"So long, It's been good to know ya."

4 Locks, 8 ½ Miles. Now moored above Trent Lock, Erewash Canal.

Yesterday was spent doing a little shopping and then saw Tracey off on the train to return to London. Poor girl still has to work.

This morning we pulled into Nottingham Marina for water and a pump out. The marina office didn't open until 9.30 but we found that the pump out machinery was operational so we pressed on with the jobs in hand. We were ready to go and the office was still not open so we had to cool our heels for a wee while.

We eventually got underway in cool, breezy, overcast conditions. We certainly noticed the difference punching into the flow of the river Trent especially where it narrowed. The trip up to the junction was straight forward but there were quite a lot of fishermen about but as the river is very wide there was no problems. At the junction we turned right onto the Erewash canal and up through the Trent lock. We were lucky to find just one slot available on the 48 hour moorings. House boats seem to be a feature on this canal as there are 4 in the first ¼ mile.

Once settled we went for a walk to check out the lock keepers cottage which is now a cafe,museum and souvenir shop all rolled into one. The canal memorabilia was really exceptional and took many years to collect. Unfortunately, due to theft many valuable articles have had to be put out of reach and only damaged or valueless items are left out on display. Sign of the times I suppose. While there we were tempted into having a Knickerbocker Glory each which was very nice but sadly it didn't quite live up to expectation. I remember them as being layers of various flavours of ice cream. fruit and jelly in a very long glass with the spoon barely able to reach the bottom.

In the field alongside where we are moored there is a mining contractor who has sunk a large hole, approx 10 feet across, which has been concrete lining. By the length of the diggers boom and grab it would appear that the hole is about 50 -60 feet deep and they are having to pump it out constantly. Hopefully the water is not leaking out of the canal. It transpires that there is a similar hole somewhere over the other side of the canal and these guys are going to dig a tunnel under the canal and connect the 2 holes up as part of a new water main. Quite a major project.

1307 locks, 1889 miles, 43 Tunnels, 42 swing bridges and 19 lift bridges since Nov 2006