Bath Night for Dash

That Damn Cat still hasn't found out the fact that water is wet. For the fourth time he has fallen in. Luckily enough for him I was working on the bows of the boat and was able to call him to the side of the canal, grab him by the scruff and lift him out. Along the canal here at the visitor moorings at Torksey the canalside is piled and so no easy way to climb out.

I am undecided at the moment as to whether to go out onto the Trent and turn left or right. I will make my decision on Wednesday when I check to see if the fuel tank holds enough to get me to Newark which is the nearest place to pick up suppies.

A very interesting day.

Leaving Hazelford after seeing Beth and Christine yesterday I headed off for Newark. As soon as I cast off I saw a boat that believed in carrying spare firewood just in case. Well I carry some but there is nothing like being on the safe side.



One always returns faster than on the outward journey and with what seems like minutes I was at the Bromley Arms at Fiskerton. Well worth stopping at for a pint etc if you can get a space.



The river is rather busy on a sunny Sunday. I had to move out of the way for some of the fast women of Newark. The coach in the launch had trouble keeping up with them and they soon disappeared from view.



One starts to think that there are suicide swans on the river. This pair came galloping along the water straight towards me before taking off and banking over and coming by rather close to the boat. I guess they know what they are doing.

The Town Lock had its fair share of gangoozellers. There is not much of a mooring here but I moored up next to a floating tank that gave access to the lock. Into the lock and as I returned to the stern to move – disaster – I caught my jeans on the window drip ledge and ended up with a tear in them. Got to the stern and found that I had torn the pocket as well and my mobile dropped out on to the deck. Close. It could have gone overboard.



Today’s lesson in ornithology was in view. The Oystercatcher. I bet they haven’t found many oysters on the Trent.

I was going to moor for the night at Nether Lock so that the cat wouldn’t have to negotiate the fence to get ashore. I found nowhere to moor above the lock so went through and tied up the other side. This was not a good place to stop. The gunnel of the boat fitted under the lip of the mooring and would have been hitting the cabin all night. A lovely day so moved on towards Cromwell Lock.



The village of North Muskham is quite picturesque with the church near the river side. It has a fine east window. There is a pub with moorings if you fancy stopping. Just the other side of the village is a long sweeping line of weeping willows. What a pity that there are a few missing in the middle.
And thus to Cromwell Lock.

Here was the most memorable part of the day. A gentleman came down to the pontoon and asked if it would hold a number of people on it to which I replied in the affirmative. There were a number of people on the bank and I then realised that it was a Sikh funeral. I asked if I could take a photograph and with permission given I watched from the boat.



Firstly a service with prayers was held on the bank.



And then part of the group came onto the pontoon to scatter the ashes of the departed on the water.



After the ashes had been immersed white roses were scattered on the water. One gentleman came up afterwards and apologised for intruding. I felt like apologising for being there. I was privileged to be there at a lovely sort of final send off.

Newark to Hazelford

The mooring outside the BW Offices is to be recommended. I had a very quiet night and didn’t hear a sound. The mooring is very long and the only people that come along that way are those going to the houses and that’s about it. The cat – Dash – did his best to give me a heart attack. He wanted a run ashore and who was I to stop him. The only small snag was that the top of the bank was a large concrete block and to reach it he would have to jump through the fence. This had two rods running only it and he had to miss these on his way up. I did hear his back come into contact at least once while he jumped. However he never fell in so I must be thankful for small mercies.

A fairly typical spring day. Chilly and slightly misty with the hope of the sun coming out later.

Leaving the pontoon one almost immediately reaches the old Town Bridge. Throughout Newark is quite photogenic and with the scene astern of me still retaining the old wharf frontages it is a vast improvement on what was here on my last visit. A gazetteer I have says that there are five arches to the bridge while Nicholsons says seven. The picture says that there are –

Through the bridge and there is the castle. Opposite it was once a car park but now it is a public garden/park. It looks nice but the drinkers inhabit it much to Newarks detriment. They can be seen just standing in the open having a pee on to a bush without the slightest attempt to be under cover. Such is todays responsible drinkers.



Past the castle and into the Town Lock. As at Cromwell and Nether Lock the area is very clean and tidy. There must be a competition going on or are the lock keepers just a dedicated bunch.



The other side of the lock has the feel of the way it was at the beginning of the last century but without the smoke and drabness. Many of the original building now house restaurants and the like.

From here on the canal/river has a much more interesting feel to it. It meanders along as though the bend had just been invented. As soon as one bend is complete there is another.



Going around one bend and it is bit of a surprise when you first see Averham Weir. Not as big or powerful as the one at Cromwell but is does seem so very big. Keeping to the left and it is not a problem but you can still feel the pull from it.



With that out of the way one can then see that Credit Crunch or no Credit Crunch building work is still under way at Staythorpe Power Station. Its going green and becoming a gas powered version of its former self. It really is on a massive scale.

There are two marinas along here and the second one comes up at Farndon and then its Fiskerton and the Bromley Arms. I manage to slide in to the gap left on the pontoon. The trip boat from the pub is moored up and as I take up every inch of the remaining mooring I decided to make a cup of tea and move on to let the customers get to the beer.



Its only a couple of bends to Hazelford Lock and it is here I will spend the night and turn around for the run back to Lincoln. Hazelford Lock is as pristine as all the others. There are plenty of picnic benches and BBQs and the lockkeeper has some disposable ones if you forget to bring one. The lock is on an island but access ashore is via a bridge and a BW key to get out.

Cromwell Lock to Newark

Its only a mile or so from Cromwell Lock to Newark Nether Lock. I wasn’t in a hurry and whilst downing my second cup of tea I had a visit from Les the lock keeper. The lock at Newark was having a problem with one of the paddles and there was a possibility of a delay. There is only one thing to do in response to this sort of thing – put the kettle on and have another cup of tea.

Les has lived on his boat Country Rose for a number of years alongside which I was moored next to last night. He would like to get a bigger one but over the years has become so attached to it that he can’t bear to part with it.

I left the boat on tick over as I travelled slowly giving as much time as possible to finish the repair before I arrived.

Nether Lock is on the left and has a water source coming head on as you approach. I don’t know where the source comes from but it looks as though they used too much soap. Actually it is the overflow from the canal. A good mooring but unyielding and very solid if you get the approach wrong. The lock was working again by the time I arrived and the keepers were busy putting finishing touches to paintwork. There must be some rivalry between the locks as to the Best Kept Lock Competition.

On the way to the lock I had one of those moments when you wonder what the morons that dump the fridges etc into the rivers and canals are thinking of. I passed three and the ever present tyres and gas bottles. Apart from those the banks are quite clear till one reaches the outskirts of Newark and the rebuilding and demolition work.



Newark has changed a lot since the last time I was here. Loads of new buildings and moorings along the canal. Just the place to stop if you want a run ashore with all the amenities near at hand. I am moored just short of the castle and two minutes from the centre and three supermarkets.

This might be a quiet mooring at night but if you fancy a snooze during the day then beware. Across the canal from here is a scrapyard and today they were moving the metal about. Noisy!!