Aire Leeds Archives

Big Boats

Well, we have been messing around on the Aire and Calder, South Yorks, River Don, Dun Navigation, New Junction Canal, Sheffield canal, Keadby Canal , Knottingley Goole canal and Goole Port, I think taht covers, oh yes the Rivers Aire and the Calder as well!

Seen lots of great things, a variety of locks and bridges, aqueducts and viaducts, so really good. But the most impressive in many ways are the big boats.

We are used to being the big player, 42 Tonnes with the other boats more like 20, but down here they over 400!! So we are definitely not the big boat here.

Great fun and all the guests love seeing true commercial boats carrying a cargo, oil in the case of Exol pride.

Big boats on the river with Lady Teal

Lady Teal and our wonderful guests

#WTY #LadyTeal #rivercruise

We always say it but we are so lucky with our lovely guests. The picture is of a great card that one of our guests did for us. The Kingfisher was on the front because she really wanted to see one, but unfortunately we didn’t. We frequently do see them, but this year there have been far far fewer of them.

Card and poem from one of Lady Teals Guests

Lady Teal shares a crowded lock

Lady Teal does not share locks very often, not because we don’t want to but because there is not normally any room. However, today on the Aire and Calder we shared a lock with 6 other boats, really busy for us.

A crowded Whiteley Lock on the Aire & Calder

An interesting day for Lady Teal & her guests

Lady Teal is always willing to share and we are back on the Aire & Calder sharing the big locks! This is Knostrop lock near Leeds. For the nerds amongst you Sheaf is a Sheffield Class built 1938 by Dunston, Richard, Thorne, she has been beautifully restored by the present owners.

It was also a first for me when we got hit by a mini twister! All moored up for lunch and I was standing on the back deck , a sudden roar, water spraying everywhere, chairs flying around, me and the boat being buffeted about, then all over. It was gone as quick as it arrived, but a bit of a surprise. No damage to people or boat so all’s well, but a bit of a surprise.

Lady Teal sharing a lock on the Aire & Calder

Lovely Leeds

A great run through the middle of Leeds, such a contrast from the countryside. It is such a lovely vibrant city.

So what better time could be to have a Kir Royal on lawn on Lady Teal!

Kir Royale on the River Aire Leeds