Superb River Trent, but not our day today

6th Aug - Torksey Lock to Cromwell Lock, 16 miles 1 lock - Today - Cromwell Lock to Newark Nether Lock, River Trent 4.5 miles 0 locks

Yesterday went down as one of the best most enjoyable days that we can ever remember. The sun was warm, we left Torksey with the incoming tide, very gentle flow, and we got almost to Cromwell when the flow started going against us. The scenery along the Trent is absolutely fabulous.

Moored below Cromwell Lock, it was very busy and we had to moor against a very high wall, having to climb the ladders to get ashore. This posed a problem for poor Lucy, well trained as she is, I forgot to teach her how to use ladders in walls! So we got her harness out, tied a rope to it and hauled her up the wall......... she didnt go much on it to be honest, and hated even more the return trip down!

We were going to stay at Cromwell today, its a beautiful place, so peaceful, not a sound only the birds. Not really being able to find somewhere else suitable to moor with all the cruisers around decided to move on to Newark.

Change of plan again, when suddenly our ignition light came on... Oh no, not another alternator gone. So I phoned a marina ahead, and arranged for a mooring this evening.

We arrived at Newark Nether Lock, and a green light there let us enter the lock. Bad news from the lock keeper, one of the bottom gates wouldn't shut, so we waited an hour in the lock while a BW engineer did what he could, but a pump had broken, and yes we could back out to the visitor moorings because it looked like a 4 hour wait. We had stopped the engine in the lock, and when I fired it up again, hey presto our alternator was working again! Vic had had a fiddle, as men do, with the wiring round the alternator. I wonder if it's just a loose wire? Phoned the marina, told them we would arrive on Monday if all was ok, and we stayed put at Nether Lock to do some relaxing. Certainly hasn't been our day today! Biggest perch I have ever caught this afternoon, a smidge under 2lbs, landed with Vic's help