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.

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. 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Tuesday 08 May 2012

Last night I woke several times to the sound of the rain beating on the roof so I was in no particular hurry to crawl out of bed this morning. When we did we were greeted by warm sunshine, it was a sweltering 13  deg. After taking the dog for a walk we were getting ready to set off when a boat came through the bridge, It turned out to be old boating friends Peter and Hazel who were making their way to the Gt. Ouse, so obviously it was almost 1230 before we finally set off. We had a couple of quick showers but most of the time its was fine and sunny.

Some of the willows along Well Creak are quite lovely hanging over the water, unfortunately one owner has seen fit to prune his and dropped all the branches straight into the water, these have now sunk but come to the surface as you pass over them.
On Mullicourt Aqueduct I was surprised to see that the back pumping lifting water from the main drain to Well Creak was going flat out. I took a photo of the Main Drain where we had been yesterday as we crossed the aqueduct.

For miles along this section of Well Creak the north bank is brick faced, I wonder how many bricks and how many men were required to build this wall, I suspect that it is also several bricks thick and not just a skin.

We were now well on our way to our final destination for the night, Salters Lode. Last time we came through I checked that there was enough room for me to wind if I stuck my bow into the drain outfall. We had just moored up when Paul the Salters Lode lock keeper came along with his young dog, the old one having died last week to greet us. His first words were “I was expecting you this morning, what happened to you” Maureen had rung him to tell him we were on our way as she assumed that we would be crossing to Denver. Looking at the amount of fresh running down the river I am quite pleased that I was not going out today.

Monday 7 May 2012

Last night we had a lovely sunset followed by a clear view of the starts and planets and it was all topped off with the still almost

 

 

 

 

 

full moon. What an evening and night after a month of rain.

I just love this mooring by the lock, its so quiet and no dawn chorus.
We set off about 10 am. passing a willow tree that looked as if it had been filled with spray foam insulation.

At the end of the arm MLC have built a natural looking Otter Holt using old logs.

At the end of the arm we turned right onto the Sixteen Foot Drain. Apart from keep removing the chimney for most of the bridges there was not much to report other than the railway crossing with adjacent level crossing, this appears to spend more time closed to road traffic than open.

At the end of the Sixteen Foot we went straight on down the Middle Level Main Drain as far as it is possible to go, which is where Mullicourt Aqueduct crosses it with about a foot between the bottom of the trough and the water surface. I wonder how many other boaters have had this view of the Aqueduct. By now the rain had increased and I had the steerer’s shelter up. I find it a bit claustrophobic but its dry on long open stretches. The reinforced concrete bridge that spans this section requires its own reinforcing. 

A bit closer to the junction you can see where the course of Pophams  Eau goes off to re-join via a weir at Nordelph. We will save this one for better weather.Back at the junction with Popham;s Eau, at Three Holes we turned right until we reached Low Corner where we re-joined the River Nene (Old Course). Here I rang the lock keeper at Marmont Priory to tell Maureen we were on of way, as usual we only got her answer phone and left our details.
It looks from the marks on the bank as if a car or something has left the road and entered the water along this section, with mud on the bank as if its been dragged out.
When we arrived at the lock Maureen was out in the rain working a Fox’s day boat down, as soon as it left we went in and as we were coming up a Fox’s hire boat stopped below the locks waiting to come up. Just after leaving the lock the rain eased and a swan took the opportunity to have a spruce up while still on her nest. We moored at Upwell by the church for the night, Here you will find one of the only two water points on the Middle Level. It was installed by The Well Creak Trust and to gain access to it you have to collect the key from the local pub. This is loaned to you against a £5 returnable deposit. I think last time we used this tap it had a MLC lock on it.
Just as we finished taking water the Fox’s hire boat came by, stopping alongside, I thought he may be mooring, but he just wanted to thank me for posting a blog about the area as we travel round.

Sunday 6 May 2012

Last night we moored on the lock landing again right by Ramsey golf course. The golf course straddles both sides of the river with an old accommodation bridge running between the two halves. Two of the holes straddle the river with  elevated Tees on the north side of the river while the holes are on the south side. There is a notice by the Tees asking golfers to give way to boats using the lock.
I did manage to get a fleeting glance of the big moon last night at about 10-30 pm when it was right on the edge of the clouds.
This morning the Cuckoo woke me even earlier, I didn’t even bother to check the time but it didn’t look very light, this resulted in an early start for us at 9-15 am. We decided to go back down to Ramsey for a look round and Sunday lunch, the run down was quite pleasant and we noticed Bill Fen still had their flood gate closed. At Ramsey basin there was much less water running into the end of the arm than two days ago but there were a collection of drink bottles floating around as well as the Lifebelt from the quay. I had to put Diana ashore to retrieve the belt before I could wind as it had its line attached to it. Once moored we re-pact the belt and line into its holder. After a walk round town and lunch at The Angel we returned to the boat to see that the fair was on its way and that the boat we had seen yesterday was mooring on the off side. After a few words we moved on in less pleasant weather, cooler with light drizzle. By now Bill Fen had opened their flood gates so boats were again free to leave the marina, not that many seemed that way inclined.

