Doncaster

Here I am Rune

Distance 8 miles

Total 1338 Locks 70 Tunnels

Running total mileage 1890.5 miles

Well we’ve had quite an interesting sort of day travelling from Mexborough through to Doncaster. I have been tracking the whereabouts of the oil tanker, Humber Princess, to try to avoid meeting it on the river or canal if possible. Today we had the opportunity for a safe close-up view of it whilst we were at Sprotborough Lock, we were securely moored up on the lock landing. An additional point of interest was that Ed Milliband also turned up (I didn’t realise he was into boats!). It was certainly interesting watching the tanker fit into the lock, there isn’t a lot of spare room in the lock once it is in! Also once they lifted the top paddles to fill the lock the skipper had to give the engine quite a few revs to stop the boat being pushed back onto the bottom gates (the bows being held by a rope to stop it going forward. Apparently crew was told by a Lock keeper that it is possible to have a passage on the boat from Goole to Rotherham as a passenger, certainly an interesting way to travel.

Humber Princess heading towards RUNE...

.....change of direction....

....and missing it comfortably!

Tomorrow we’ll be moving on to Barnby Dun

Ed Milliband....

.....helping out at the Lock!