FAB aka Fading Affect Bias has been enacted on board nb Preaux in just a few days.
Within hours of the flood warnings for navigation being lifted and the repairs to a lock ahead being complete, the sun came out and off we went. By the time we had navigated through Barrow Deep Lock, under Barrow Road Bridge, avoided a learner volunteer in charge of a Baldwin boat, done the same for a herd of young bovines as we made it through Pillings Flood lock, brushed through curtains of lime green willow, and shared fabulous views with the mansions of Normanton on Soar, the months of winter flooding seemed just a distant memory.
The repaired Kegworth Deep Lock was a delight to use thanks CRT and The Rothen Group, so good I did it twice – once to help a single handler heading to Sileby Marina, and once for us. We moored at Kegworth Shallow Lock and only heard a few aircraft heading into East Mainlands during our stay.
We’ve been juggling a car on this trip, so that allowed an early morning grandson cuddle and catch up with his mum over a good coffee, and then off we set again for the Great River Release.
The Soar has held us in its thrall since November, but on Wednesday we bade it farewell again, having also gained a passenger as we passed Red Hill Marina. As in days of old when horses needed to hitch lifts across the expanse of the junction with the Trent to make it onto the Erewash Canal or Cranfleet Cut, this man needed a lift to collect a boat from the Cranfleet. We were happy to oblige, and dropped him as requested before heading up the Trent against the flow. The levels are out of flood but still high. By the time we made it to Sawley Lock, we were spotting other boats on the move too, all of us revelling in the glorious sunshine.
At Sawley we encountered a CRT lock keeper “I’m not here – I’m a bonus” – it was still great to see him and have his help. Then onto the flood lock (still needs operating), and up to the junction with the River Derwent and then through Derwent Lock into the inland port of Shardlow. Thanks to Skylink bus we were reunited with the car before an unexpected visit to our duck hatch by friends delighting their children with a quick cruise in the evening sun. So a detour for us all to the pub, a long overdue catch up and for us, a celebration at being back on the canals after nearly 5 months of the vagaries of river dwelling.
From Shardlow it was on to Weston on Trent to fill up with water and a night on the other side of East Midlands Airport as well as a chance to hear the action from Donington Park circuit. Then another short hop and a bit more car juggling before school pick up and some special time with the OG (Original Grandson).
A chance at locks and moorings to watch the unfurling leaves on the trees, the burgeoning bizarre looking butterburr along the banks, to see early insects falling prey to the sticky buds of the horse chestnut, a chance to watch geese, ducks and swans, goosander and an increasing number of cormorants, all out and about like us.
Three counties in as many days of slow moving. Is it the changing scenery passing slowly by, the mindfulness of journeying 26 miles and 17 locks, or the sunshine that makes the wet winter feel an age away? How quickly we have forgotten the depressing dampness, the dripping clothes, the soggy dog and the need for wellies (or waders) and a gangplank to get safely off our floating haven in the rising floodwaters.
Life afloat, like the human memory, is FAB. It serves to remind us that things do change, and it can’t rain forever!
Pickingupducks 