Jump to content

Tidal Trent to Lincoln and Boston


Featured Posts

Hello

Part of our Summer cruise this year is to venture out on the Trent, Nottingham to Cromwell lock and then out on the tidal bit to Torksey and into the Fossdyke, to head down to Lincoln & Boston.

trying to work out when is the most favourable time to go? On May.

we are at Sawley now and plan to spend a day or more in Nottingham before heading off.

i have the Boating assn. charts (very good they are too) plus the tide times (Hull) and the opening times of Torksey lock, which looks like a guide of when to get there !

Just wondering if any boater is planning to do the same and wanted to from a mini convoy or had any more inside info other than that which I already have.

We are on a 65 foot narrowboat and draw about 2.5'

Planning to spend most of May there before returning to Nottingham for 1st June.

Cheers

Steve and Viv

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I spent some time in that part of the world in 2015 - feel free to have a look at my blog entries (second half of the 2015 section).  https://nbsg.wordpress.com/contents/

I found the chart extremely useful in understanding the Trent tides, relating everything back to what happens in Hull.

Torksey is a good safe haven - the lock is well set back from the main channel and there are lots of pontoons to tie up to and wait.

If you have time to go a bit further down the Trent, the Chesterfield is just glorious.

Have a great trip!

 

tidaltrent.jpg.ec9977718b490f38ae8a716a06a9352f.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Profzarkov said:

Many thanks for that, very useful.

I guess you leave Cromwell on the ebb and then get to Torkseyas it begins to flood?

The Torksey open times seem a guide to this.

Thanks.

Do not rely purely on the tide tables. Fresh water rainfall needs to be taken into account. Ring the lockies at Cromwell well before your intended travel dates and ask their opinion on the best tide to travel on and what time and days are best and they will advise you. Your draught is shallow so correct timing will ensure that it is not a problem anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, call the lockies at Cromwell and they'll advise you when to get there. It's a great trip and if your day is anything like ours you'll be in a mini convoy anyway. We were the third of four boats going down to Torksey and although we had the charts it was very easy to navigate by simply following the lines the others took ahead of us. If they were ok then we'd be ok too. Mind you, we did pass one small NB that had run aground on the inside of a bend and was waiting for the tide to lift them off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If all goes to plan we well be going Lincoln way in the summer.  

All I was going to do was ring Cromwell lock a couple of days before and ask then what time we should be going and then plan the approach accordingly.  Is that a reasonable plan?  

Also should I have charts?  I missed that, where do I get those from?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

If all goes to plan we well be going Lincoln way in the summer.  

All I was going to do was ring Cromwell lock a couple of days before and ask then what time we should be going and then plan the approach accordingly.  Is that a reasonable plan?  

Also should I have charts?  I missed that, where do I get those from?

Sawley marina usualy has them in stock if not they are available via tinternet. I would suggest a few days ahead is better than just a couple as the lockies are experienced on the different tides etc and as a for instance a huge spring tide can be fun but is not always what folks want. They will also tell you if anyone else is booked to go out at a specific time as some people like company.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did Cromwell Lock to Torksey and on to Lincoln last September.  The charts are really useful for identifying where you are and making sure you avoid running aground.  We were novices on the Trent and followed a couple of much experienced boats -- both of whom ended up stuck in the gravel!

Definitely ring the lock keeper for a chat in advance and you'll get lots of useful info on times.  I'd worked out from the tide table what time I thought would be good, and it was useful to have that confirmed.

The blog of the Cromwell to Torksey trip is here: http://nbbriarrose.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/east-mids-exploration-day-12.html  

The return trip, which was interesting in fog, is here:  http://nbbriarrose.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/east-mids-exploration-day-15.html

It's a great trip, and Lincoln is a fantastic place to visit.  Make sure you do the walk around the castle walls, for superb views in every direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An old and much respected friend, at least, respected by those with the good sense to recognize and value the worth of a lifetimes experience which includes well over half a century of boating on the Trent both commercially and for pleasure, says that the best time for any boat to leave Cromwell bound for Torksey is immediately after the bottom gates of Cromwell lock are opened for it. In other words, whenever you like and whenever it suits you, simply because the small tidal range that far upriver and the floating pontoons that have been put in Torksey Cut mean that this 16 mile jaunt is a doddle with a guaranteed safe mooring at the destination where you can stay afloat at any state of the tide.

He does add the proviso, however, that anyone who does not know the river sufficiently well to be sure of not grounding en route should aim to leave Cromwell at a time which they estimate will see them at Torksey at or about the time of predicted Low Water (ie. Flood) at Torksey. That will prevent any possibility of too long a wait for the next tide if they do happen to ground at any of the most likely spots on the way, ie. Fledborough (Scotchman's) Shoal, Dunham Rack, and Laneham Pinfold or Maltkilns.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

They will also tell you if anyone else is booked to go out at a specific time as some people like company.

.....and also if you want to be first out at dawn so you get perfect reflections and still calm rather than share everyone else's wake.☺

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Will be in Nottingham today or tomorrow then plan a slow chug up to Newark, maybe beginning the tidal bit in first week of May?

But happy to stay longer in Newark/Cromwell.

Let us know if anyone's around then for a convoy! Be glad to follow someone.

