Hi All, A little trip report from last weekend which got Kismet back to her moorings on the River Hull.
We had left Kismet on the Cranfleet Cut 2 Week moorings just through the flood gates - just in case the river rose again we were more likely to get back home. After Dad backed his car into a gate post at Trent Lock, I went down to the boat, and reversed it back to the lock to load up the boat. Dad then drove the car around to Derby Motor Boat Club, and I met him in the boat at Sawley Lock after a little run up the "back" river to the bridge while he was getting a licence. We had a reasonable run down to Nottingham, but had a freeloader join us through the stop lock. He didn't even try to help, even though I was driving I still managed the paddles on one half of the lock. We left him to close the gates, but he just went straight over to the sanitary station and the little boat that shared Cranfleet (and this one) with us ended up closing the gate. We shopped, and had a MacDonald's, and then continued down the canal, onto the river, and through Holme Pierpoint. It was getting fairly dark when we left the lock, but I wanted to get to Stoke lock for the night. I managed to find a shallow bit just below the railway bridge which I'm sure wasn't as bad before the floods, but had no other problems. The next morning I called Stoke lock at 9am, but they were locking up another boat and it would be 8 minutes later that we entered the lock. There was still a fair flow on the river, and we managed 7 mph most of the time. We had a wait at Hazelford while a boat was locked up, and ended up calling Newark Town when he didn't open the gates. He was having his lunch and didn't notice us coming! We reached Cromwell at about local high water, but it was a long way down compared with when we came up when it was only a couple of feet. We went down with the flow, but didn't manage much more than 7 mph until past Torksey. We had decided eventually to keep going down with the tide, push the start of the incoming, moor up for the main run, and then set off again hopefully reaching Hull before 3 hours after to get into the marina. As we reached the M180 bridge we had a short sharp shower, and then a spectacular light show with double rainbows and orange water. We reached Keadby with the tide still flowing out, but when we reached the next corner we found some shoal water and nearly ended up running aground. We tried to find some deeper water nearer the bank but it was even shallower and the echo sounder showed no water under us! Then suddenly the depth jumped to 12 feet in as much distance, and we were OK again. Soon after the tide turned, but we still made good speed for the next 1/4 hour passed Grove wharf, and soon after the day became night. Along the next long straight the tide was running well, but we still managed over 2 mph without really pushing the boat. What really surprised me was a coaster that was moored on the Grove has set off incredible early on the tide, and was making slow but steady progress towards us. He didn't have much water even though he was empty, and was dragging the water down as he passed. There was no more traffic until we reached the power cables near Garthorpe. A coaster could be seen from it's mast lights passing the Island. We tried to call it on 16, but no joy - even though all vessels underway have to by law listen (I understand). For some reason the coastguard heard our call, but we could not really receive them clearly. Just as he was passing us on the deep water course around the outside of the corner, the ship following answered us and explained that we needed to listen to 17 on the Trent, and 15 on the Upper Humber - this is a new one on us! We kept to the left of the island as we continued down, having plenty of water under us as it was now high water. We also had another 3 coasters come into the river, and about 3 leave while we went slowly against the last of the flow. Just as we passed Trent Falls another ship could be seen coming out of the Ouse. It was Trans-Odin a PAL line container ship, and these really get a move on. We had just passed the illuminated tideboard near Flatts Farm when he finally caught up with us. Once he was closer I could see how fast he was going, and decided to turn the boat into the waves. As he disappeared into the dark towards Humber Bridge, we could hear the waves breaking before reaching us. Our boat hit the waves straight on, and we were only going fairly slowly through the water. The bow rose right up in the air, and then dropped back into the trough before hitting the next wave. The water could be heard, and seen through the gloom to rise over the back and a little splashed around my feet. Surprisingly after Dad checked the front little water had entered the front cockpit at all. Another coaster was following, coming out of the Trent, so we continued upstream while he passed - still with fairly big waves. I'm not sure either of them saw us. Once we turned back towards Hull the tide was near slack water, and soon was running out at a fair pace giving us about 7.5 mph. The buoyed channel now follows the north bank after sands had moved about last year so we had the shorter run back to Hull. It was only once we got close to the Humber Bridge did the tide really start to pick up pace, and at one point we topped 11 mph. All night we had not be able to get hold of anyone at Hull Marina. The phones weren't being answered, and we were to far to call on the radio. Finally at the end of Fish Dock wall we received a faint reply. By the time we had reached the end of St Andrews dock the lock keeper had reached the lock house and could use the base rig rather than the portable he had in the office. We went straight into the lock, and we were soon moored safely in the marina. It was a noisy night with the fruit market opening at about 3am, lorries arriving and unloaded most of the morning. We managed 93 miles, and 5 locks in 16 hours in that trip. At 8am (2 hours before high water) we called the lock keeper to get the lock ready, but he wouldn't even start filling it before Dad had payed him the money, and he couldn't drive the computer which delayed things slightly. Once out of the lock, I opened up the throttle, and zoomed out of the lock, pushed the incoming tide to the River Hull, and continued the rush up the river. We managed to get through all the bridges up to the Chapman street bridge. It was a little more tighter through this one, but we managed it. As we passed I noticed a chap in the bridge control room and waved. I thought he was just on duty, and had let the railway bridge know there wasn't much room for us as when we arrived it had started opening. It was only when I got closer did I realise it wasn't opening for us, and a tug popped from behind it. I slammed on the brakes, and pulled over to the side, but he kindly moved right over to the side, and we then shared the bridge with him. Around the corner a large barge called Swinderby was maneuvering near a dumb barge. We got by OK, and then continued at a pace up the rest of the river. We know it was unlikely we would get under Wheel bridge, so we called Steve to open it for us. What I didn't realise when I took over steering again just before Beverley was Dad had agreed to give him a call when we reached Beck End, so we had a long wait at the bridge for him to arrive. Going past the boats at Hull Bridge a medium sized sailing cruiser was coming down river with a small square sail on the mast. I'm not sure if his engines were working, but he did a fair speed against the incoming tide. We reached Hempholme Lock near high tide, and before long we were back at Hempholme on our mooring. Ricky was sorting out the paintwork on his boat, but he didn't hear us arriving before Dad had jumped off and opened the bridge. After a brief chat we were off in the car to Newark to pick up some faux wood porthole liners (made from fibreglass), and then onwards through the Nottingham traffic to Sawley for Dad's car. I continued onwards to London without any further traffic problems. Mike nb. KismetNotShoestring -- Michael Askin http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/
