Tuesday 16th
August.
I blew up my
inverter yesterday, so more expense, but no chance of getting one around here.
I usually fill the small electric travel kettle ready to make coffee on the
move and when I switched on the inverter, the 5 amp fuse in the plug blew. Not
having another fuse on board, I took a 10amp one from another plug, but when I
switched on the inverter, the instrument panel voltmeters went wild and a nasty
smell of hot plastic wafted up from the switch locker. The strange thing is
that the automatic circuit breaker failed to trip off. In the future, I will
get a 2,000 kva sine wave inverter, rather than the 3,000 kva quasi sine wave
one, which fails to power several items on board, which require a sine wave.
Stronghold moored up opposite the bus station.
Plentiful moorings in Skipton.
After another visit
to Morrison’s, it was time to do the tourist thing around the town with camera
in hand. The weather was hot and sunny for a change and there were loads of
people about. I had a walk up the Springs Branch that was opened for boats by
the Earl of Thanet to get his limestone away from the quarries via 120ft chutes.
I bet that rattled the boats when they were loading.
Entrance to the Springs Branch.
Further up the Springs Branch.
I stopped for a pint in The Cock and Bottle and then fell into the gents over an unseen step. Fortunately my bag broke my fall somewhat and I had only drunk one pint!
I have just realised that I should have vacated the mooring today, as the three days allowed here was up about midday, so I will have to leave tomorrow before the boat checker gets here.
I let go at 09.00
and reversed slowly and carefully into Pennine Cruisers to fuel up, as there
were several people watching. I then moored up by the next swing bridge to
await another boat, when three came along at once. Further on, one dropped back
and another winded shortly after, which left me with a Noddy boat from Bear
Boating. They only have two boats at present, I found out later. That this guy
had done it before became obvious as soon as we got to the first lock. He was
boating with his son, who was also fairly experienced. It was a beautiful day
for boating and we continued past Gargrave to just below Bank Newton Locks for
a one hour lunch break. Climbing Bank Newton flight brought us to a very
winding pound and I met three boats in succession approaching under a bridge on
a blind bend, which is where boats always seem to meet strangely enough. I
reversed and remained under control to let them all pass by.
Yorkshire style ground paddles and
very difficult to lift with water pressure on them.
The scenery get better as we go even higher.
Further on we
reached East Marton where we aimed to moor up as close as possible to The Cross
Keys pub, a very well kept large free house, where we all had a meal and local
beers. The man’s name was Roger and his son, Ollie. We talked about
Loughborough University, where I had been on Design and Technology courses in past
years and where Roger taught Ergonomics, so I looked him up the following day
and he is on the left of this photograph:-
An interesting family home.
The boat with the girl in is a bath tub!
It had been an
excellent days boating with fine weather and a knowledgeable crew on the
accompanying boat.
Thursday 18th
August.
I was ready with
engine running as nb “molly MOO” came past. We did the three locks of
Greenberfield where they stopped to fill with water and possibly stay the
night, whilst I continued to Salterforth close to the Anchor pub. Although
there were two moorings on a jetty close to the pub, they were full and I continued
another quarter mile to a stepped concrete bank where there were rings. It was
the next best thing to the jetty, but despite having yachting fenders out, the
wind still bumped the boat against the slightly sloping bank in the night.
Molly MOO came past me later to go through Foulridge Tunnel and stay beyond
that night, ready for the return journey to Barnoldswick (pronounced Barlick)
the following day.
Friday 19th
August.
Rain was forecast
for the day and it started with drizzle, gradually building up to heavy showers
throughout the day, so it was a day for staying put. The forecast for the next
day was similar, but I couldn’t stay two days out in the sticks. Not that I had
any trouble passing the time, what with the internet, fairly good TV reception,
plenty to read and a blog to catch up on.
Molly MOO passed by
later in the afternoon and that was the final farewell to them. I have to say
that the boats appear impressive from the outside and looking at their website,
so do the interiors.
http://www.bearboating.co.uk/index.htm
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