Voyages of Gabriel: RWBC to West Stockwith

Fri 11^th Aug RWBC to Manor Farm Bridge

At least two boats passed our mooring at RWBC heading down stream. One was Robin Hood, a hire boat.

We emptied two cassettes, filled up with water and disposed of rubbish. Hazel had bought some plants in Retford, and she had planted them out yesterday. We watered them well this morning before putting them on the roof.

As we set off under the bridge, we passed Firefly moored up. We hadn’t realised he moored here at the club.

Departing from RWBC

We had only gone a few boat lengths before James had to visit the weed hatch and remove a pile of the green stuff. We find that if we go too slowly, such as when passing moored boats, we pick up weed. If we put too much power on, the stern digs down, and again we pick up weed. A moderate steady speed seems to do the trick, with an occasional reverse thrust to clear the prop in deeper water or shady areas like under bridges.

Pile of weed

It was a very hot day, and James regretted his error with the hood, as some shade would have been nice. Harvesting locally had caused a lot of dust settle on the water, so the fish were not so visible.

Harvesting

Dust on the surface

As mentioned in this blog earlier, there is a bridge in Wiseton officially called “Lady’s Bridge”. It is otherwise known as “Old Man Bridge” because of the stone effigies above the arch. We recently had a communication from Canal and River Trust which referred to it as “Man Face Bridge”

Lady’s Bridge

Stone faces

Communication from C&RT

Drakeholes Tunnel is very short and you can see right through. Even so, Health and Safety has gone to extremes, and we are advised to sound a horn, use a tunnel light and wear a lifejacket.

Moorings and winding hole by Drakeholes Tunnel

Drakeholes Tunnel

Safety notice

Buzzard

Gringley Lock had only one top paddle working, and it took a long time to fill, as there was severe leakage through the bottom gates. Having brought the boat in, and raised one of the bottom paddles, we found it impossible to walk across the gates as the handrail and the paddle gear were too close together. Moreover, the adjacent bridge was fenced off so that we couldn’t use it. We just took our time and used the one paddle. It was too hot to walk round.

Gringley Lock

Leakage from bottom gates

Gates too restrictive to walk across

The next lock was Shaw Lock, which had hydraulic paddle gear with a square spindle. The bridge below it had W&GN 1830 engraved on a stone above the arch. Not sure what these initials stand for.

Shaw Lock

W&GN

We passed what we thought, on the way up, might be the start of a new marina. On reflection, we think it was an old canal basin for the brickworks. It has since been disconnected from the canal, perhaps to save water.

Brickworks chimney

Old Canal Basin

We passed the two hire boats, Robin Hood, and Maid Marian, moored where we had stopped on the way up. That mooring faces south, and had no shade. We chose a spot further round the corner, after Manor Farm Bridge, facing east, so we would have shade for the afternoon. It was opposite a winding hole, where usually we shouldn’t moor. However, James had seen it as a suggested mooring option on the website for the Chesterfield Canal Society. The only boats we saw going past after that were the two hire boats again, on their way to West Stockwith on the last day of their hire period.

Moored near the winding hole

It was a peaceful place, except for a baling machine behind the hedge. It was a huge field, so he didn’t come past very often. We then had a yellow light sunset. Two tawny owls in the willow trees opposite.

Baling going on behind the hedge

Four hours later – nearly finished

Grasses catching the sun

Evening sky

2 locks, 7 miles, 1 tunnel. Dep 0935, arr 1335.

Sat 13^th Aug Manor Farm Bridge to West Stockwith

This morning we awoke to the sight of mist.

Those bales again

Misty morning

We didn’t have far to go today, but we still had a weed hatch visit. We saw swallows and rabbits before our shopping stop in Misterton, where we visited the excellent butcher, and also the Co-op.

Swallows on a roof

Rabbits in the shade

Shopping stop at Misterton

The final two locks followed, and as we arrived at the bridge into the basin, we saw Deres Arv moored. They had been on the summit pound with us briefly.

Misterton Low Lock

Deres Arv

We found a mooring, stern on to the quayside, next to the two hire boats. These are apparently visitor moorings. We had thought they were for permanent moorers.

We spoke to the lock keeper about the man who sells diesel using a mobile tank, but when we rang, we found he had given up a year ago. As were a bit low, James emptied one of the spare cans into the tank. We don’t want to run out on the tidal Trent!

We went for a meal at the Waterfront Inn, which was very close by. Proper pub food.

James started chatting to Martin and Karen of Sousant, moored alongside us. They had arrived from Keadby this morning, and were going to do the Chesterfield. They mentioned that the Trent Aegir was due in a few minutes, so we went to watch it. It happens when the incoming tide meets the river flow, causing a wave going upstream, like the Severn Bore. We arrived at the the lock entrance, and the tide was flowing out. Suddenly there was some splashing and there was a small wave, and the river was flowing the other way.