Up the River Ouse on a Spring Tide

Selby to York, River Ouse, 20 miles 2 locks

The lockeeper gave me my instructions for the trip up to York, and then told me that we would be going on the incoming spring tide! Had I have known that last night, there would have been no way I would have even thought about going today, but the boat was already in the lock and the lockeeper had closed the doors behind and started to lower us down.

When the bottom gates opened I could see the tide sweeping up the river, my heart was in my mouth I'll tell you! First boat of two out of the lock and a gentle turn left to join the fast incoming tide and we were off!

I even managed a quick wave to the lockeeper. Wow we were travelling fast, round sweeping bends we went, making sure to keep to the outside in case of going aground on the sandbanks on the inside of the bends.

I have never been so fast on a narrowboat before! It was quite exilerating once I had got control of my nerves.

The scenery was really non-existant because of the high banks, but there were a lot of cormorants and herons along the way, and mud flats that would be covered by the high tide in a couple of hours or so. As we neared Naburn Locks the tidal flow almost stopped, well we had been going faster than the tide for most of the way, and the boat slowed easily to enter the lock. Looking at the time, we had covered the 14.75 miles in just 2hrs 10mins, an amazing speed of 6.70mph for a narrowboat!

Above the locks the river was very tranquil with hardly a flow at all, and we had a lovely run up to York in the early afternoon sunshine. This piece of artwork made me chuckle as we approached York

We shall explore tomorrow.