Steve 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Profzarkov said:

Will be in Nottingham today or tomorrow then plan a slow chug up to Newark, maybe beginning the tidal bit in first week of May?

But happy to stay longer in Newark/Cromwell.

Let us know if anyone's around then for a convoy! Be glad to follow someone.

Steve 

Newark is great, theres nowt at Cromwell. My Fav moorings are at Stoke lock for a couple of nights.

Edited by mrsmelly
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although the Trent is a great place to go boating, I feel a word of warning should be given that many of the current keepers have less actual boating experience than my pet greyhounds. 

The volunteers above Newark can be helpful but some 'real world' training should be given, including a boat trip through their own lock!   One of my personal favourites is their insistence to secure the boat at fore and aft when decending, even when boating single handed. I've pointed out that this is dangerous as ropes often snag on the cable sleeves and you can't keep check on them both, but the usual response is "Do as I say or you won't be passing through MY lock"

It's always fun to remind them at this point that they'll be knocking off in an hour and then you can let yourself through - quite safely, with a bit of common sense - as you have been doing for years.

A more serious problem was highlighted on a trip down to Keadby last summer. I'd booked in advance, and been told to arrive from Torksey at 9am sharp to meet the flood. I double checked this as we passed through Cromwell (no complaints here, excellent advice and always friendly) and he rang Keadby on my behalf who confirmed the booking. The following morning we made perfect time and approached the lock from the far side of the river at exactly 9am. A boat emerged from the lock heading towards us as the keeper watched from his balcony, all good so far we thought..  What we didn't know at this point was the keeper had now decided to shut the gates and turn the lock against us as we cut across the river towards it!  Anyone who's spent time outside Keadby lock will know it isn't the best place to be hanging around, especially with a flooding tide and all the oil drums, timber, etc it brings. I held the boat against the gates while he filled the lock and dropped a boat down from the canal above and then politely asked why he didn't let us up first, while the lock was in our favour. His response believe it or not was "I didn't know it was you." Despite the fact that we were the only boat heading downstream, on time and halfway across the river heading for his lock when he saw us! 

Call me old fashioned but I think that on a tidal river where things can quickly go wrong, some boating knowledge should be compulsory for a keeper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just returned from a trip down to Boston. Nice trip but I must agree that the lock keepers were highly variable in their usefulness. The non tidal locks were mostly manned by volunteers, some of whom didn't seem to know what they were doing other than pushing buttons. The tidal lock keepers were employed I think but the younger guy at Cromwell was a bit vague over timings. One of the Torksey keepers was dreadful though. Impossible to get a straight answer out of him, not manning the lock at all at advertised times, failing to respond to calls, more interested in telling us where we were likely to get mugged and stabbed on our journey. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Profzarkov said:

Will be in Nottingham today or tomorrow then plan a slow chug up to Newark, maybe beginning the tidal bit in first week of May?

But happy to stay longer in Newark/Cromwell.

Let us know if anyone's around then for a convoy! Be glad to follow someone.

Steve 

Follow the chart, not someone else.  It was the guy in front of us, supposedly with 35 years of Trent experience, who ran aground.  I was glad I'd made my own decision and moved over a bit.

VHF is very useful on the Trent too.  You can radio each lock as you approach -- I did it when about a mile away -- and find out what the situation is.  By the time you get there, the lock will likely be ready for you.  It also means you know if you're likely to meet a big white plastic boat coming out of the lock as you approach.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, noddyboater said:

Although the Trent is a great place to go boating, I feel a word of warning should be given that many of the current keepers have less actual boating experience than my pet greyhounds. 

The volunteers above Newark can be helpful but some 'real world' training should be given, including a boat trip through their own lock!   One of my personal favourites is their insistence to secure the boat at fore and aft when decending, even when boating single handed. I've pointed out that this is dangerous as ropes often snag on the cable sleeves and you can't keep check on them both, but the usual response is "Do as I say or you won't be passing through MY lock"

It's always fun to remind them at this point that they'll be knocking off in an hour and then you can let yourself through - quite safely, with a bit of common sense - as you have been doing for years.

A more serious problem was highlighted on a trip down to Keadby last summer. I'd booked in advance, and been told to arrive from Torksey at 9am sharp to meet the flood. I double checked this as we passed through Cromwell (no complaints here, excellent advice and always friendly) and he rang Keadby on my behalf who confirmed the booking. The following morning we made perfect time and approached the lock from the far side of the river at exactly 9am. A boat emerged from the lock heading towards us as the keeper watched from his balcony, all good so far we thought..  What we didn't know at this point was the keeper had now decided to shut the gates and turn the lock against us as we cut across the river towards it!  Anyone who's spent time outside Keadby lock will know it isn't the best place to be hanging around, especially with a flooding tide and all the oil drums, timber, etc it brings. I held the boat against the gates while he filled the lock and dropped a boat down from the canal above and then politely asked why he didn't let us up first, while the lock was in our favour. His response believe it or not was "I didn't know it was you." Despite the fact that we were the only boat heading downstream, on time and halfway across the river heading for his lock when he saw us! 

Call me old fashioned but I think that on a tidal river where things can quickly go wrong, some boating knowledge should be compulsory for a keeper.

Did you not use your vhf when getting near??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.