Man-Overboard... Wakey to Shepley Bridge...

Why is it that when something funny  potentially dangerous but amusing none the less happens,  by the time you've gotten your camera phone out from it's safe place, you've missed the  best bit  most serious bit action?

Yesterday the inevitable happened... and once again it WASN'T the clumsy ginner but the so called 'normal one' that went lolloping down the bank side into the cut...

TO be fair, there were a few contributory factors: 

1) we were sharing locks with a lovely old couple (Think Tim and Pru just not as posh) and because I was leaving the lock first (that wasn't the plan but one of the gates wouldn't open fully so I ended up having to go first) I decided to overshoot the lock landing to allow for THEM to use it.  

2) the bank side where I " lept (leaped?) like a gazelle" off the boat WAS a bit crumbly here and there.

3) the bottom of the canal was too close to the top.

4) Once I'd lept (leaped?) back on (leaving the crew to pull the boat back in to allight) I wasn't paying enough attention to where he was walking.

next thing I caught out of the corner of my eye (as I was putting the handspike in the locker) was a terrified face in slow motion sliding down the bank swearing.

No serious harm done though - well accept to his mobile phone which is going a bit screwy now  - oh and some nettle and bramble (that is black berry to the southerners) rash on still poorly leg!

Clothes were removed on the back deck and are now lurking in the washer to be dealt with today.

THE phone is on a radiator - NOT being able to find any rice (other than the "ready to microwave type") were hoping a few hours r and r in the warmth will do the trick - watch this space.

You'll recall the plan was to head from Wakefield to Huddersfield for the weekend... canal plan said something around 16 hours so we left around noon on Friday.... planning to moor somewhere around Shepley bridge overnight...  THIS bit we did achieve.

IT's blooming hard work though - with us being 57 ft (still haven't measured  the boat yet) SHARING the short locks whilst might seem a good idea, DOES require an awful lot of buggering about to get the gates shut  good luck.   We had a nice cruise up the river in familiar territory - but DID notice the colours changing as autumn approaches

After broad cut we came across the Bingley Arms pub - It's a place I used to call in to most days for a pint when I Was doing my "post  back operative" 5 mile walk a few years ago ... it looks like it's been tidied up a bit but unless their prices have gone down a bit, we won't be stopping for a pint.

Up until now, the Dewsbrur arm has been the limit of our navigation and as we entered the bottom lock, it became apparent it was going to be tight with 2 boats...  you can see how little clearence there is to shut the gates - 

There's a very short circular pound between the locks (presumably because  to turn a corner on the navigation) and we made the mistake firstly of trying to exit together - a mistake later which (when repeated on another lock) was going to cause problems...

The next bit of cutting was quite pleasant before we ended up back on the river again... certainly more canal like than the broad Aire and Calder...

then just around the corner it's wide river again...

On leaving the river through the next flood lock, due to another gate NOT opening fully, (and us repeating the aforementioned mistake of BOTH leaving at the same time) we got proper wedged... which resulted in a hard reverse at the same time as Andy and Hazel pushing on the gate to free us.  Lesson learned there....

There was another small section of cut before going back on to the river  right a side the wier...

On leaving the river again, as Andy was in the shower ( washing off the canal water) I had to leap up the lock ladder like a young thing and both boats hovvered a while whilst we emptied the lock...  u

When he reappeared and both boats went in, it was simply not possible to get the gates closed... SO we swapped roles with Andy backing Ellis out of the lock before climbing up to lock them through alone.

It was quite good timing though as another boat was waiting at the top to come down so we were able to make good use of the water... although there IS plenty in at the moment thanks to the rain of late.  THERE was a long wait for me  whilst it filled though as the lock leaks like buggery as you can see when it was emptied...

IT was rather stiff as well, resulting in Andy snapping one of our windlasses...  which was promptly replaced by the couple descending the lock ...

We moored just opposite the sanitary (nice) station at Shepley Bridge marina and at 5.30 this morning, it looks like it will be nice day

THAT said, I think I'm in for a lot of moaning about "itchy legs" ... " hurting back"... "sore other leg" - I'll be sympathetic as ever 😜

Until next time...