Weekend waterways.

On Sunday we decided to use our car and drive up to Driffield as there was the 250th Anniversary of the Act of Parliament for the canal taking place.

This is the terminus of the Driffield Navigation, at Riverhead, that is almost in the centre of the town. There are several warehouses that overlook the basin and I particularly like the painted name adverts on several of the buildings.

There are also a couple of old cranes. The furthest warehouse has been purchased by a couple of Driffield Navigation members and it will make a fantastic space for all sorts of things and on Sunday it housed many information stands. I met several of the folk I had been talking to from the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society. The weather looks quite threatening but it was a nice day. The marquee had food and a bar. There were boat trips and a jazz band was just setting up when we had to leave as we were having visitors back in Beverley.

On Sunday it was a dash back home to cut the grass do some shopping, mainly for a new camera as our old one had packed up!

On Monday we were sorting the cars out. We were taking one to Melbourne on the Pocklington Canal and the other one home. When we got to Melbourne basin a C&RT van pulled up and then later said they would show us to the open lock at Thornton. I had seen that it was open on Monday, but not until 1400. The very helpful guy said no worries just come along. So we did! It is the original brickwork on the bottom of the lock, but the sides had been rebuilt. There are new gates and sills from Stanley Ferry

Remakes of the original paddle gear have been cast from the original plans, Originally apparently they were on the bottom gates, but with health and safety the foot boards need to be bigger for this type of gear, three boards instead of two. They would have reduced the available length of the lock if they were on the bottom gates so they have put them at the top.

Here you can see the wide boards. I think they still need a coat of paint and a good dollop of grease.

Normal windlass paddles on the bottom gates.

The canal is not navigable to Thornton Lock yet. This is the bund keeping the water back and the pipes crossing the water. There is one above the lock to. Eventually they will be removed and it will then be used elsewhere on the canal. Waste not want not.

This is the view back down the canal towards Melbourne Basin. The canal can quite easily be dredged and rid of the reeds when the time comes.

Meanwhile these swans have got an idyllic spot as there was hardly the noise of a car, and no passing boaters! 

Church Bridge has been completely renovated and it looks really good. This little visit has certainly whet our appetite for the canal.

I luckily got a lift back from Hull by a couple of friends who were coming to see us. We had a lovely catch up and arranged another for the weekend when we are back home. Back at the boat we had decided to head back to Grovehill Lock and spend the night on the River Hull so that we could get off in the morning without having to get up too early.

I topped up the water and we were off just around 2000 with the sun peeking round the houses and blinding me. Still didn't do too badly. Here we pass the 'Sun' and 'Syntan'. The later had just got back from an all day trip down the River Hull to the Humber and back. Check out their web page for dates of trips and charters for a greta day out and help with their funds. http://www.syntanbarge.org.uk/charters-bookings

To get to the lock we needed to reverse about half a mile to a wind hole. We decided not to use an anchor and we managed not too badly. Helen was looking not too sure just at this point though!

The light was going a little as we passed the boat club moorings.

The old dry dock is a good spot for this old barge.

Helen had plenty of help with the paddle and gate gear as there were a Dad and his lad, and two older fellas that were waiting for us. The Dad said he had lived in Beverley all his life and never seen a boat go through the lock. Here we are on the wall. I was pretty sure that nobody would be coming to use the lock at this time, but we did go very near the end.

We were just in the slack of the lock entrance so we had slack ropes all night. very occasionally there was a slight scrpe on the wall. Unfortunately had had caught the bow on the gate of the lock trying to get to a place where Helen could get ashore. Never mind just another little job to do at some stage.

Another big adventure tomorrow, and I still haven't decided when we should leave here. I will have to sleep on it.