The Hebden Spike

8/5/2019

The Calder and Hebble Navigation (2 rivers which have canal sections, as well as river sections made navigable with weirs and locks) travels roughly west to east, from the old mill town of Sowerby Bridge towards Wakefield.

The C and H has two peculiarities.

1.
Half its locks are 57'6" long. Santiago is 58'6" long. As the locks are designed for wide beam boats, they are 14' wide. Therefore Santiago can just fit - on the diagonal! This means roping the bow into a corner, keeping the stern very close to the dreaded cill. Not a misspell, the lock equivalent of a window sill. The cill acts to seal the bottom area of the lock's top gate. As water is released to drop the boat down, the propeller can get lodged on the cill. This is one way that boaters have died.

Cap'n JJ manages the gentle release of water in these locks, while first mate stands on the stern feeling nervous, sometimes getting wet from waterfalls through leaky gates. Who said boating was a genteel occupation?

2.
Many of the locks require the wielding of the Hebden Spike. This is a 3' piece of 3 X 3 hardwood, tapered at each end. one end is inserted into a small perforated cog wheel, which raises and lowers the lock gate 'paddles' (small plates over square openings in the lower part of the lock gates).
It could also be used as an unusual cricket bat, or a deterrent to pirates.
The Cap'n is the usual wielder of the spike, in all the above circumstances, as the lock action takes more muscle power than the first mate can apply.





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