Daisypath Anniversary tickers

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Crossing crossed

We arrived at Salters Lode lock after just over two hours after leaving our overnight mooring at Upwell Staithe.  Somewhat bit cold and windy and very cloudy but DRY thank heavens.
A bit of dredging wouldn't go amiss along Well Creek and this stretch, we were scraping the bottom at times...

 Nb Matilda Rose following Yarwood to Salters Lode lock

 The water is too shallow to do more than two and a bit mph

 That's Yarwood safely through a low bridge..is MR going to make it???

 Moored together at Salters Lode awaiting the call into the lock

 The hydraulically operated gate paddle being opened to check for 'level' water

 As soon as the tidal water starts to trickle into the lock indicating level water the main gate is raised
 Main gate opening

 Level water.  We were now instructed to move forward and tie up against the tyres on the left

 Tied against the tyre wall, Matilda Rose is able to move forward into the lock chamber and the rear lock gates are closed to prevent tidal water entering the middle levels.  Here we sit waiting for an hour and a half waiting for the tide to get high enough for us to clear most of the sandbanks.

 The lock keepers give us the green light to go and watch us head off on the incoming tide towards Denver lock.

 Out in the tideway

 Denver lock to the left of the sluice.  Flood waters have deposited a dirty great sandbank across the lock entrance which means the boats have to keep right as they approach and turn at a right angle in front of the sluice to get 'behind' the bank before another right angle turn into the lock chamber.

 Lookee here,  Sue and Vic of Nb. No Problem taking photographs of us crossing the tideway

 Safely in the lock and after recovering our stern rope that had got wrapped around the prop - butter fingers Joe... we waited for the lock to be emptied

 And here we are, say hello to our summer cruising ground!

 Vic and Sue's boat, No Problem, awaiting us

Moored up, Yarwood, Matilda Rose and No Problem all together

4 comments:

  1. You've been much more nonchalant about it than Sue's photos suggested you should! That turn round the sand bank looked like quite a feat, and not one you'd want to get wrong. Glad you're both across OK, and hope you get some summer to go with the cruising ground.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Adam. Joe did an excellent job of getting Yarwood around the sandbank and into the lock.
    I see you have been 'engaged' on the CWF re Yarwood...
    Lesley

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmm ... I always think twice, but some things need to be answered!

      Delete
  3. Dear Both,

    A suggestion for you. You are just a few miles from my favourite restaurant of all my fifty years, The Fen House Restaurant at Littleport. We used to live in Littleport and were regular patrons, regrettably we're now out of range. If you moor at the mooring just above the A10 bypass bridge (on starboard side as you go upriver) and hop over the bank you'll find the FenHouse between the mooring and the level crossing on the north side of the road. It is an absolute treasure, not to be missed. If you go for dinner say to Gaynor, your hostess, that Robert Horsford says hello!

    Enjoy your summer on the Ouse, we cruised it for five years before going to sea, we now have a sailing yacht in Plymouth. I'll enjoy your travels on the blog; great to see the river again!

    Best regards


    Robert

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are welcome, I love to read them and I try to respond to each but regretfully I will no longer accept comments from Anonymous.