June 5th 2011 Locks yachts and STRESS !!!

Lovely moorings on the river Soar at Kegworth

Who said life on the canals was relaxing?  What a day!!!  It was overcast and windy (of course) when we started out. We hoped to reach Ratcliff on Soar by this afternoon.   The first lock (western) went quite smoothly. We went through with some hireboaters. Just as well because the paddles were really stiff.  And so we trundled on to Shadlow where we stopped for lunch and had a look round the heritage centre. Just after Shadlow we left the Trent and Mersey and joined the River Soar.  We travelled down to Sawley and during this journey we passed under the M1. Much quieter going under than on it.  At Sawley there was an electrically operated lock.  Luckily there was also a lock keeper so easy peasy.  Not so once we left the lock. There appeared to be a yacht race.  Captain Norwyn was instructed how to proceed past the boats so as not to hit any. “Keep to the right and follow a steady couse and speed and they will miss you” was what he was told.  They did but Sheila couldn’t stand the tension and had to hide inside. All she could see was colourful boats flying past the window.

That over our next challenge was to negotiate the junction of The Erewash Canal, The River Trent and The River Soar.  Not easy but we managed to find our way to continue on the Soar.  There weren’t any moorings at Ratcliff so we continued on through one more lock to Kegworth where we found some lovely moorings (but no television

arriving in Shardlow

 signal). 

And so it was time for tea. Chilli tonight, cooked by the captain. Great. Wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Bridge carrying the M1 slower underneath me thinks

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