Friday 10th June 2005 Osowa Góra to below lock 9, Nakło Zachód.

Summit level of Bydgoski canal

Really chilly night 1.3º C, we should have lit the fire! Sunny day, but with a cold wind blowing. Mike had to get up at 4.30 a.m. as the smoke detector started giving low beeps indicating the battery was on its way out. Bill set off on the dot at 8 a.m. We had a few extra items to sort out, pole and plank had to be brought back on board first. We set off at 8.10 a.m. along the 16 kms long summit pound of the canal Bydgoski. It was elevated on a small embankment to start off with, taking a more or less

Hrse drawn hay turner

straight course through farmland and meadows. The surface of the water was covered in a light layer of foam. We passed the junction with the canal which leads to the Warta via Posnan at 8.30 a.m. I had to take a photo of a young man driving a horse powered hay-turner in the field on our left. My mother used to drive one of those when she was in the Land Army during the war! Further on there were lots of men fishing around several pools on the left near the village of Gorzen. In the far distance

Below lock 7 Josefinki

we could see a low down band of cloud. The weather forecast of the previous night showed rain to the west of us and also a band of rain to the east, while we were in a corridor of cloud-free space. How long before we get wet? The top lock, No 7 Jósefinki, was ready for us, full with top end gate open. We went in, Bill brought Rosy alongside and Mike held the string. A pleasant quiet young man worked the lock. A man with two small yappy dogs worked lock 8, Nakło Wschód lock. This time Bill had gone in first, so we tied on the outside

The town of Naklo nad Notecia

of Rosy while we descended. Three workmen off the waterways tug and pan moored below the lock came to chat to Bill. They wanted to know where we’d come from and where we were going. We motored down the river (now on the Notec) to the waterways yard at Nakło. No one around, it was midday. Tied to one of the old boats moored there. Bill brought Rosy alongside and we had some lunch. Mike got a list together of things he needed to do at the Internet café and took two birthday cards to post.

Below lock 8 Naklo Wschod

Then he almost forgot to take his carefully written out list with him. The gate was locked, so they had to find the alternative way out. The Belgian hotel boat, tjalk “Archimedes”, went past heading downhill (same way as us) at 2.20 p.m. When the men returned from their expedition into Nakło, we set off again at 2.50 p.m. following Rosy down to lock 9, Nakło Zachód, which was empty when we got there. Strange as a trip boat had not long come uphill. The keeper, today a young man dressed in

Junction with the River Notec

camouflage gear, came from the house on the far side of the weir on the right hand bank and refilled the lock for us to go down. The top end gate lowered and we went in. We paid but Bill stepped off to give them the cash, 56,80 Zł, for the five locks (7 to 11). He said there were two other blokes in the little lock cabin and they had already got the paperwork done and ready for him. He’d also asked them if we could moor on the quay below the lock again for the weekend. It was 3.50 p.m. when we tied up alongside Rosy

Trip boat above lk 9

on the quay. During the evening it rained, heavily at times. A very smart looking cruiser arrived and anchored in the middle, where it stayed all night although there was enough room behind us on the quay for it to moor. There was nothing to tie to - we had had to improvise (what’s new?).

Above lock 9 Naklo Zachod