10:25 Leave Hempholme. Gary – nice man – opens the bridge for us, and the other three boats. We were pointing upstream, so Dad had to turn the boat around, while we were doing this, a little inflatable came down the river, and went around us only to find Darren turning his smaller Springer Bug in the way. They seemed quite amused to find the bridge being opened for them.

10:45 Reached Top Hill Low, two lock fulls needed, one for the little boats, and another for Kismet. We could see John Jackson in his Humber Keel Raighly coming down to the lock, he could not get through the lock as a core from the lock wall (for the ladders) had got thrown in and stuck behind the gate. Darren stays in the lock, and then locks back down again as it was easier than having to moor up below the lock.

11:47 Wilfholme Landing. Making 6 mph, but not pushing the engine. For some reason, flat out, the engine will now reach 2,600 rpm rather than 2,200 when we got it. Someone has stolen some of our prop! In fact, after taking the boat up to Wansford, the prop started to click when larger amounts of power was applied, after taking her out of the water (just the back end on a trolley up the slipway), we found out that one of the blades was bent forwards. A big bit of metal and some bending put it right. Noticed a Humber Barge on the moorings, but no sign of any alterations yet.

12:09 Level Canal End. The GPS jacket for my PDA is paying off – I can see an OS map of the area, and know where we are before we get there!

12:15 Gravel loading bays near Aike beck. There used to be wrecks of barges in these when I was young. I don’t know if they are still there, but you can’t see them now. I think we’ve once been in one a long while ago.

12:21 Aike Beck End

12:57 Hull Bridge. Moor on the wall, apparently it had been arranged by the organiser to moor on it over the weekend.

13:42 Hull Bridge. Time to leave, Mike heads back to Hempholme, he has Irene on board who has difficulties moving about – especially where the ground is not level. Most of the Hull Bridge lot get off first, and we follow on behind.

14:00 Weel Bridge. The bridge is booked for now, but it’s still not up. Try and moor on a barge, but the wind takes the bow, so some maneuvering needed. Bridge is up, and we are off again. Full speed ahead to Hull, going down on a dropping tide at 7 mph as fast as we can comfortly go before the throbbing gets annoying.