Up the Ouse (without a paddle)

 5pm the lock keeper said. Tide'll be right. So that's that. First we drive across England to retrieve the heating unit, 200 + miles round trip, in the only hire vehicle available- a van!




With the unit in the cavernous van, a dash back to Selby, an old abbey town on the banks of the Ouse.

At 5 we are dropped metres down in the tidal lock  to start the slog to safety at Mg Auburn lock, 6 miles from York. The river is liquid mud, logs, branches, planks. One such wedged under our bows so the Cap'n pushed it off with our boat hook. 3 hours later,  the tide had turned and we finally reached the lock. Cap'n used his new VHF (very high frequency) radio to communicate with the Locke, meaning the VWC (very wet crew) could seek a wine, dry clothes, much relief.

Overnighted in the tree lined calm of the pound at Naburn. Phew.

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