We are now three days into our cruise along the Chesterfield Canal.  It is hard to describe the difference between canals and rivers, but the pace of life on the canals is so much slower and more relaxing than rivers where things happen much faster and you need to be on the ball the whole time.  Just to put it into perspective on the river we were doing 10 miles an hour at times (hahaha)!! 

On Wednesday I took the dogs for a walk while Graham sorted out some jobs on the boat.  Then we set of for the first lock, which was full and the top gates open.  Wasn’t sure what was going on as the lock was empty when I walked the dogs.  No one in sight however so shut the top gates and emptied the lock so Graham could go in.  At this point a BW guy appeared and apologised for setting the locks, much in advance, for a BW boat that was coming down.  He helped us through the lock and also the next one.  Always a bonus to have help at locksJ

Going through Drakeholes Tunnel we saw what I at first thought were bats that we had disturbed.  It turned out to be swallows that had nested in the tunnel.  We stopped for water at the water point near Retford and Worksop Boat Club and had to wriggle into a space, with help from other moorers as there was not a full boat length’s space between moored boats.  We moored up for the night between Clayworth and Hayton, in the middle of nowhere.  Good place for the dogs as not too many people about.

Thursday morning was bright and warm, actually took my fleece offJ  As the next lock was 2-3 miles away I walked the dogs and waited at the lock for Graham and the boat.  The lock was called Whitsunday Pie Lock, which I think is a fab name for a lock.  Must do some research and find out what a Whitsunday Pie is, might be nice to eat.  We stopped at Retford Town Lock to do some shopping, Aldi and Asda both next to the canal so plenty of choice.  There was also a nice craft shop that I went to look around.  Left my purse on the boat though as not allowed to buy any more yarn due to space issues!!

The entertainment while eating lunch at Retford Town Lock was a couple (male and female) having a fight.  He was sitting on a bench drinking a clear liquid from a bottle and she ran down the towpath shouting and headbutted him.  He eventually retaliated and at one point I thought she was going into the canal.  Eventually she also had a drink from the bottle and then discreetly stepped behind the bench and had a pee (in full view of everyone).  They did then both leave, which was a bit of a relief as we had to walk past them to get through the next lock.  You meet all sorts on the waterways, but this is a first and hopefully a one off.   As we moored up there was a short shower which resulted in a rainbow.

Today (Friday) was dry but very windy and cold, needed four layers todayL  A fairly short day and the locks are all now singles, which makes life a lot easier.  At the second lock of the day there was a boat already in the lock as we approached, who were pumping out their toilet (into the elsan disposal not the canal).  A novel place to do a pump out but hey ho!! Live and let live.  At the next lock I was surprised to see two shorter boats in the lock and then realised that one was being towed.  He told me that he had lost his propeller.  I thought it was damaged, but apparently it had fallen off when he got something stuck round it.  Moored up in the middle of nowhere again and Graham took the dogs for a long walk while I made a cake.  A lovely evening now the wind has dropped and we did not need to light a fire.

The view from our kitchen window

and the back deck

We are heading towards Worksop tomorrow.  Lots of locks!!