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This morning at about 10-30 am I arrived at Swarkestone Lock on the Trent & Mersey. I was travelling uphill and the gates were open so I entered the lock. Just as I am going in a guy on a bicycle and carrying a windlass arrived at the lock. I ran my centreline over a bollard and back onboard just to keep the boat to my side, which is my custom when solo in a wide lock. My partner closed the gate and went to open a ground paddle to start filling the lock. This guy then proceeded to open both the other ground paddle and then a gate paddle causing my boat to buffet about and then cross the lock to hit the wall on the offside, before I had a chance to correct it and prevent it running back towards the rear gates. I tried shouting to this guy to get him to stop, but at no time did he give me eye contact. I gave the engine a burst of power to prevent hitting the gates. My partner got his attention and told him to stop, which he did. In conversation he said he was the lock keeper and had just arrived for duty. I very much doubt this as he was wearing a black sweatshirt with some company logo on it, not CRT, and was not wearing a lifejacket which seems to be the norm! I am sure also that CRT training would included involving the steerer and keeping eye contact at all times, not staring into the lock, drawing on a cigarette! I guess this guy is some sort of a clown with nothing better to do on a Sunday....or is he a lock keeper as he says? None of the other locks we have passed through, including the powered one at Sawley had a lock keeper on duty. Anyone come across him before? Ken
