March 5 Nov 2011 day 8

As we arrived at Salters Load 2 MLC workmen were removing the wooden handrail beside the steps on the lock landing and replacing it with a steel one. Over the years the wooden one had suffered not only from damp at ground level but also repeated attacks from a powerful strimmer. After dark the house just the other side of the Old Bedford River had a bonfire and fireworks for their kids, us two big kids just sat and watched from the Ouse flood wall.

When we left this morning there were a group of fishermen on the moorings nearer the bridge, I thanked them for drawing their tackle in as we passed, but not a word or a smile from any of them. When we got to Upwell there they were, sitting on the moorings fishing, hoping for better luck.

It was a sort of nothingness day, damp, misty, the odd spot of rain and the sun trying to break through.  For quite a length the north bank of  Well Creak is constructed against a brick wall between Nordelph and Outwell. This bank is a good 2 foot higher than the south bank so it the banks were overtopped the flood water would flow south towards the other drains within the Middle Level.

We crossed the Middle Level Main Drain on the Mullicourt Aqueduct and this has been the only time we have crossed without the pump starting to bring water up from the Main Drain. Just west of the aqueduct there are some angling platforms, these are designed for wheel chair users but I have never seen any disabled people using them, there were no anglers there at all today although we saw lots between Salters Lode and March.

Marmont lock was full ready for us and i had rung Maureen to tell her we were on our way, Diana went over to ring the bell to let her know we had arrived and then opened one gate leaving the offside for Maureen. It wasn’t long before we were on our way down to deeper water. Then past the wind farm and into March. One thing that caught my eye as we approached the town was one of the buildings had a row of seagulls all the way along the ridge. We moored up on the town moorings at 2 30 pm. we will stay here overnight and that will give us an hours run in the morning back to Floods Ferry to top the batteries up after tonight's use.