Told you it was getting shallow

I have had an email stating that the locks are going to be locked to restrict water consumption.  However the  opening hours are 10am to 8pm.  Really can't see that having much affect.

Bank Newton

I have done all the work I have with me so I can now enjoy this lovely bit of the Leeds & Liverpool guilt free.  Bliss

The levels are dropping rather alarmingly and I am currently 2 feet out at the back and about 4 feet at the front.  The benefit of this I am finding is that even when a wide hireboat goes past I do not move an iota.  (The same could not be said when the same boat passed by on its way out from the hirebase last week)

The downsides are

1. that ducks/swans can nibble both sides of the boat!
2. if it continues to drop I may never leave the Leeds & Liverpool!  (not a problem I have plenty of friends up here but ...

Second batch of crew

were super fit and did things like running up to the locks etc.  Mad fools!!!!

Thanks you two.  You are welcome to join me again!  :)

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.