TNC On Tour 2002 Page 10

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Tour 2002

10 - Goole to Sutton Bridge - Tidal River Ouse and River Derwent.

Friday 5th July 2002

Due to tides we had an enforced stay in Goole until the afternoon flood. This was just as well as we had a bit of rain! - all night and morning. We actually liked Goole, it is a thriving little port with not a rundown appearance that one would have expected. During the stay in Goole, the crew went shopping, Neil fiddled.
We were due out at 15.30, but started down through the docks / swing bridge at 15.00, as some cruisers were going out and were keen. We went out of Ocean Lock, into the slightly choppy Tidal Ouse at 15.20. It was wind over tide, so slightly bumpy on the exposed sections of the river. We had of course still adopted full seafaring mode, the side doors were still gaffer taped up and periscope exhaust refitted - we never leave this on, as with the salt water about, it could easily get rusted on. After every removal, the threads are greased and the pieces wrapped up.
Un eventful passage up to Barmby. We met no other craft. John was in GPS mode and led, varying speed to arrive at Barmby at exactly high water. Straight into lock at 16.50. After the EA sluice keeper had locked us through we had to moor up on the floating pontoon and go back and complete the formalities. Although there is no navigation authority on the Derwent (a bit of a "hot potato" since the navigation battle was lost some 10 years ago) the EA still sting you for a £12 "Anti Pollution" certificate, which is valid for a year and is a licence in all but name. The Locky was very friendly and we examined the boat log, finding the entry for Beatty in 1997.
Off we went at 17.45, we had to get to Sutton Lock that night and did not know what we would find in the wilderness above the entrance to the Pocklington Canal.
It was an easy run up to the junction with the Pocklington Canal. "Broken" Bridge was now completely broken, the remains of the RSJ deck had been removed, perhaps we helped with this when we went ROUND Broken Bridge in 1997.
CLICK HERE TO SEE.
The river up here looked totally new to us. Even though we were some 8ft up in 1997, it now looked a bit like a jungle as the overhanging trees are beginning to take hold. The Bailey bridge at Wheldrake Ings towered some 20ft above us, in 1997 we could not get under it!
Martin was preparing another of his excellent spag bol's and Ian had jumped at the chance of steering Frogmoore, so Neil, with Earnest running first was left on his own to pioneer the TNC route through the trees. On three occasions Martin had to come out and hold Earnest against the weak current while Neil had a go with the TNC chainsaw, off the bow, the somewhat more robust Andrew Goodland one never got used.
For this reason we did not make as good as we would have liked clearance job on the incised section of river up to Sutton Bridge. Having said that the journey was not that difficult, no scratches on the paintwork and with our bit of clearance, none expected on the way back with the current. It was a magical trip in the very private world of this section of river, surrounded by wildlife reserves. At least two kingfisher's we spotted.
Soon we arrived at Sutton Lock, in the half light. The shoal across the entrance cut did not touch the bottom of the boat. as we predicted it would. We knew from our explo day that the right hand side of the lock (looking up) was more silted, but due to the protruding ladder in the left hand side of the chamber, Earnest had to go in the right hand side. We nudged the silt, but soon loosened it up with the prop. We intended to spend the night in the lock after having checked that the bottom gates would shut and were not silted up. After this we left them open, in case the lock started to fill - not really much hope as we could see daylight through the planking in a good few places.
That evening the live aboard boaters on the two craft above came and had a chat. One of the "craft" was a near derelict lifeboat conversion owned by a young lady. She had just bought said craft locally and was after a tow to YORK!!! Neil declined saying that due to the loss of his helmsman, the willow tree ridden river was still pretty hard to navigate on the way back, let alone trying to tow a 35ft lifeboat.
The lady also approached John and with out really thinking about the consequences, he said that he would give it a go, on the way back and miss out doing the Pocklington Canal. Neil, who would have master narrowboat positioner - Robin Nicholson on the way back (crew change at Stamford Bridge) said that Earnest would go first and we would have a really good hack at the willow. This would obviously be more difficult going with the current. Finally at 22.00 we were settled in the derelict looking Elvington / Sutton Lock and tucked into Martin W's excellent spag bol.

Hook Railway Bridge. Just upstream from Goole. Tidal River Ouse.

Wharves at Howden Dyke. Tidal River Ouse.

Starting to swing round Howden Dyke Island (just off picture to the left). M62 Bridge in distance. The flood channel course ahead is NOT the navigation channel. Tidal River Ouse.