TNC On Tour 2003 12 - The Lanky (XP)
Neil Arlidge
Neil decided to miss the hoards at Bridge 26 (rather busy this Lanky Canal)
and leave a bit smartish, so shoved off on his own at 08:00.
Past Bilsborrow at 10:15. Dull sort of day, hardly any sun, with a black
cloud hovering behind us, but no rain.
Peter Wright did a classic TNC departure - jumped off at bridge hole in
Garstang, with out us stopping. Not far after we eventually found the
Sanitary Station and water point. We tried out our new "smart" key for the
Sani Station - common only to Lanky - a small black pod to wipe over pad
near door. Water Point still BW keyed post. Water fill up from 11:55 to
12:20.
At the junction with the Glasson Branch (14:50) we decided to go down as the
original paddle gear on the locks (scissor paddles on gates and wooden stock
racks on ground paddles, all equipped with large windlii) looked fun and
would relieve the boredom setting in from Lanky Stone Bridge Spotting.
Only two of us left, Neil and Martin C. Martin steered and Neil got a bit of
exercise. Arrived in large Glasson Basin at 17:15 and did tour round past
the yot moorings.We moored up by mistake on long term moorings by the
"Victoria", but mooring looked vacant, so we take our chances for an
overnight stop. Neil did some centre rope splicing, combining the about to
fail one in use, with the failed one from last year.
The WWW has decided to have a flexi day Monday, so is coming up tomorrow
morning for a couple of days trip up to Tewitfield. She is going to try out
her new Brompton foldy cycle to pick up car on Monday evening.
Impressions of Lanky so far...........
Tons of GRP cruisers, not many narrowboats, it seems the last resting place
for narrow beam Freeman's. All the cruiser have to overtake narrowboats and
seem to go around at about 6MPH. Canal seems to get prettier the further you
go up.
Lanky stone bridge spotting has become Martin Clark's favourite hobby. He
has a piccy of all of them and is thinking of a new website :
http://www.lankybridges.com ;-)
Going to the Victoria soon, probably some Chris Coburn memorabilia somewhere
about!
--
Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest
Follow the travels of the TNC at http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk