Sorry it's a bit late, but had computer probs nb.Charlotte Rose 20th May 2008
Charlotte Rose started her cruise with a day's hard sailing. Unusual for her normally laid back cruising she had to show the power of her engine on this day. She had to be at Keadby lock, at 0600, near Scunthorpe to catch the spring tide to sail up the River Trent. Although the river is navigable it winds in the most alarming way with blind corners and overgrown banks, making it impossible to see on coming traffic, which can be very large craft. Add to this there are underwater hazards of gravel banks, hard packed marl, fallen trees and a fair number of sunken islands just under the water. So, eyes skinned for things not to hit, charts to be consulted all the time and ears open for the marine radio to try to work out if there is a commercial craft around the next bend. There are bridges to pass under but some of the arches are silted up so CR can not pass through, so need to select the right arch from the nav charts. In the lock waiting to be let out by the lockkeeper CR is with a narrow boat Eli and a plastic boat Cobby. The bombastic bloke on Eli is shouting orders at us. He is saying ' have sailed this river many times.follow me you two' CR hasn't done it before and she is nodding OK and Cobby is just keeping stum. Eli shouts to CR.'secure your nose. as I'm going to leave the lock at speed and I'll pull your nose out if not.' As that is where CR's nose is going to go that doesn't make sense, but she is a good girl and does as she is told. CR follows Eli out on the river and turns right.straight in bank of thick fog. Can't see the banks or in fact any thing at all. If we move further than ten foot from away we can't even see each other. CR follows Eli who is wandering about trying to find our course. She follows faithfully until Eli ploughs into a stone wall shoring up the river bank. Oh, well we have found the edge of the river! CR is now in front and the crew is standing on the front deck trying to find the bridge of the M180 motorway. Locating it through the fog eventually by the noise of the traffic the crew is peering desperately into the fog look for the pillars of the archways. Then one appears 8ft in front and dead ahead. The captain has to throw CR into reverse and make a sharp turn to the right to avoid colliding and passes underneath with Cobby hanging close to her stern. We can tell that Eli has found the arch, too, by the terrific scrawk as she hits it broadside. The CR shouts to Eli on the radio to check is she is OK. The swearing coming throught the fog indicates that they are both still alive. The crew calls across the water to Cobby to check on her and her captain replies 'all Ok. seems that captain of Eli is OK but his boat has a nasty great dent ' On into the fog, charts useless, the crew having to lookout and shout back instructions like ' I can't see a buddy thing' which in itself is good news. A few moments break in the fog shows CR to be in the middle of the river with Cobby to her port. No sign of Eli, still in the fog. Feelling and praying her way along for what seems like hours, but is in fact 25 minutes CR finally get clear and the fog lifts. Only another 6 hours of river to go ! Still no sign of Eli but the radio indicates she is OK. Cobby leaves us at Torksey and CR continues alone. Following the charts and taking care CR finally arrives at Cromwell, then on to Newark with a sigh of relief. Staying over night to head to Nottingham tomorrow. Caroline and John nb Charlotte Rose [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
