the next triple so she is now aware of what should have happened!  No chance of any practice though as the Bingley 3 and 5 have lockkeepers on them.  Still she is a sucker for punishment and has offered her services for the next section too.

We cycled back to the car using both elec and normal bike which took just 50 mins and we got to the car just as the heavens opened which was good.  The rain had passed on by the time we returned to the boat to drop off the bikes and pick up her stuff before I took her home again.

Thursday I drove home in order to see my son play one of the Antipholus's in the Comedy of Errors in Sheffield.  This was very funny especially as the visiting set of separated twins from Syracuse were played by women.  The female Antipholus had to copy my son's mannerisms and she did it brilliantly.  Very talented.  The courtesan was played by a 6'4'' skinny bloke with huge shoulders and very high heels.  We repaired to the pub with the cast for a quick drink before driving home again.

All in all a good week.

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.

Oh the ignominy ...

of running aground in Leeds

With many watchers all around from high rise flats.

Admittedly not that building but the ones next to it!

I later redeemed myself by a faultless reverse into Clarence Dock which the wind finished off beautifully by gently pushing me sideways into a space just my size!!!

Previous mooring at Woodlesford.  A lovely spot indeed.

Success

What a fabulous day

Then we were overtaken by this!!

They operated Bulhome Lock for me, we nearly got them a lift for the next section with a narrowboat that joined us in the lock but that didn't work out.  I then had to reverse both boats back to some visitor moorings (as there was no room on the ones right by the flood lock) just as that gravel barge came back through the flood lock empty - much much bigger then!  They managed to avoid hitting us which was kind of them.

New engine required £4k - ouch

My engine after being serviced by little old me coped well with the extra effort.  Which was a relief.

They do loom rather

This is the mooring at Ferrybridge Flood Lock. 

You can't see them from the side window so actually this is not a bad place to moor.  There is a locked gate and room for about 4 boats.

Yesterday I managed to cycle my way out of Ferrybridge/Knottingly with the help of a travel direct printout, a lady, a man, and two groups of young boys.  

Once out of the built up area the cycle ride was a joy back to Eggborough to fetch the car.  

Back at the boat I then did the gearbox oil change.  (1000 hours one at 954) Having dismantled the engine bay to do this I decided it made sense to do the full service today before putting it all back together again.  This is the first full service I have done where no one has come and interfered. helped.  This is a bit of a worry as I have just offered to tow two old gents and their boat to Castleford tomorrow!!!

Here's hoping it all goes well.

Ex loading bay of some sort.

Whitley Lock

Davy's on the road again.

Under the M62.