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Wednesday 9 May 2012

Wednesday 09 May 2012

Another night of rain but not a bad morning. Just across the Creek from us they were cementing the foundation piles this morning. So next time we pass this way there will probably be the makings of a house standing here.smallDSCF8345

The moorings here were quite quiet and not a bad spot to spend the night. It is a pleasant walk along the flood wall of the Great Ouse and this morning the tide was making well as we walked down to opposite Denver Sluice.smallDSCF8349 The level was well up and it still probably had over an hour to run.
We setoff at 1030 am heading back to March. You may recall that yesterday I mentioned the willow that had been pruned back and the brush dropped into the creek. Well here it is.smallDSCF8350

There has been an interesting wind generator erected in Outwell not far from the creek. It has vertical blades in a helix form.smallDSCF8353

In Upwell we saw Peter an Hazel still moored up by the church so we stopped for about 15 minutes for a short chat before setting off to Marmont Priory Lock, a quick call to Maureen to let her know we were coming and as soon as we arrived she was out to work us through.smallDSCF8366

Once below the lock we had a couple of surprises, first the river is down by a good 9”, I drew out of the lock, stopped to pick Diana up and got something jammed in the prop, so no drive. Thanks to the clear water once down the weed hatch I could see the problem, a short length of boat pole between the blades, up the weed hatch and against the swim. It was impossible to move the prop in ether direction, so it was out with the Japanese Pull Saw and sawed the wood through close to the prop, that got the bit out of the weed hatch, it was then possible to turn the prop and release the other side. While I was there I took the opportunity to get rid of the plastic, blanket weed, willow twigs all wrapped around the shaft and jammed  between the rudder and the hull. O and it started to rain. We stopped to see our friends Anne and Olly, they have had to move there boat as the river is so low, by now it was down about a foot, they are breasted on the outside of another boat and still aground.smallDSCF8370

We stopped with them for a cup of tea before continuing to March, I was quite concerned as to whether there would be enough water for us to get along side, but we managed to get in right at the end of the mooring. The rivers still flowing so MLC must still be pumping water out. I have had to put the wheelbarrow wheel fenders out, as when the level rises I could well get caught under the top of the jetty. smallDSCF8373

2 comments:

Michael & Krystyna Wooding said...

There are two wind generators like that powering the lights in the 'new' railway station multi-storey car park in Rugby Brian ... Mike

Greensleeves said...

Very interesting blog, Brian. The wheel barrow fenders impressed me and why you are using them. I am learning!! ~Toni on Snowdrop~