DAY 69 SATURDAY JUNE 2 MESSING AROUND IN BOATS

FIRST SWING BRIDGE

At 8am Wayne showed us all the workings of the canal boat then came with us to the first swing bridge where Malcolm learned how to lower the road gate, turn on the warning bells and red lights and push the bridge 90 degrees to let our boat through.  Too much power.  At the next swing bridge a policewoman on a bicycle waited patiently while we sailed through.  English police are always helpful and polite, they say.  Wayne met us at 10.45 at the first lock and demonstrated the correct way to operate it.  We went up nine or ten locks, stopping at the tiny town of Gargrave for lunch, then moored at the side of the canal for a quiet night's sleep.  Quite a strenuous day hopping on and off to open and close the heavy paddles and gates on the locks, but a lot of fun.

FIRST SWING BRIDGE ON OUR OWN

UNDER THE ROAD BRIDGE AND INTO THE LOCK

THROUGH THE LOCK