Tarleton

Today's Navigations - Ribble Link, River Ribble, River Douglas, Rufford Branch

When we awoke we were still alone in the basin above the first locks on the Ribble Link. It was quite a bit later before the first boat arrived and then the second. They both went and took up occupation in the top lock, waiting for CaRT staff to arrive to take us down the first three-lock staircase. They had also been told that there were only three boats booked for today's passage.

However, when the CaRT staff arrived they told us that a fourth boat would be joining us, having only booked in the last hour! In fact, he was booked for two weeks ahead but had has enough of this fairly short canal and on the off chance wanted to see if there was a cancellation for today. He was somewhat surprised to be told yes, but get here within the hour!

The first two boats were set on their way and we reversed into the top lock. It is unusual to have to descend locks backwards but when this link was designed there was insufficient room at the bottom of the staircase to fit in a full turning area before the road and railway that run very close at this point.

We now reversed into the lock to await the arrival of the fourth boat. We were surprised when it came through the bridge from the Lancaster Canal that it was the same single hander (Kev) that we had shared with on the way up.

All we had to do in passing through the staircase was to stay on the boat and wait until time to reverse into the next one. All the work is done by CaRT staff. Eventually we reversed out in to the pond at the bottom, facing now in the right direction to go forward under the road and rail bridges.

We now had four fairly conventional locks but the pounds in between are narrow, shallow and very winding! One iof the reasons we had been quite happy to wait until the last group of boats is that we knew (or at least guessed) that the CaRT staff would have to follow us down in order to lock up all of the paddles and with luck we would get some assistance along the way. Our guess was spot on and in the end we did nit have to operate any gates or paddles!

The new road we saw on the main part of the Lancaster also passes over the Ribble Link. Nothing at all seemed to be happening here so we suspect that this part is finished, waiting now for the finishing touches at the other end.

The CaRT staff had told us that Savick Brook was now up to normal levelsa after the rain. It is still narrow and winding but at least this time we did not come to a halt, stuck on shallow mud at both ends. On the way up we had some shuffling to do to get through this narrow section as well as the very sharp bends.

We arrived at the holding pontoon just before the Rotating Sea Lock. The first two boats were already rafted up and been waiting a little while. The pontoon is only about one and half times the length of most narrowboats so it took us and our lock companion a while to tie up to the short remaining piece. By the time we were done it was almost the time that we had been told we would be released. Time for a quick lunch.

A shout came from the bank and frantic waving of arms as the CaRT person was opening the gates. We are not quite sure why it happened but as the gates were opened we experienced a substantial tidal surge which pulled us and out neighbour violently away from the pontoon to the opposite bank (it is still narrow at the point) The other two boats were pulled tight on their mooring ropes. Our problem was that we had had to use our centre line along with our bow rope as the stern was well away from the end of the pontoon. Alas, the pontoon was stuck on the mud whilst we were being pulled away from it. Result: we were pulled over  to an alarming angle causing a lot of stuff to fall off shelves. Two smashed wine g;asses, a mug, a plate and something else as well as most of the books off their shelves! It seemed a long time but very soon the pontoon pulled off the mud bank and joined us ion the middle of the brook. We came back to a more normal heel angle (ie zero) with rather a lot of debris to clear up. All four of us managed to untie but also there is a very short window of time that the sea lock can stay open and there was no time to hang about.

As we made our way down the rest of the brook, nerves calmed a little and temperatures fell back - blood pressure took perhaps a little longer. 

And then we were turning out from Savick Brook into the main Ribble. It is important to maintain speed whilst making the turn as the tide is always against at this point in the passage and there is a good bank of sand at the entrance to be avoided.

Suddenly we could see that although we were following the other three boats in a line, there was a fast boat rapidly approaching from the direction of Preston! Fortunately they were keeping a good watch and we all avoided each other.

In times when maps and GPS were unavailable, progress could be monitored by a series of mile posts, called perches (with occasional extra one thrown in for good measure) We started out from Savick Brook in fourth place but gradually rose to third although the other two were some distance ahead. We did not come quite as close to this perch as the photo seems to suggest!

Whilst steering and monitoring position are quite demanding - at the higher speed possible (and required to make the time schedule) the tiller pulls very strongly off line! - there is not really a lot to see except a large expanse of water.

Eventually we rounded Asland Lamp - which makes sure that we take to unobvious but correct line in to the River Douglas, and avoid the underwater obstructions closer to the entrance. At this point Mike paid too much attention to various landmarks and not enough to navigation. He suddenly realised that we were heading for a narrow creek and not the substantially larger river! A sharp turn to port brough us back to right direction.

Although still quite wide at this point, the Douglas has a rather different feel but we could appreciate the very pleasant weather conditions, even better than forecast except for a stiffer breeze. Just before we made the turn the water became quite choppy.

As we come around a long slow bend to the Douglas Boatyard and moorings, the river narrows significantly. Eventually the gates of Tarleton Lock came into view. From a distance it was nit easy to make out whether they were ready and open or would we have to stem the strong flow of the river? We knew that the first two boats were not a lot more than 5 or 6 minutes ahead. As we came near we could make out that the gates were still shut but before we arrived they started to open and we were into the safer waters of the lock. after waiting a few minutes for Kev to arrive the lock keepers workd us up to the level of the canal.

Time was now getting on and we hoped that we could all find a mooring in Tarleton as it is perhaps another hour to be sure of the next place. We were in last place again but the others managed to shuffle up enough to give as room even if we were partly on the landing for the swing bridge! Very unlikely that there would bee any demand for the bridge until the morning.

11.5 Miles - 10 Locks