A Day trip to Salters Lode and Denver Sluice 28 01 2013

Following reports of very high water in March Town yesterday we decided to drive over and check the boat, needless to say when we arrived water levels were back down to normal, but we could see how high they had been. We took the opportunity to deliver a pack of beer to two of the boats that moor by us as thanks for adjusting our ropes with the fluctuation water levels.

After checking all was OK we drove to Benwick to see how work was progressing with the bridge. It is still at the very early stage with the council still erecting the fencing around the work site.

After a stop for lunch at Skylarks we carried on to Maront Priory lock which also has a stoppage on. There Middle Level workers were fitting the stop planks to drain the lock so that they can inspect the “Slackers”.

Well Creek still had a covering of ice in lots of places with water on the top.

As we were passing we called in at Salters Lode to look at the state of the silting in the lock mouth, there are now three boats stuck here waiting to make the crossing to Denver.

Looking over  the mouth of the lock the sand bank is even higher than last time we visited, I would guess that the water depth at high tide would be no more than 18” as you can see its half way up the tyres.

The entrance is between the timbers and the tyres against the wall.

We then drove round to Denver Sluice to see the state of things there. Even if we were able to get out of Salters we would not be able to turn into Denver due to the silt build up near the lock mouth even coming along the front of the sluice gates.The height of the bank is more visible by walking down the flood bank and looking upstream to the complex.Looking the other side of the complex the none tidal river level was down by about 2 feet from its normal level leaving an Eel net half out of the water, I wonder if anyone knew it was still there?Lots of the moored boats were sitting on the bottom and listing towards the centre of the river. The edge of the slipway can be seen here above the level of the water and the normal level is clearly visible on the wall.

On the far side of the river the Boom protecting the weir by the lock down to the relief channel is doing nothing, just hanging in mid air.It was also obvious why we have sometimes had bit of a problem getting into the service moorings. 

From here it was home, but we made time for a cup of tea and a piece of cake at Denver Mill . Here we were met by the news that the cafe and shop are closing down on the 15 March and moving to Kings Lynn. It is exactly a year ago that the Mill lost its sail during a visit by school children, full details can be seen here