Keadby - Torksey (Tues 11th June)

Left at 06:20 arrived at 10:50.

Both woke up at 4 a.m. then had bit longer in bed, Derek up at 4 45 me at 5 we had breakfast Derek sorted life jackets out and looked at his maps, we are three now NB Strider joined us last night and the skipper is up and sorting his toilet etc. out, his wife was still in bed and he thought she may stay there for the journey ????  The Lockie came on at 6 and our instructions were to be ready for 6 30 and when the green light came on enter the lock.  Esmerelda, Rivendell and Strider ready by 6 30 (Strider had been searching for his anchor and found it just in time)  All present and correct, us first, Rivendell and Strider all in a compact row.  On looking through the opening in the lock gates there seemed to be a beach outside with not much water, the river was running really fast and there was a little duck sat waiting for us.  The lockie  asked if we were all ready we gave him thumbs up and he started to empty the lock slowly, the gates opened and we were all out for 7 02.  Derek said we were averaging 7 miles per hour, which is fast for a NB, it didn’t seem that fast at the back of the boat but at the front the waves were crashing over the bow and wetting the windows. It was very warm in the cratch 20degrees but Derek had three layers on and his hat and life jacket.  I did a bit of sewing and then kept making food to keep Derek awake, I didn’t want him falling off the back of the boat did I.???    About 20 minutes from Torksey they were dredging at the side of the river, there was a field with lots of black and white horses in and lots of foals.  Further on they were dredging in the middle of the river, a little red tug was pushing the dredger and it was quite scary as we had to go round it.  The left hand side fields had lots of cows all looking very shiny somehow as if they had been washed, there were a lot of brown ones.  Waves were still crashing over the bow and on the grassland there was a horse with a pair of white foals, they looked like twins, but I don’t think horses have twins so the other mother must have been out of sight.  On approaching the Torksey turning a little NB called Wild Swan came out with three guys on it, they didn’t seem to have many clothes on just trousers an  rugby shirts, they must be tough guys as it was cold.   Turned into Torksey at 10 50 and all moored up pointing the right way for tomorrow by 11 03 how’s that for timing. We were waiting for Strider  as we lost sight of him, but he arrived 20 or so minutes later and went into the lock which was waiting for him as he was going to Lincoln.  All safe and well.