Late start…. but got there!

 

it was a very late start with the cruising.  Jan had a restless night and was exhausted.  Most unusual for her, she actually went back to bed for another couple of hours sleep after speaking to her mum in Sydney.  As a result we didn’t start until after lunch.  Not that it mattered much as there’s very little traffic around here.

The gps and Paul Balmer’s canal maps (Waterway Routes) recorded today we moved 19.1km at an average speed of 4.84km/h, and a maximum speed of 13.2km/h.  The route took us along the River Aire from Knottingley to Haddlesey Lock at the southern end of the Selby Canal.  We then cruised to the other end of the canal and moored in Selby.

There were only three locks, all manual.  Bank Dole Lock took us down onto the River Aire and Beal Lock detoured around the weir at Beal.  The Aire isn’t in flood so Beal Lock was almost a stop lock.  Haddlesey Lock takes you off the Aire and onto the Selby Canal.  It too was almost a stop lock.  The River Aire section was rather boring with high flood protection banks on either side preventing any views of the countryside.  The Selby Canal was obviously narrower with minimal current.  Additionally, the flora on the banks made it more interesting.

It’s interesting what can catch your eye.  In the following photo it was the debris piled up on the bridge columns over the River Aire at Beal.  You can see the approach to Beal Lock in the background.

Obviously the water level on the River Aire can get quite high.

Further along the river we rounded a bend to find caravans and tents on the flood bank and three speed boats moored.  It looked as if water skiing was about to commence. 

The location has a boat ramp and short finger moorings so it must get regular usage.

We cruised into Selby just before 6.00pm and moored in front of nb Brookweed. Waiouru has been playing leap frog with Brookweed since Blackburn. They are probably also on their way to York!

I had a quick walk into Selby to visit Morrisons and gained the impression it might be interesting to explore further.  Perhaps tomorrow morning or on the way back from York.