Monday 28 December 2015

In the Red

Annie moored at Kingfisher Boats, Trent Lock


River Trent in spate at Trent Lock, Long Eaton
Boxing Day, 2015 at Trent Lock

The river is high, with the levels in the red, so no one is travelling on the river at the moment. Trees float by at several miles per hour ..... but Annie is safe in her moorings at Kingfisher Boats, and her batteries are now charged up again. She looks good with  new black bitumastic on her hull.
I am keeping an eye on river levels and Cromwell Lock below Newark, hoping to travel down through Newark and Gainsborough to West Stockwith and the Chesterfield Canal soon.

Wednesday 16 December 2015

..... "We have a problem here!"

December 15 2015 Marooned on the Erewash ...

Kingfisher Boats  have been absolutely great. Thank you, John, Mick and Paul. While the closure of Newark Town Lock has marooned Annie at Trent Lock, near Nottingham, from 19 October to 14 December, Paul has mended the bracket holding our bowthruster pump and drive belt. Having never used a bowthruster (which pushes water left or right at the front to help Annie turn), we haven't missed it, but it seemed a good chance to get it sorted: We will report on its use later.

The plan was to set off on 15 December and travel down the Trent to the Chesterfield Canal, reaching our moorings at the Retford and Worksop Boat Club, Clayworth in time for their carol service on 18 December 

.... so when I checked the stoppages, the River Trent in spate, with flood gates closed not only at Cranfleet Cut, Trent Lock but also above Newark Dyke ..... hopefully for just a few days. 

More importantly, the boom above Cromwell Lock Weir, on the Trent below Newark, has come adrift, so the Canal and River Trust has closed the Newark nether Lock and Cromwell Lock so boats cannot get washed over the weir. CRT intend to fit a temporary boom by 10 January, then finish the job in February, they say. We hope other boaters aren't stuck, too!

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/5961/river-trent-between-cromwell-lock-and-nether-lock

.... so it looks like Annie is staying put at the moment ... :(

Meanwhile, we have been busy back home, Liana sewing all sorts for Christmas Presents and John helping Santa to see children before Christmas and raise money for Market Rasen Lions Club charities and good causes  (you can find our club by searching on Google or Facebook).