Tue 16 April 2013 GOBA moorings Little Ouse

Last night we ate at The Jenyns Arms and what a meal, Dian had enough pork left over for today’s lunch.

This morning we woke to the sound of rain, but fortunately it didn’t last. We decided not to leave until late hoping that a) the fresh breeze may have abated and b) the pumpout may be back in operation. Having walked round the pumpout and found there was now an emptying hose in the manhole, that one was a none runner, as for a) well the wind has gusted over 40MPH today. While on the moorings we had a little Sandpiper hopping around the boat. 

We finally left after lunch at 1-30pm in bright sun and blue sky, but with freshening wind. The EA have erected a Welcome to Denver sign on the river bank. The wind was brisk to put it mildly as we made our way along 10 Mile Bank to the Little Ouse. We could see dust storms in the area we experienced them on Sunday with the dust cloud going a good 200ft into the air. This EA chap was walking the bank, stopping to dig the odd hole, I think he may have been mole catching.At The Ship we turned down the Little Ouse or Brandon Creek as its sometimes called, we were hoping it may be a bit more sheltered but after the first mile it was just as bad as the rest.   
We only passed through one dust storm and luckily we hit that at a lull, but it picked up behind us. This Kestrel just kept a weather eye on us as we passed down his river. We were to see much larger birds of pray than him, I think they were Harriers but can’t be 100% sure and also lots of Martins and swallows over the meres. As I write this I keep hearing a couple of Bitterns booming at each other, one much fainter than the other. Apart from the birds the only other sounds on this GOBA mooring is the odd plane and a few local trains passing down the line.

A walk along the flood bank reviled this siphon to transfer water from the river to the adjacent dykes.