Aground at Gargrave

Moored at Gargrave, Leeds & Liverpool Canal

It was great to meet my friend from the internet Jeff before I left London, it has been quite a while since we had met, and although we didnt have a lot of time together, we certainly had a lot to say!

I really enjoyed the train journey back on the GNER to Leeds, the train was very fast and extremely comfortable. I had packed myself a ham bagette at breakfast time at the hotel, and with a flask of coffee and Mark Knopfler to listen to on CD player I really did relax and wind down after the day before.

Vic met me as I was walking back from Gargrave station and Lucy was really delighted to see me as usual............ poor Vic then had to endure a few hours of whoopee all about my trip down to London

I had hoped we could have gone over to the Anchor for a pint in the evening, but suddenly the boat lurched over a bit about 8pm, and I knew we were aground by the towpath. Out we went, and all the rest of the boat crews were off their boats looking at the pound which was dreadfully low. I decided to go to the lock above us and let down a couple of lockfulls of water so we could float all the boats again............. but when I got up there, there were more boats moored directly above the lock. They were floating though unlike us lot!

I knocked on the windows and told the people there what was happening in the next pound, and told them I was going to let a lockfull of water through. One guy in one of the boats wasn't too pleased, errrrr yes he was floating, but only just! So I let one lock through, that raised our pound up about inch and half, thats all it took really to float us all.......... The guy definately didn't want me to let any more through for sure!

We all floated our boats and left long lines out back and front, we were getting near to the centre of the canal by this time!.......... But at least we would be floating in the morning even if other boats couldn't get passed us!

So by the time all that was done, it was far too late to think about a pint.........