Sunday 22 April 2012

The Big One (4-1)

Sunday 22nd of April 2012.

Ferrybridge Flood Lock Visitor Moorings to Pollington Lock Visitor Mooring. 

Tina Turner sings "I can't stand the rain falling on my window pane." So Tina could have been on our boat last night, through to the morning. There is something about the noise of the rain on the boat roof that is a bit soporific. Poppy the guard dog was giving frequent growls as people walked along the towpath at the other side of the canal. Her hearing is more than good, its amazing. She can hear footfalls across the canal, while rain is falling on the roof and I have the TV turned on to watch the football highlights. Abbey would not flinch if there was a firecracker in her basket, when she sleeps a marching band would not wake her up! I spent some time cutting up some firewood with the chainsaw in readiness for the bad weather that's been promised to come. 

10:00 We were on our way, stopping at Bank Dole Lock to fill up with water. We turned around in front of the lock and headed off down the Aire and Calder Navigation.  Very few other boats seem to be moving as everyone sits out the poor weather.

Chiffchaff
Chiffchaff Warblers seem to be singing away in every bush as we pass. Easy to identify from their almost continuous chiff-chaff chiff-chaff calls.


Quite a few Cormorants and a pair of Great Crested Grebe. We spot our first Mallard and chicks (6) of the season.

A Little Owl was spotted peering out of an owl box and large numbers of Swallows were busy feeding almost eveywhere along the canal.







Pollington Visitor Moorings
15:30 We arrive at Pollington Lock and decide to moor on the low side of the lock. The visitor moorings here have lots of picknic tables. A water point and lights that illuminate the towpath after dark. After dark only a single Daubentons bat was detected.


The photograph of the visitor moorings was taken after dark. Using a 24 second exposure, with my Lumix digital camera placed on a picnic table.



Later.....

Daily Total
Miles: 9.1
Locks: 2
Swing / Lift Bridges: 1
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 3.1


Accumulated Totals
Miles: 631.2
Locks: 645
Swing / Lift Bridges: 103
Tunnels: 6
Pump Outs: 8
Engine Hours: 2079.2




Later....









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