Iron lock, a right pain in the proverbial

Friday 27th

Rain, rain and more rain. In fact for the whole of next week, the forecast is bad. Not good then for Lynda and Tony's week holiday on Merlin.

Anglo-Welsh moorings

 I must say Anglo-Welsh did a very quick turn around on Merlin. We watched her go past FS a tad before 9am. Lynda and Tony arrived around 1 pm and Merlin was very nearly ready for the handover. As we were above lock we left them unpacking and brought FS down. Just in time to pair up with another boat.

Merlin is the one facing toward the bridge 'ole

 Tilstone lock and we had to sit right back off of the lock landing. In fact, the landing was almost non-existent and had what we call 'Defra rash' all around it. Two boats were ascending and it seemed to take forever for the gates to open.

Blooming rain started again just as we got into Beeston Stone lock. Did I feel sorry for Ian and Lynda having to walk to the stone lock? Hmmm, what do you think!

 Beeston Iron lock was a pig in more ways than one. First, the wind across the fields caused Merlin to try and head for home.

This is also the lock where it is not advisable for two boats to use the lock together. A big red sign warns of danger as boats have been known to have been 'hung up' on the iron band running along the lock walls. This lock again took an age to fill. Both paddles had been whipped up but one only has to see the gap on the bottom of the gates to realise why!

Will you look at that leakage, pretty bad eh! See that bollard on the right of the photo. Well, that is part of the iron staging.

  Then there was the exit to this lock. A very short iron grating landing was all you had to try and get onto. A right pain so I went past thinking I could stop by the grassy towpath. Bad move! A ledge about eighteen inches from the bank stops boats from getting close in. I had managed to get off on the iron grating but now I was stranded on the bank.  No way was my legs long enough for me to get back on so I tried bowhauling FS to the bridge 'ole. Failed miserably and Ian had to come to my rescue by leaping on FS's stern, take FS to the bridge so I could get back on.

Wharton's lock was the last of the day. I couldn't believe my luck when a Kingfisher flew past FS and landed on the lock railings. Even with Ian walking toward the lock it didn't fly away. Suddenly it dived down, came back up with a fish in its mouth. Unfortunately missed that photo opportunity but did get it on the grab rail.

Shady Oak pub was but half a mile away and as it was getting late we decided to stop for a meal.
Tomorrow we hope to get to Elsmere Port but several boaters moored at the pub are also heading for that destination so it all depends on who gets away first and the queues at the locks.

And wildlife,