We left Newark at 10:00 this morning to travel down to Cromwell Lock and onto the tidal Trent.  Shared the first lock with another narrow boat Millrace, which is also going to Cromwell Lock and beyond.  Reached Cromwell Lock at around 11:30 on Tuesday morning, where Jeanie Deans and Millrace waited for another boat which was on its way.  We managed to rope the boat front and rear but Millrace couldn’t get a line on the front and were drifting diagonally across the lock just held at the back.  The other boat was a guy on his own, delivering a boat to a customer.  He just came alongside us.  All this free floating in locks is a bit weird for someone used to two boats at most being in a lock and filling it. 

As we left Cromwell Lock, and the haven of the non-tidal Trent, the Lock Keeper mentioned that there were a couple of gravel barges ahead and that we should give way to them.  Two of these monsters came past us travelling in the opposite direction.  The photos show the size of them, the one of the back of the barge was taken just before the wave created by it hit us causing lots of turbulence and a bit of a bumpy ride!!

Silly Jake decided to dice with death by sitting right at the back of the boat with his front feet almost over the edge.  We had to send him in eventually as I didn’t give much for his chances of being retrieved if he fell in, especially as the shaft of the boat hook is broken. 

We arrived at Torksey Lock about three hours after leaving Cromwell Lock and entered its safe and calm haven just as the heavens opened yet again, and we got soaked.  Oh well!  We need the rain so shouldn’t complain.  Torksey is a very pretty lock and looks complicated with capstans which are turned to open the lock gates.  These are decorative as well as functional (see photo).  The Lock Keepers were very helpful and friendly, as they all have been, and gave me various leaflets about Lincoln and plenty of advice about mooring and services etc.

We are now on the Fossdyke Navigation, which is the oldest man made waterway in England, having been built by the Romans in AD120, and in the Lincolnshire fens.  Once on the top of the bank you can see flat farmland for miles.  The dogs love it here as there is no one else around and they can get on and off the boat and just wander around.  A lovely evening and we sat outside and enjoyed the last of the sun, and Graham repaired the boat hook.  The forecast for Wednesday is pretty grim with lots of rain, so we have decided to stay at Torksey until Thursday.  It was nice to see Simon from Emma B on Wednesday morning when he called to see us on his way through.