Quick let's get home before it rains again!

Tuesday morning, the third day on the 'cut', the clouds broke and the sun came out, for a second day. Would it have been enough dry weather to bring the water level down? Low and behold it had, to just above the beginning of the yellow, which is not right, but safer and would make for a speedy down river journey (not white water rafting!). We would still probably wear our lifejackets.
Through the lock we went with some trepidation, but the marker had revealed more of itself overnight which was reassuring. The photo doesn't illustrate it well, but you can tell the level is lower. We needed to get back to the Trent lock to go on the Cranfleet cut section of the Trent, which would return us to Newark.
The river sped us along, except, on checking things were Ok with the engine, Richard discvered that on the hard revs, a cloud of steam would arise from the engine! We had a leak. Obviously putting pressure on the old girl was not necessary, but we ordered some parts from a company we had dealt with before including gaskets, the lot, as Richard had intended during the winter to strip the engine anyway. Give him an old engine and he is as happy as anything!
Amongst the many private moorings along the banks on the approach to Nottingham, we spotted this cause for concern! The water levels must have been really high to lift boats out like this!
Beeston lock was the last lock before Nottingham, where the wind took us again like a yacht and if Richard didn't have such a tight hold on the reverse lever, we would have gone merrily over the weir next to the lock. We crashed unashamably into the pontoon but at least I could get off and get a rope to secure it. Another couple we had followed down opened the lock gates as I ran up the bank to help, so Richard could steer the boat in alongside .
From a canal perspective I enjoy going through Nottingham. The views from a half marathon view (I did manage 3 when I was fit) weren't bad either! Here is a candid picture of the Castle. I nearly missed it! The main company transporting goods on the Trent at it's peak was Fellows, Morton and Clayton - this was their depot, now a museum. Through Castle lock we went, and then the extreme bend at the Premier Inn. This requires precision to get a 61foot boat round in one go, it took us 2!
This family of Canadian geese were
quite happy to let us go by noisily!

We were soon out on the river Trent proper again with Trent bridge behind us and the open vastness of the river stretched out in front. It seemed so wide and fast that both of us checked our lifejackets just to be sure.
At Holme lock, the deepest on this part of the river at 12feet deep, Holme Pierrepont White Water rafting course diverts water off the river onto it's new facility. On the way out to Nottingham, we had watched the canooists battle with the challenging course and rolling over many times. There was a rowing competition involving schools across the region.
In the picture, the scale of the lock is apparent as Richard holds the centre rope to keep us to the side of the lock.
Before we arrived at the next lock, I took a picture of a fantasic feat of engineering in the form of an aquaduct carrying the Nottingham - Grantham railway, at Radcliffe on Trent, itself concealed in woods on a bend in the river.
A welcome sight to anyone on this stretch of river is Gunthorpe bridge, being the only road bridge between Nottingham and Newark. It is a sign the journey is almost at an end. Gunthorpe lock is a popular mooring spot where refreshments can be bought etc. But we still had a few miles to go and needed to get the poor old engine back home for a rest.
So Hazelford lock did not get the pleasure of Scooby chasing it's rabbits, as we steamed past and arrived back at newark safe and sound in good time for the heavens to open!
14 (there were 15 when we left) signets met our arrival, happy with their parents in the safety and seclusion from preditors in our marina. What a marvellous sight!