Working on Corbiere
In the evening we had a bit of excitement (we don't get out much!) when the local Fire Service came down to check their pumps.
Today it was nearly 11:00 by the time we got moving. Carol had left 40 minutes before, but it took ages to fill our water tank. It must have been nearly empty; we’d done 3 loads of washing yesterday, taking advantage of being hooked up to mains electricity. It was a mild but very windy day, luckily the wind from the west, mainly on the back of the boat. On some of the bendy bits with the wind abeam, though, it was hard to keep to the channel.
Shireoaks Middle Lock, Shireoaks Church in the background.
The church was built in 1861 with a steeple, but this had to be removed in 1975 due to mining subsidence. The marina is situated on part of the colliery, closed in 1995. In it’s heyday it employed more than 600 men, leading to local prosperity.
The name of the village comes from a massive oak tree said to have cast its shadow into Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. It was reputed to have a girth of 94’!
We made a quick stop for shopping at Sainsbury’s, and then carried on down the locks and into Worksop with its disappointing amount of rubbish in the canal. No sign of Roland the rat in Town Lock today.
The last lock of the day was Kilton, and the prop had been clogged for the last mile or so, so we pulled onto the lower landing for me to delve in the murky depths.
Rubbish off the prop.
We caught up with Carol at Osberton, where we’ve moored for the night. We haven’t seen her all day, but we’ve evidence of her passing, as she kindly left each lock refilling for us as she left it. You can do this on such a quiet canal.
At Morse Lock we came across a party collecting pike from the canal. Apparently they’re a nuisance for the local anglers, so they try to keep their numbers under control. They use an electric shock to stun them, then net them. They will often be “rehoused” in more appropriate areas.
Some are pretty big!
Locks 12, miles 5.
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