Newark to Keadby

Sun 1^st May  Newark to Cromwell Lock

After a great lunch and time of catching up with Caroline and Shirley, they drove us back to the boat and came to have a look inside. They wanted to meet Hugo. Unfortunately, he was more interested in being fed than meeting new people.

Caroline, James, Hazel on Gabriel (taken by Shirley)

It was almost 5pm, and we had over an hour of cruising to do, so we said our farewells, and then quickly took the hood down, put the tiller on, and started the engine. We had moored facing up stream, so we did a U-turn, with the current to help the bows round, and we set off.  The final 15 seconds of this little manoeuvre was caught on video and posted on James’ Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/caroline.bonnett.3/videos/10208489988920332/

We passed under the A46 Bridge, which passes high above some old canal buildings. Just before nether Lock.  We had to wait for a boat to come up through Nether Lock before we could go in.

A46 Bridge

Newark Nether Lock

Soon after this we were at Crankley Point, where the main course of the River Trent joins up with the Newark Cut, which by now includes the contents of the River Devon. There is quite a lot of water about.

Crankley Point

On arrival at Cromwell Lock, We moored against a wall, as the mooring pontoon was full with three large cruisers, and a narrowboat moored on the inside. James wandered down to the lock to see what was what, and was surprised to find Chris the lock keeper, still on duty at 6.30pm. We discussed departure times and agreed on 10am.

1 lock, 5 miles

Mon 2^nd May  Cromwell Lock to Gainsborough

James visited the memorial to ten paratroopers who lost their lives on Cromwell Weir in 1975. They had been on an eighty mile navigation exercise, and due to a power cut, the weir was unlit and their craft went over in the dark. One person survived by hanging onto the craft for an hour.

Paratrooper memorial

After emptying three cassettes and some rubbish, we were ready to go.  We decided not to fill the water tank, so that the bows would be lighter.  Another narrowboat appeared (the one from the inside of the mooring pontoon), so we cast off to join them in the lock, even though it was half an hour earlier than we had planned. We couldn’t see a boat name, but it was blue with orange trim.  They were going as far as Torksey.  We left first, and set the pace.

Wind on the water above Cromwell Lock

Into Cromwell Lock

 Sharing Cromwell Lock with “Blue and Orange”

Cromwell Weir and Lock

We didn’t meet any gravel barges this time, although we saw evidence of gravel working.  The only boat we did meet was a large white cruiser, punching the tide and taking up more than his fair share of river.

Gravel loading quay

White cruiser

Here are a few pictures of the more significant sights we saw:

Carlton Mill

Swans taking flight

 Swans in flight

Fledborough Viaduct (now a footpath)

Lollipop corner

Dunham Dumps

Butlers Island

Torksey Viaduct

 Marton Mill

Gainsborough Arches

Moored at Gainsborough

We moored on the floating pontoon in Gainsborough, and went for a wander to see what the town has to offer, and to get some bits and pieces from Tesco.  We found a market place with stalls set up ready for use. There were some pubs. The waterfront has been restored with a riverside walkway.

Old and new in Gainsborough

Evening light on the river

Reflected sky

The wharves by night

1 lock, 24 miles

Tue 3rd May  Gainsborough to Keadby

Early morning in Gainsborough

In the morning, another BCF boat (Peter and Maureen on Blue Roan) pulled in to the pontoon "to water the dog" and we set off with them to Keadby, departing an hour before the planned time.  We had been told that, as it was a neap tide, we could get into Keadby Lock at any state of the tide.

Blue Roan

Here are some more landmarks on the Trent:

Morton Corner

West Stockwith – entry to the Chesterfield Canal

Windmill at Owston Ferry

Owston Ferry

 Windmill at West Butterwick

Keadby Bridge, built 1906, last raised 1956

Technically it is a requirement below Gainsborough to have a radio, but no-one asked to see ours. We did use it to call up Keadby Lock, about half an hour before our predicted arrival time.  It turned out that we were arriving an hour too early. We would have to wait for the tide to turn, before it was safe to go in over the sand bar at the lock entrance.  We tried and failed to contact Blue Roan on the radio, so we found their phone number from the BCF directory, and rang them to tell them.  We both slackened off the pace. 

Keadby Lock comes into view

Blue Roan outside Keadby Lock

When we arrived at Keadby, we were pleased to find no sign of the large ship that sometimes docks just above the lock mouth.  Blue Roan tied to the very high wharf, with help from the lock keeper, and we tied alongside.  There were two boats due to leave before we could go in. We had lunch and chatted to our fellow boaters. We were there for nearly an hour and a half before we had the green light. Gabriel went in first, keeping to the left to avoid the sandbank and then moving to the right once inside the lock. Blue Roan followed in behind, after sliding over another sandbank on the left. 

Into Keadby Lock

 Blue Roan entering Keadby Lock

Going up in the lock was a challenge, as there were only a couple of dangling chains to hang onto. Our mooring ropes had been taken by the lock keeper and tied to mooring points high above our heads.  However, we rose fairly slowly so there were no mishaps.

The lock keeper opened the swing bridge for us and we were on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal.

In the lock

Lock gates and swingbridge open

Blue Roan headed for the water point and we found a space on the visitor moorings. We hung out our washing to dry, and later we went on board Blue Roan for drinks and nibbles.

1 lock, 17 miles, 1 swing bridge.

Next few days: heading for Wakefield