Stockwith to Newark 13:00 to 20:30 We had to wait for the tide, but it was very lacklauster, and didn't really start flowing much at all. We were going to be in the second lock, but it the second boat hadn't turned up yet so we went down with another. Once out on the river the 1.5 mph helped a little, though the other boat was rather surprised when we overtook them asking what we had in the boat.
The wind was even worse than yesterday - which is why we risked the crossing - and so there were still some splashing waves but nothing like the biggies of before. The river snakes quite a bit around this second so when the wind was across the river I could put some extra lumps of coal on, as the waves causes the prop to ventilate (i.e. air gets to it). Torksey was chocka, with 3 boats going around and around waiting outside the cut to the lock. At the sharp bend just above Dunham a narrowboat was stuck on the sandbank on the inside of the bend. Several boats had aready passed them without helping, so we came along side his bow and pulled him back into the deeper water. Instead of watching where they were going they managed to run straight into the outside of the corner right in front of another boat, and nearly got trapped there with the wind blowing them on. They did manage to get away however, and we continued up to Cromwell. A boat called Cromwell, and we were getting close so I opened it up. We were catching up another narrowboat, but the other boat told Cromwell they could see the weir so we called Cromwell to let them know we were coming. He waited since we were so close, and just nicely got in the lock at the same time as the other narrowboat at 18:40. The bloke on the other boat asked what engine we had, and he then told us he had a similar powered engine - we were both going flat out, but we were still faster by a fair amount. Once out of the lock I tried to keep up with the four cruisers to share the next lock with them, but they turned into the pub jetty at Muskham, and so slowed down to let the other boat catch up. They must have also slowed down because we soon lost them, but I could see them at the end of the last straight before Newark Nether lock 10 minutes behind. The lock was against us, with the top gates open, so by the time we had turned it they had nearly caught up - however I was a little surprised to see a fibreglass cruiser come around the corner first. The three of us went up the lock, the cruiser was away quickly, and after picking up Dad after he closed the gates we steadily overtook the other narrowboat to make sure we got a mooring. All the usual moorings were full, but there was a little space on the park moorings above the bridge where we stopped opposite the castle. at 8:30pm Cheers, Mike -- Michael Askin http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/
