The river trent is not as bad as the stories you hear, stories of ranging foaming water tides that fast you could surf, nowhere to moor what a load of rubbish. I am not saying that could not or has not happened as we know rivers are very unpradictable as is all water.
We had a great trip doing the whole of the tidal section in one day that was from Keadby down to Cromwell lock by the time we reached Comwell lock that was 7 hours I had had enough even though it was a goreous day it was still tiring so we pulled in and moored for the night just beyond the lock.
We only had one scarey incident that was on a very sharp bend I was running with a very fast high tide cruising about 4/5 knots or 5mph
which for Buggerlugs is moving I thought I was being clever and decided on the racing line of this bend as I knew it was a high tide and no chance of running aground However I did not bank on what did happen as We entered the bend I was caught in a whirl pool that drang the bow towards a tree lined bank All I could think of was the the bloody paint work ""Dont scratch my Boat""anyway quick thinking and great sailing skills had Buggerlugs in full reverse the stern now caught in the fast flow pointing us back wence we had just come Full thrust in forwad tiller hard over soon had us doing a hand brake turn and facing in the right direction. This just goes to show that on any river with a full tide you have to be alert to everything, and do not take chances it certainly made Noreen and I more aware for the next three hours Phewww
The folowing day we set of for Newark the Trent now is non tidal but still pulling a good speed and going against the flow is heavy going and speeed is really reduced. Its a beautiful peice of river lined with medows to the east and tree lined along the west bank within two hours we were in Newark we even found a mooring very near the town bridge. 4 mins from Aldi 4mins to Morrisons and 5mins from Asda but dont go looking for a fishing tackle shop in Newark there are none
The town its self is a very old market town and has charm oozing out of every side street the buildings a old and well maintained but taking up a strange array of uses. plenty of open green spaces a very nice place to visit the local church for us was the Holy Trinity about a 25 min walk nice service great singing a very warm welcoming church. the only down side was Weatherspoons,m Were do you for breakfast after Mass? unfortuneatly this one did full fill the criteria. Having waited 6 mins at the bar for someone to recognise I was a customer and in need of swrvice I ordered "two full breakfast one without beans ans two black decaf' simple enough, But when I saw the girl filling two pint glasses with ice and putting them under the Coke tap I thought I had best interupt her train of thought " pardon me miss" I am always polite to bar staff, I ordered to Full breakfast one without beans and two black decaf her face was a picture she appologised sayin it had been a hard night I explained but its now almost noon this line of thought when over her head having repeated my order give me the coffee I returened to our table Noreen was getting ready with a search party but I explained it would not be needed but dont hold much hope on getting what I ordered as I had just seen the chef he looked marginally worse that the girl behind the bar eventually it did arrive and just what I had ordered However it wa cold how you can serve a freshly cooked breakfast I have no idea "well I do but thats another story. the clientel were just as hung over as the staff the toilets were clean but in need of a makeover in my scoring it gets a 4 out of 10 my lowest to date had been a 7
Tomorrow we hit the water again and head for Gunthorpe about three hours if the mooring are full it leave us time to carry on and find some further down river.
Thats your lot people
God Bless
Buggerlugs
We had a great trip doing the whole of the tidal section in one day that was from Keadby down to Cromwell lock by the time we reached Comwell lock that was 7 hours I had had enough even though it was a goreous day it was still tiring so we pulled in and moored for the night just beyond the lock.
We only had one scarey incident that was on a very sharp bend I was running with a very fast high tide cruising about 4/5 knots or 5mph
which for Buggerlugs is moving I thought I was being clever and decided on the racing line of this bend as I knew it was a high tide and no chance of running aground However I did not bank on what did happen as We entered the bend I was caught in a whirl pool that drang the bow towards a tree lined bank All I could think of was the the bloody paint work ""Dont scratch my Boat""anyway quick thinking and great sailing skills had Buggerlugs in full reverse the stern now caught in the fast flow pointing us back wence we had just come Full thrust in forwad tiller hard over soon had us doing a hand brake turn and facing in the right direction. This just goes to show that on any river with a full tide you have to be alert to everything, and do not take chances it certainly made Noreen and I more aware for the next three hours Phewww
The folowing day we set of for Newark the Trent now is non tidal but still pulling a good speed and going against the flow is heavy going and speeed is really reduced. Its a beautiful peice of river lined with medows to the east and tree lined along the west bank within two hours we were in Newark we even found a mooring very near the town bridge. 4 mins from Aldi 4mins to Morrisons and 5mins from Asda but dont go looking for a fishing tackle shop in Newark there are none
The town its self is a very old market town and has charm oozing out of every side street the buildings a old and well maintained but taking up a strange array of uses. plenty of open green spaces a very nice place to visit the local church for us was the Holy Trinity about a 25 min walk nice service great singing a very warm welcoming church. the only down side was Weatherspoons,m Were do you for breakfast after Mass? unfortuneatly this one did full fill the criteria. Having waited 6 mins at the bar for someone to recognise I was a customer and in need of swrvice I ordered "two full breakfast one without beans ans two black decaf' simple enough, But when I saw the girl filling two pint glasses with ice and putting them under the Coke tap I thought I had best interupt her train of thought " pardon me miss" I am always polite to bar staff, I ordered to Full breakfast one without beans and two black decaf her face was a picture she appologised sayin it had been a hard night I explained but its now almost noon this line of thought when over her head having repeated my order give me the coffee I returened to our table Noreen was getting ready with a search party but I explained it would not be needed but dont hold much hope on getting what I ordered as I had just seen the chef he looked marginally worse that the girl behind the bar eventually it did arrive and just what I had ordered However it wa cold how you can serve a freshly cooked breakfast I have no idea "well I do but thats another story. the clientel were just as hung over as the staff the toilets were clean but in need of a makeover in my scoring it gets a 4 out of 10 my lowest to date had been a 7
Tomorrow we hit the water again and head for Gunthorpe about three hours if the mooring are full it leave us time to carry on and find some further down river.
Thats your lot people
God Bless
Buggerlugs
The Castle
The open river ahead
that is the exit from the lock at Keadby
what else it had to happen??
