Kirk Bramwith

Here I am Rune

Distance 6.2 miles

Total 2813 Locks  130 Tunnels

Running total mileage 3987.2 miles 

Today’s weather, once again unusual for a Bank Holiday, has been superb and the trip from Sykehouse Junction down here to Bramwith went like a dream. With the number of boats on the move today we hardly had to do any work at all except steer the boat. Travelling down the New Junction canal there are six swing bridges and a lock all of which normally delay the travelling time a bit. Today it seemed to work out that, for one reason or another, we only had to operate one bridge. The first bridge was operated for us by a boat ahead whereas the second was operated by a boater who was obviously on a mission since he overtook us between the bridges. No point in getting older if one doesn’t get wiser and if he wants to overtake, then I’m more than happy to let him. This meant that although he was the first one to the bridge he was the last one to leave it.

The next object was the lock with swing bridge over it, today there was a CRT lock-keeper on duty so that was all done for us by him. I was at the front of the lock and led the way out but, ‘man on a mission’ who clearly hadn’t learned from the last time, overtook again between the bridges (me, I’m happy to let him) which meant that once again he was first to the bridge and had to operate it for the rest of us. 

Now once again at the leading position, this meant that for the first time we had to pull over and operate the next bridge for the convoy (one out of six, I can live with that!) and as we approached the final swing bridge, there was a cruiser coming the other way who operated it for us all. So all in all a nice easy trip.

We are only about 4 ½ miles from Thorne now so will comfortably be there tomorrow morning.