CX54WEK
New member
Day One (Good Friday) – Burton Waters to Torksey
An easy start to the week but always a nice way to ease into holiday mode following a long period at work. With Liam working on Friday it wasn’t until 7pm that we finally fired up the engine, untied the ropes and set sail into the fading light.
A quick phone call to the lockie at Torksey earlier in the day confirmed that we would be fine to moor down by the lock as the majority of boats had set out that day leaving the moorings fairly free. With a tide time of 8.30am the following morning it was nice to know we wouldn’t have to wake up quite so early now we could moor by the lock, so you can imagine our surprise when we arrive at the lock in the now dusky light to find the moorings full with two very large cruisers.
With a bit of jiggling and some decent helming from Liam we finally managed to wedge NC into a tight gap and settle in for the evening with a few quiet drinks. Or so we thought. It wasn’t long before we were joined for drinks by some friends moored at the other end of the moorings some 1km further upstream. Well we may as well start the holiday as we mean to go on.
8 miles, 0 Locks, 0 Swing/Lift Bridges
Day Two – Torksey to Pollington
This was always going to the longest day of the holiday with almost 12 hours to kill on the tidal Trent and tidal Ouse. We were due to leave Torksey at 8.30am and were not expected at Ocean Lock, Goole until 7pm at the very earliest.
At 8.30am promptly the lock gates opened and the light turned to green. We were to be joined on our first leg of this journey by another larger Sealine and her crew on their first trip on the tidal Trent. They were heading for West Stockwith whilst we were heading for our planned pit stop at Gainsborough for a few hours shopping and stretching our legs.
Sealine on the Tidal Trent
Torksey Castle beside the Tidal Trent
With the weather dull but dry and reasonably warm we enjoyed a gentle cruise with the tide, enjoying the early spring scenery and watching the wildlife on the river banks. After about an hour and a half of gentle cruising the arches of Gainsborough road bridge approached, signalling the start of the derestricted speed limits on the ABP waters. It would be rude not too so we had a quick blast down river soon leaving the heavier and slower boat behind. As we were mooring in Gainsborough anyway and we had left the moorings well behind we had a quick blast back meeting the bigger Sealine part way back.
Now whether we cocked up or we just hit the wake slightly skewed we still don’t know, but NC didn’t land very well from her jump at 25 knots over the bigger boats monster wake and landed on the hull side missing the hull bottom and chine completely. The resultant bang was enough to open the fridge door, bring a light fitting down from the ceiling and open the pan door which had been thoroughly locked shut. Fearing that the boat may be severely damaged we made a quick exit to the moorings where we could tie her up and survey the damage.
To our amazement there were no visible signs of damage. The true test of course will come the next time she is lifted from the water. With this little fright behind us we set about shopping for a few items I had missed off the list and before we knew what had happened we were well behind schedule for setting off the Trent End.
NC moored in Gainsborough
River Trent at Gainsborough
With a big spring tide behind us we were now making good progress towards Trent End where we would anchor up for a couple of hours and wait for the incoming tide to take us back up the Ouse to Goole. With just a couple of miles to go it looked like we would enter the anchorage with no problems despite setting off later than planned, until the depth sounder started showing less and less water well in the navigable channel. We slowed to a crawl before deciding it was no longer wise to carry on and dropped the anchor before the beached the boat. It was a peaceful enough spot and with no water in the channel we were not causing an obstruction to navigation so we brewed the coffee, broke out the cheese and crackers and listened to some music whilst waiting for the tide to lift us back off the bottom.
A pleasant enough place to anchor
Not much water here
Burton Stather Wharf
After what seemed like an age, but was in reality only a couple of hours, NC started to eerily swing around the anchor signalling the change of the tide. With the water now flowing in fast and the anchor holding against the change of tide it was only a half hour or so before we had enough water to safely continue on our way.
The last two miles to the Apex light at Trent End took an age. Fighting the current NC was making headway of a little over 2mph. With the water levels still not great we didn’t want to run the risk of planning and running aground at speed so we plodded on, ploughing our way through the muddy waters.
Eventually with the Apex Light in sight and the waters deep enough and safe enough we climbed onto the plane and gave NC the chance to stretch her legs on the Ouse as we attempted to catch another boat heading for the same locking as us but some 20 minutes ahead of us. With a big tide behind her NC was cruising gamely at 36mph seemingly enjoying the run and no worse the wear for her earlier misadventure. With Goole Docks in sight and lockie urging us on we entered what has to be one of the biggest inland locks in the UK. No need to tie up here.
Ocean Lock, Goole Docks
Within minutes the lock was full and we were let on our way through the Docks and onto the calmer waters of the Aire and Calder Navigation. Still very much a commercial waterway in its own right.
Goole Docks
On safer waters we both felt much better about the day and laughed and joked our way the 6 miles further upstream to Pollington Lock, our moorings for the evening. With the boat safely moored up we wandered into the village for a well earned curry, which was even better than we remembered. With full bellies we climbed back into bed ready for a long nights sleep
Pollington Lock
70 Miles, 2 Locks, 0 Swing/Lift Bridges
Running Totals: 78 Miles, 2 Locks, 0 Swing/Lift Bridges
An easy start to the week but always a nice way to ease into holiday mode following a long period at work. With Liam working on Friday it wasn’t until 7pm that we finally fired up the engine, untied the ropes and set sail into the fading light.
