Trucking Back to Newark on Trent

On the 6 August at 0800 prompt, the crane arrived. It was an enormous 60-ton capacity machine that they had hired for lifting a large steel boat. It was easily big enough to lift 10 tons of Jomima. Normally, she is lifted by a specialist boatlift, which straddles the boat and lifts her on two adjustable straps. When they came to lift Jomima with a crane with straps that were a fixed distance apart, they realised that they would have to lift her nose down. I am not usually nervous when they do this but today, with an ‘ordinary’ crane, I was. I actually had difficulty watching as they made the lift and raised her comparatively high in the air before putting her on the back of the truck. I should not have worried, they certainly knew what they were doing and the process went relatively smoothly.

By 10:15 am, we were on our way south and into the heavy rain. Jomima was clean when we set off but she was covered with a traffic film very soon afterwards. The route south down the A9 was magnificent – or it would have been if it had stopped raining. Still, from my position high up in the passenger (second man) position it was possible to see a good deal more than you normally can from the seat of a car. The rain continued all of the way to where we stopped for the night at Penrith. This is a secure trucking stop where we were able to get a good meal, and limitless tea, for a very reasonable price.

I slept in my usual bed on Jomima but was woken at 05:30 by the roar of trucks leaving for their next destination. We left at 07:00 and were in Newark for midday where she was safely unloaded and returned to the water.

Inverness

This was our last port of call and we arrived a couple of days ago. Ann is now back in Nottingham, having caught the train back to Inverkip, Glasgow (where the car was) and then driven back home.

I am in Cayle Marina cleaning Jomima and waiting for the truck to arrive to take us back to Newark. This should happen on Wednesday but these things sometimes change.

Today dawned sunny but the weather forecast was for rain. I therefore decided to make best use of the sun, while it lasted, and take some photographs. I wanted to visit the end of the Caledonian Canal so that I will have seen all of it. The best way to do this was by bike, so I assembled my faithful stead and pedalled along the towpath. It was a lovely ride and, like all tow paths, apart from near the locks, it was relatively flat. The route took me past the Muirtown Flight of three locks and then over the swing bridge to Seaport Marina. This is a British Waterways marina and it looked well organised and a pleasant place to stay. Next I made my way past the Clachnaharry Works Lock and swing bridge. Then finally I reached the end of the canal at the Clachnaharry Sea Lock. Sadly, the tide was out so I was unable to see any boats passing through the lock although two yachts were moored near by waiting to pass through. I hope that you like the resulting photographs.