24th May 2012
The reason for today’s title is that from the Chesterfield Canal there’s only one way to the rest of the waterways and that’s on the Trent from West Stockwith and in this case we’re heading to Newark.
Margaret and Dave had slept overnight at West Stockwith Marina. Dave doesn’t do early mornings, but the dawn chorus were oblivious to Dave’s feelings and duly woke him at about 3.30. Still, it was a glorious morning with the prospects of a good, fair weather trip up the Trent.
The ‘day’ crew of Mick Cheshire and Richard Chappell arrived in good time and after a welcoming coffee, arranged an immediate passage through the lock onto a swift incoming tide up the river at 9.15.
Mick is an experienced boater on the river and Dave and Margaret have also cruised it several times before, but it was a maiden voyage as far as Richard was concerned. Mick is very knowledgeable in the navigational aspects of the tidal river, but we did have the river navigation charts to hand for the details and the landmarks as we cruised along . A very different experience from taking John Varley to Mill Green!
The tide carried us swiftly up the river and we made excellent time through Gainsborough, Torksey and Dunham. The cruise, whilst full of interest, was otherwise uneventful.
Nothing else much moved on the river apart from 2 heavily laden gravel barges, some gulls, loads of migrant swans and the spatula turning the bacon in the frying pan! Hmmmm bacon, egg and tomatoes with dippy bread.
By the time we had passed Fledborough the tide had turned, but this far up river, the flow had little effect in stemming our progress. We made Cromwell Lock by 14.50, Nether Lock at 16.10 and arrived to moor up opposite the Castle in Newark by about 16.30. Does this look familiar?
We were met by Pete Ramsell and Eddie Lawton who was joining the crew for the trip to Etruria. Eddie’s eyes lit up as, at the back of our mooring, there was a large marquee announcing ‘Beer Festival’. It was a shame that it didn’t start until the following evening. C’est la vie and all that.
Pete took Mick and me back to our car at West Stockwith, I look forward to the 8th June for my next days on Python. Python is now heading to Etruria, where we’ll be visiting our first festival.
Richard Chappell