PUMP OUT PALAVERs

Wait for me Mum

As most of you know we are a pump out boat, for those not in the know, this means our toilet has to be pumped out as the waste is held in a tank under our bathroom sink. Toilets are a favourite subject for most boaters. There are 3 main types, a cassette (porta potty), pump out and a composting toilet. Cassettes are emptied into elsan’s which are dotted along the canals and rivers, supplied by CRT they are free to use. A pump out, requires as the name suggests a pump to remove the waste and these are mainly found in marina’s, although there are CRT ones also dotted a round the system, we pay for this service. With a composting toilet, dry and wet waste are collected in separate compartments within the toilet, and sawdust is used to cover the poo. Wet waste can be poured down the elsan point, but dry waste needs disposing of somewhere. CRT have decreed that this waste must not be placed in the general waste bins, so I am not sure what you do with it.

Anyway moving on from this fascinating subject, and on to our journey.

Our next port of call was Beeston, and on the way there we shared Cranfield lock with NB Old Sam, this boat is notorious in some circles, as a number of years ago it was filmed trying to open a flood gate, which had been padlocked shut due to the state of the river, the owner attached a rope to the gate, and then reversed hard to try to open the gates, not a great idea, and it was lucky that the gates weren’t damaged. It shows that some boaters have no consideration of what damage they may do, and how it would affect other boaters. We did not mention at the time knowing about this.

We moored for the night at Beeston and took a walk to the marina, it has a decent chandlery, cafe and more important a bar. We had a long chat with the guys running the chandlery, and then had to try a pint. There was Theakstons mild on for the Captain and Cruzcampo, and at only £8.45 a round, very reasonable, we did sit outside watching the river, until a sharp rain shower moved us inside. They do food from 5pm and the menu, though basic was very cheap.

https://www.beestonmarina.com/

Now we were on the Nottingham and Beeston canal, which takes boats through Nottingham and rejoins the river at Meadow Lane lock, but first we had some family commitments to fill.

Our journey to the mooring outside Castle Retail park was uneventful, but we were surprised at the number of boats moored, this stretch is usually devoid of boats but not on this occasion as we passed one after another after another.

But there was plenty of room for us just were we wanted to be. After mooring up I sat and was doing the last blog, when there was a lot of reversing and engine noise, and then a horn blared out, so I stood up only to find our friends Keeley and Dean Crowther on NB Mole hovering at the side of us. We had met them a few years ago when we did the Wigan flight together. It was great to catch up. They are now moor their boat at Market Bosworth on the Ashby canal, so hopefully when we get back to Coventry we can get together.

The Mole as it says on the tin

Then just as I had got back to writing Grumbleweed with Emma and Harold turned up and moored behind us so, it would have been rude not to have a chat.

As I have said, staying in Nottingham was about catching up with family, on Sunday my daughter Jess, hubby Stuart and little Lowen came to visit, we had a couple of pints in the Olde Trippe and then a bite to eat back on the boat.

Before they arrived a flotilla came by, there is a group called Fund Britain’s Waterways, and they belonged to it. They are travelling up and down the country highlighting the need for better funding for our rivers and canals, I wish lots of luck in their endeavours.

https://waterways.org.uk/waterways/sites/fund-britains-waterways-overview

Monday and we met up with my sister Diane, unfortunately her hubby Mick, didn’t join her, but again it was nice to catch up.

Tuesday, we headed off and onto the wide River Trent and Gunthorpe.The pontoons at Gunthorpe were almost empty, much to our surprise and relief. We were soon moored up, along with Lou Pride and Polestar. Peggy Sue joined us later. The Captain and Crew off Polestar came for a chat, and a bit of advice. It turned out they had only recent bought the boat and were taking it to their mooring near Sheffield. They were going to be liveabords just like us, and even in the short time they had been onboard they were loving it. We got on well with Brod and Beth, and even the dogs came to say hello. We were only staying the night, and they said they may join us in the lock next day and on to Newark. Of course off to the pub we went, The Unicorn, on the way we were greeted by a group of Guinea fowl, not what you would expected to see in deepest darkest Nottinghamshire.

Guinea Fowl

Now back to the title, the reason we needed to get to Newark was to have the toilet emptied, it was very very full. Before we set off next morning we had another chat with Brod and Beth, they had decided to stay another night as the weather didn’t look great. So off we set with the intention of going into Kings Marina for the pump out. The journey was uneventful, then we took the rash decision to stop at Newark marina for the pump out, as we could see their service mooring was empty. The Captain executed a perfect manoeuvre and we were soon moored up and ready. This is were our problem started, although we had pumped out here before, for some unknown reason the pump nozzle would not seal properly on the outlet on the boat, and we couldn’t build up enough suction for it to pump out. Eventually the Captain gave up and went to pay, even though the toilet was still full. They did only charge us half the £15 fee which I think was fair.

So we still had to go in Kings marina, and it still wasn’t our day. We moored on the service pontoon in Kings about 2.30pm, only to discover on Wednesday they don’t open until 5pm. Bugger. But we had to wait, but not as long as we expected, as about 1 hour later a very very very nice lady turned up, and even though she wasn’t feeling well helped us to do our pump out. So relief all round. In more ways than one.

https://www.aquavista.com/find-a-marina/kings-waterside-marina

Again the pontoons at Newark which we always struggle to get were almost empty, with only 2 other boats in residence. I only got the name of 1 which was Donela 2, and we had a chat with its Captain and crew, it looks like we will be joining them at Cromwell lock to head to Torksey.

The bird life has been plentiful, we have seen so many little egrets, herons and cormorants. Along with the normal, canada and grey lag geese with their goslings, swans with their signets and ducks with their ducklings, sometimes too many to count. Egyptian geese and mandarin ducks made an appearance, and a lone Oyster catcher. In the sky we have had sand martins, black headed gulls, the occasional common tern, and swallows a plenty. And yes we have seen our first kingfisher in all its neon blue and orange glory.

Egyptian Geese

34½ miles, 10 locks (5 normal locks which we did ourselves and 5 huge river locks of which all but one were manned by lock keepers, an easy time for me). 1 river and 1 canal.