Tuesday 20 March 2012 Stretham GOBA moorings

Last night I put the snout of Harnser in as close as I could to the  bank so that Magic could get on and off, when we got up this morning not only did we have a new neighbour but we had a list to the left and the river had dropped a couple of inches, but because I had left the stern in deep water at twenty to ten she drew off easily. We headed further up stream for about an hour passing a couple fishing on the way to reach our forced destination of St Ives lock. Work here was due to be finished in February.

 

Not only are they working on the lock its self but they are also installing new floating lock landing areas. The piles are in as it the top of the walkway that will run down to the pontoons. Even the walkway its self is sitting waiting for something to rest on.
The lock is still wrapped in protective polythene, they even put it over the lock closed sign.
There is a reasonable flow water coming over the weir and it was very evident as I tried to turn round, the river is not so wide now the new piles are in and the bushes stick out from the off side some way.

Well we have had the day of the Grebes, Oystercatchers and today has been the day of the swans, we even saw one building her nest.

Its good to see the guided bus way working at last even if they are still arguing who’s to blame for the very late  completion. I know its working as I saw two busses cross it, I also saw a chap walking along it, I didn’t realise there was a footpath as well.

As we returned past the GOBA moorings that we were going to use last night we could see the cause of all the ground being chewed up.
Here was one of the several wrecks that we passed along this section, more than we had seen anywhere else.
The men were still working at Brownshill Staunch but they now removed all their scaffolding, so it was down to Diana to work the lock. From within the lock looking downstream the church of Bluntisham is perfectly framed and dead ahead.

Inside the lock there are 4 rollers at the water level of an empty lock, one at each corner. One of the rollers mounted at the head of the lock is quite worn. I can’t see what these rollers would have been used for.

As we approached Hermitage lock we had a single engine RAF plane cross low and fast ahead of us. The river above Hermitage lock is now silting badly opposite where the Bedford New River come in and it is necessary to hold to the left as you approach the lock.

As well as swans we have encountered quite a few geese this afternoon both on the water and the river bank. We decided to moor for the night on the GOBA moorings at Stretham, just the other side of the bridge is Stretham Pumping station.