Red Bull

Here I am Rune

Distance 6.5 miles

Total 4460 Locks  282 Tunnels

Running total mileage 6,681.9 miles

Set off a bit earlier than normal for us, about 10am the purpose was to get to Harecastle Tunnel and get a morning passage through, even though we are booked for a 3pm passage. Speaking the tunnel keeper it was no problem and we were in fact the only Northbound boat, although we had to wait for 4 Southbound boats to clear the tunnel. Have to say it is quite pleasant travelling through the tunnel on one’s own, when there are several boats travelling together you get the interference pattens from the engine noise and it can cause it to throb quite loudly in the tunnel. On one’s own there isn’t the same effect. Taking CRT advice I have a hand torch available at the back of the boat but to be honest it is more of a distraction  than an assistance. I tend to centre the beam of the tunnel light on the centre of the tunnel roof when passing though tunnels, but whenever you use the hand torch you lose sight of it (it is quite a bright lamp) so I didn’t use it much. Just as a point of interest for future reference, the time through the tunnel was 38 minutes and 44 seconds, I wasn't aiming for a record anything, I was just curious how long the passage takes, by comparison it takes 35 minutes to get through Netherton Tunnel which is slightly longer.

It was also quite foggy in the tunnel and whereas in the past I’ve entered the southern portal and been able to see the north portal in the distance, today I couldn’t see it until we we were less than 1000 metres from it.

Tomorrow we have a few locks to do, the aim is to get to Wheelock, but if we don’t it’s not a disaster.