Back at the junction it was right under the bridge on to the River Nene (old course) as far as Well’s bridge, here the river turns left but we carried on straight on the Forty Foot or Vermuyden’s Drain for about 8 miles to  Horse Way Lock. We winded at the unction with the Sixteen Foot Drain and reversed the last half mile to the lock, arriving a little before 5 pm. On the whole the day had stayed dry but quite chilly, also we had met a total of 3 boats, well it is Bank Holiday weekend.

Just before the junction with the Sixteen Foot i spotted this sign on the bank, is it just a farmer trying to keep people off his land or does it have a more sinister meaning.

Saturday 5 May 2012

I woke a little after 6 this morning thanks to the local Cuckoo, it was not only dry but also bright, but I still had no intention of setting off at that time of the day. We set off at 9-30 and continued along the gin clear River Nene(Old Course) this is much different to the muddy stuff above the lock. I spotted several pike lurking among the cabbage leaf water plants as well as other fish. The clear water didn’t last long as we approached another pump outlet, however it was not long before it cleared again.

The old diesel pumps had an interesting system for cooling the engines, it consisted of what looks like a pile of wooden trays stacked up and the water cascades from the top to the bottom cooling on the way.

When we reached the junction we turned right to follow the Nene (Old Course) as far as we could and that wads not far. We were stopped by Exhibition bridge which only has a clearance of 1.3mt. luckily the river is slightly wider up by the bridge and we were just able to wind which saved a bit of reversing.   When we got back to the junction we went straight ahead right to the end of navigation almost by the railway line at Holme. The last section along New Dyke is already effected by blanket weed. There is plenty of room to wind a 60 footer at the end, but coming back was slightly problematic which I thing was due to the blanket weed we pulled up from the bottom on our way down. This will only get worse as the summer progresses. We retraced or steps passing yet another small pumping station, the chap started this one just after we had passed it earlier and the outlet seemed to boil.

When we reached the junction with the Nene (Old Course) we turned right and past an old wind pump, this is the only one I have seen in this area of the Fens which considering how many there are in the Broads I find surprising. It also looks much stockier than those found in Broadland. It was by the mill that we realised it was a Bank Holiday when we met a boat coming the other way, apart from the lads in the pinched dingy this is the only boat we have seen on the move since we have been out.
Although the morning started fine and sunny it soon gave way to short showers with strong winds and this was more apparent as the day progressed. We pushed on and decided to moor again on the lock moorings. The bottom gates of the lock are left open so anyone coming down can reboard their boat in the lock, likewise anyone coming up can go straight into the lock and alight there. So we shouldn’t be in anyone’s way.

Friday 4 May 2012

Last night we walked up to the Five Alls pub hoping for a meal, but we were out of luck. The pub has just won an award and the brewery had taken them all (except the barman) out to receive it, including the chef. O well another night.

This morning we woke to the rain, not heavy but steady so we were in no hurry to get up. We just got back onboard following walking the dog and there was a knock on the side of the boat. I went out and met a chap who was enquiring about the dingy moored behind us, the one the three boys in in. It seems they had pinched it from Floods Ferry and paddled it the 4 miles to Benwick. He was going back to get a trailer and some to help him  retrieve it.

We pushed off at 1030 in light drizzle but it soon cleared out, at one point I saw the sun. As we passed one of the pumping stations the outflow of water went right across the cut moving is sideways as we passed. We followed The River Nene (Old Course)out of it junction with the Forty Foot at Wells Bridge and on to High Load where we turned left down to Ramsay.

As we passed Bill Fen Marina we noticed that the flood gate is closed so that could limit the numbers coming out over the Bank Holiday. When we reached the end of the arm we winded, it was harder than last time we were this way due to the brambles growing on the offside even with the help of the water flow coming from the end.

We had considered mooring in Ramsay, but being Friday Night and a traveling fair ground set up just across the road from the moorings we felt it may well be much quieter further out. We did a bit of shopping in the Coop and ate lunch onboard before moving on to out of town. At Lodes End Lock we dropped down about an inch back on the River Nene (old course) before mooring for the night on the lock landings.

As we haven’t seen another boat I think it unlikely we will be in any ones way overnight.
The MLC have there own way of making sure that the general public are not in danger on the lock side without putting up handrails that get on boaters way.

Once we were moored up I walked to the nearby Lodesend pumping station and looked back down the main dyke that feeds it, as can be seen the level is down by a couple of feet so the MLC have pulled quite a lot of water out of the adjoining fens.

Thursday 3 May 2012

Not a good start to the trip. I had just finished loading the car and it started to rain, no problem. Started the car, bleep, Suspension Alarm, Service. I switched off and on a couple of times and same result. Transferred everything to the Range Rover in the now heavier rain and decided to take the car to the local garage as they do Citroens, he suggest its best to go to the agent. Diana sets off in the Range Rover to travel via Gt. Yarmouth and I start the Citroen. No Alarm, all clear, the only problem now is Diana is on her way and I am still at the garage. I finally catcher up and we head home with both cars and the come to the boat in the Range Rover.