A quick phone call to the lockie at Torksey earlier in the day confirmed that we would be fine to moor down by the lock as the majority of boats had set out that day leaving the moorings fairly free. With a tide time of 8.30am the following morning it was nice to know we wouldn’t have to wake up quite so early now we could moor by the lock, so you can imagine our surprise when we arrive at the lock in the now dusky light to find the moorings full with two very large cruisers.
With a bit of jiggling and some decent helming from Liam we finally managed to wedge NC into a tight gap and settle in for the evening with a few quiet drinks. Or so we thought. It wasn’t long before we were joined for drinks by some friends moored at the other end of the moorings some 1km further upstream. Well we may as well start the holiday as we mean to go on.
8 miles, 0 Locks, 0 Swing/Lift Bridges
Day Two – Torksey to Pollington
This was always going to the longest day of the holiday with almost 12 hours to kill on the tidal Trent and tidal Ouse. We were due to leave Torksey at 8.30am and were not expected at Ocean Lock, Goole until 7pm at the very earliest.
At 8.30am promptly the lock gates opened and the light turned to green. We were to be joined on our first leg of this journey by another larger Sealine and her crew on their first trip on the tidal Trent. They were heading for West Stockwith whilst we were heading for our planned pit stop at Gainsborough for a few hours shopping and stretching our legs.
Sealine on the Tidal Trent
Torksey Castle beside the Tidal Trent
With the weather dull but dry and reasonably warm we enjoyed a gentle cruise with the tide, enjoying the early spring scenery and watching the wildlife on the river banks. After about an hour and a half of gentle cruising the arches of Gainsborough road bridge approached, signalling the start of the derestricted speed limits on the ABP waters. It would be rude not too so we had a quick blast down river soon leaving the heavier and slower boat behind. As we were mooring in Gainsborough anyway and we had left the moorings well behind we had a quick blast back meeting the bigger Sealine part way back.
Now whether we cocked up or we just hit the wake slightly skewed we still don’t know, but NC didn’t land very well from her jump at 25 knots over the bigger boats monster wake and landed on the hull side missing the hull bottom and chine completely. The resultant bang was enough to open the fridge door, bring a light fitting down from the ceiling and open the pan door which had been thoroughly locked shut. Fearing that the boat may be severely damaged we made a quick exit to the moorings where we could tie her up and survey the damage.
To our amazement there were no visible signs of damage. The true test of course will come the next time she is lifted from the water. With this little fright behind us we set about shopping for a few items I had missed off the list and before we knew what had happened we were well behind schedule for setting off the Trent End.
NC moored in Gainsborough
River Trent at Gainsborough
With a big spring tide behind us we were now making good progress towards Trent End where we would anchor up for a couple of hours and wait for the incoming tide to take us back up the Ouse to Goole. With just a couple of miles to go it looked like we would enter the anchorage with no problems despite setting off later than planned, until the depth sounder started showing less and less water well in the navigable channel. We slowed to a crawl before deciding it was no longer wise to carry on and dropped the anchor before the beached the boat. It was a peaceful enough spot and with no water in the channel we were not causing an obstruction to navigation so we brewed the coffee, broke out the cheese and crackers and listened to some music whilst waiting for the tide to lift us back off the bottom.
A pleasant enough place to anchor
Not much water here
Burton Stather Wharf
After what seemed like an age, but was in reality only a couple of hours, NC started to eerily swing around the anchor signalling the change of the tide. With the water now flowing in fast and the anchor holding against the change of tide it was only a half hour or so before we had enough water to safely continue on our way.
The last two miles to the Apex light at Trent End took an age. Fighting the current NC was making headway of a little over 2mph. With the water levels still not great we didn’t want to run the risk of planning and running aground at speed so we plodded on, ploughing our way through the muddy waters.
Eventually with the Apex Light in sight and the waters deep enough and safe enough we climbed onto the plane and gave NC the chance to stretch her legs on the Ouse as we attempted to catch another boat heading for the same locking as us but some 20 minutes ahead of us. With a big tide behind her NC was cruising gamely at 36mph seemingly enjoying the run and no worse the wear for her earlier misadventure. With Goole Docks in sight and lockie urging us on we entered what has to be one of the biggest inland locks in the UK. No need to tie up here.
Ocean Lock, Goole Docks
Within minutes the lock was full and we were let on our way through the Docks and onto the calmer waters of the Aire and Calder Navigation. Still very much a commercial waterway in its own right.
Goole Docks
On safer waters we both felt much better about the day and laughed and joked our way the 6 miles further upstream to Pollington Lock, our moorings for the evening. With the boat safely moored up we wandered into the village for a well earned curry, which was even better than we remembered. With full bellies we climbed back into bed ready for a long nights sleep
Pollington Lock
70 Miles, 2 Locks, 0 Swing/Lift Bridges
Running Totals: 78 Miles, 2 Locks, 0 Swing/Lift Bridges