The boat was fine with very slack ropes, we moor bow on with the centre line attached to a low mooring post. as the water had risen last week the centre line got tight making the boat list so one of the neighbours slacked it off for us, following that the water level fell as fast as it had come up, but better safe than sorry.

We loaded the boat and I put the steerers shelter up and at 3 PM we backed out across the cut. There is much more weed about now than in the winter months. For a change we turned away from March and headed to Benwick for the night. By the time we had reached White Fen Farm bridge which is quite low it was chucking it down so I just hung about hoping it would stop, no, but it did ease so I went and dropped the stove chimney and engine exhaust followed by the shelter so we could get through. Needless to say within 200 yards the rain stopped. We carried on along the old route of the River Nene to Benwick where there is 60 feet of first class landing thanks to the Parish Council and the local IWA. There was a small dingy moored to the end of the pontoon by a long piece of line and several inches of water in the bottom. We had just moored up when 3 young lads came along, they hauled the boat up the bank to empty the water and headed off back through the village in it. We were to see them several times as they went back and forth enjoying themselves. I hope it was their boat.

Out for Blacking

SUNDAY 1st April 2012

Following a chance comment on our last trip from another boater we met at Denver to Diana, we called into Fox’s Marina by car on our way home to see if the could black Harnser for us.
The comment was that they were supposed to bring a boat to Fox’s for blacking but due to St Ives lock closure overrunning they had to cancel as there was no way of getting there. If they couldn’t get there maybe others couldn’t.

We called in and were in luck, they could fit us in on April 1st and we had to be there at 8 am. but we were OK to arrive the night before and moor in the marina. With this news we continued to drive home and return to the boat the following Sunday.

On Sunday we drove back at Harnser and at 3-30 pm. after loading up I took the boat to Fox’s yard while Diana took the car as we would not be able to stay onboard while the work was carried out

It takes just three quarters of an hour to get from our moorings to Fox’s and on the way I had the pleasure of seeing a chap with a fan on his bum hanging from a parachute
and also one of the Middle Level Tugs Reedhawk which could use a coat of paint.
At least the Commissioners have got round to adding some bollards to their own wharf but as you can see they don’t want you mooring to them.

Diana was waiting for me on the bank outside the marina entrance and I just poked the bows in between the moored boats to pick her up. We pushed on through March were we saw this magnificently marked cat sitting in the sun. Shortly after March we saw our friends Anne and Olli on there new moorings, until recently they had been moored at Floods Ferry a few slots down from us.  
We winded where the 20 ft. river joins the Old Nene, I did try to power round in a tight 360° circle but didn’t quite get it right and had to back up. We made our way back to Fox’s and nosed our way into the marina, unfortunately there was a cruiser moored where we were told to go so instead I puled in against the diesel filling wharf, considering it was early evening on a Sunday and the yard was closed it was most unlikely that anyone else would want to be there.
A quick drive into March saw us with a very tasty Chinese Takeaway which we brought back to the boat, it was almost as good as the sunset that night.

MONDAY 2nd April 2012

We were up early for us as as we were told to be ready to be pulled out at 8 am. We took Magic for a walk and Fox’s still had one of their boats on the slip. We walked along the path at the side of the Marina where some helpful local has installed some home made pooper scoopers on the bushes for visiting dog owners to use. Even so I cleared up 3 extra piles on our short walk.

Back at the yard we discovered that they had launched the day boat and were about to lift out a cruiser with their traveling gantry. Following this they had another cruiser that had just arrived on a trailer to launch, as it was already on a trailer they just eased it down the slipway with their tractor.
Then it was our turn. The trailer was pushed down the slipway and Harnser was drawn forward onto the blocks.
Harnser is ballasted almost level so is deeper on the bow than most boats and this meant that she had to sit in deeper water to get the trailer under the bow, in turn the tractor also has to be in deeper water and the cooling fan was throwing up the water. 
She was soon on her way out and first look things were quite good. The anodes still had a few years use in them yet and things generally looked pretty good.
No sooner was she out and they set to cleaning her down, Fox’s also paint the base plate, well all except where she sits on the cross beams of the trailer. There was a bit of a mussel colony setting up home in the girlie tube and the original anode on the bows was well past its sell-by date after 10 years underwater. lack on. At this point we left the boys to it cleaning her down and putting the black back on, we would return on  Thursday to take her back home.

THURSDAY 5th April 2012

We left home in good time to get to Fox’s at about half 8 to take Harnser back to her moorings. When we arrived we found that she was back in the water but the office didn’t open until 10 am so we couldn't pay the bill and leave, so it was off to Tesco for a second light breakfast. We returned to the yard and paid our dues but before we could leave we were asked if we could assist in the stability tests for their new day boat. This involved us all being weight and then all sitting in one side of the boat. This was to be repeated on both side another 3 times, so we had to excuse our selves and leave. Diana took the car to Floods Ferry while I took the boat back to our moorings. as I arrived I saw Diana driving in, but by now there was a good breeze blowing straight down the cut from behind me and this made turning through 90° into our slot shall we say, interesting. It was then a quick drive back to Norwich and pub lunch before I attended a Broads Forum meeting in the afternoon.