Navigating the Great Ouse tributaries

[gazza]

Actually you are right, having now done all the locks on the Nene, it was only 2 quite early on that were left with the guillotines down. The manual guillotines are a real PITA though, far too hard work.

They were not always like that.

 

The wheels replaced a handle after some daft bint got tangled up in one trying to stop it after loosing her grip.

They must have been fitted mid 2000's prior to that most were handraulic - electrification started in the early 90's, the last one completed was Earls Barton in 2010 ish.

God knows what she was thinking, interfering with a wildly spinning handle is never going to have a good outcome!

 

You need to be a bit cautious with the manual guillotines. The first one I worked I whizzed it up far too fast and set up a surge in the lock that was highly alarming for poor SWMBO.

 

Another alarming occasion (I seem to be good at alarming my wife) was when the offside top gate at a lock with electric guillotine wouldn't stay shut. That meant that I couldn't start to drain the lock. SWMBO left the tiller to hold the gate and I started to raise the guillotine. To stop it rising too fast and to give SWMBO a chance to board in a sensibly relaxed way I hit the emergency stop when the guillotine was only slightly up. The lock drained veeeery slowly but it sorted the problem with the top gate. I tried to resume the lifting of the guillotine to the normal draining height but it was having none of it until the requisite two minutes was up. I raised the gate again to finish draining the lock assuming that it would stop at the normal height. It didn't. It carried on up and before I realised the lock was draining far too fast with the same surge as before.

 

I experimented with an unoccupied lock a few days later to see if it behaved in the same way. It is apparent that once the two minutes draining time is up then the guillotine can be raised fully, regardless of how far the gate had opened first. Not usually a problem. There aren't that many numpties who would use the emergency stop to control the rate of draining.

 

N

Whadenhoe and Wansford are bugger's for that.

 

A branch jammed under the beam sorts that issue out.

[Phil Ambrose]

The goba mooring was let go a couple of years back.

For up to date info consult goba website, the imray guide is just that, not a Bible. Lots of errors in it. First one for you is the water point at the Ship Inn, Brandon Creek.....

 

I pronounce it I'llham. Phil Ambrose is resident there so he's your man for a definitive answer.

Eyes-lam. And yes as Gazza said, loads of inaccuracies in Imray.

Phil

ETA if you need Elsan, turn up the weir cut , go past marina entrance and moor just past NB Vale of Saffron, the elsan is just by this boat along with dumpsters for rubbish and there is also a water point. You may be able to wind depending on your length,if not it's reverse practice time.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Phil Ambrose

[Scholar Gypsy]

Eyes-lam. And yes as Gazza said, loads of inaccuracies in Imray.

Phil

ETA if you need Elsan, turn up the weir cut , go past marina entrance and moor just past NB Vale of Saffron, the elsan is just by this boat along with dumpsters for rubbish and there is also a water point. You may be able to wind depending on your length,if not it's reverse practice time.

 

Thanks Phil, useful to know. About here?

 

Two corners to reverse around, still at least the current from the weir will be pushing you in vaguely the right direction.... I bottled out about half way between the two corners.

 

[Theo]

 

Thanks Phil, useful to know. About here?

 

Two corners to reverse around, still at least the current from the weir will be pushing you in vaguely the right direction.... I bottled out about half way between the two corners.

 

isleham.jpg

 

I came second in the boat handling at Little Venice. There was lots of reversing. So I am very good at it.

 

(He said modestly before running off and hiding)

 

But I won't need to show off there because I didn't need the Elsan disposal and we are now at Ely where there is a clean but rather decrepit Elsan disposal. You have to follow the plumbing back to the relevant stop taps for rinsing.

 

Nick

Edited August 25, 2016 by Theo

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

I came second in the boat handling at Little Venice. There was lots of reversing. So I am very good at it.

 

(He said modestly before running off and hiding)

 

But I won't need to show off there because I didn't need the Elsan disposal and we are now at Ely where there is a clean but rather decrepit Elsan disposal. You have to follow the plumbing back to the relevant stop taps for rinsing.

 

Nick

 

I too came second in the Roger Squires trophy, in 2012. There were only two entrants.

 

Yes the plumbing there is a little idiosyncratic. It's designed to discourage people from visiting the Fens. Do give SG a wave (she's at the back of the marina, near to the railway).

 

If you have time to visit the cathedral, do go up the octagon (not the tower). It's amazing. Some contortionist skills required.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Scholar Gypsy

[Theo]

We are moored up next to the railway bridge with another boat breasted up. She arrived this afternoon while we were out with friends and saw the "Welcome to moor alongside" signs. We were rather lucky to get a mooring. It's more than a little busy.

 

Nick

[Theo]

 

I too came second in the Roger Squires trophy, in 2012. There were only two entrants.

 

Yes the plumbing there is a little idiosyncratic. It's designed to discourage people from visiting the Fens. Do give SG a wave (she's at the back of the marina, near to the railway).

 

If you have time to visit the cathedral, do go up the octagon (not the tower). It's amazing. Some contortionist skills required.

 

Have a greenie for he excellent post, sir!

 

We took you at your word and did the Octagon tower tour. What an experience! And in such weather. I always say that all weather is good weather for boating but this is superb weather for being at the top of a high tower and enjoying the huge Fenland skies and the 20 mile views. We could just see Cambridge. Since this is in the holiday section I feel that I can post a picture that has no relevance to boating whatsoever.

 

Observe the picture below. All that grey stuff is Victorian leadwork. Beautifully crafted. Now someone is going to say what excellent ballast it would make.

 

 

And here is a picture of the big sky and a bit of Great Ouse. You can't see our boat from here because the trees get in the way.

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

Have a greenie for he excellent post, sir!

 

We took you at your word and did the Octagon tower tour. What an experience! And in such weather. I always say that all weather is good weather for boating but this is superb weather for being at the top of a high tower and enjoying the huge Fenland skies and the 20 mile views. We could just see Cambridge. Since this is in the holiday section I feel that I can post a picture that has no relevance to boating whatsoever.

 

Observe the picture below. All that grey stuff is Victorian leadwork. Beautifully crafted. Now someone is going to say what excellent ballast it would make.

 

 

 

 

Glad you enjoyed it. The timber would be good for firewood - 8 ten ton struts, each some 60 feet long!

http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=491

 

20 mile - pah. Here's the view of Lincoln cathedral from the top of Boston stump - 35 miles.

 

[Theo]

 

Glad you enjoyed it. The timber would be good for firewood - 8 ten ton struts, each some 60 feet long!

http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=491

 

20 mile - pah. Here's the view of Lincoln cathedral from the top of Boston stump - 35 miles.

 

 

My mother used to run a photography studio yards from the foot of the stump. it was called the Church Key Studio. I spent many happy hours playing in the churchyard and getting told off for jumping from gravestone to gravestone. She handed it over to my aunt after the war but my aunt was not a trained photographer and it rather went downhill.

Edited August 26, 2016 by Theo

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

My mother used to run a photography studio yards from the foot of the stump. it was called the Church Key Studio. I spent many happy hours playing in the churchyard and getting told off for jumping from gravestone to gravestone. She handed it over to my aunt after the war but my aunt was not a trained photographer and it rather went downhill.

 

For photos of Ely, Andrew Sharpe is hard to beat.....

 

https://twitter.com/SharpeImages_UK

 

Have just found the H&S blurb for the tours: http://www.elycathedral.org/files/pdf/2014visitorsafetynotesforrooftours.pdf

Edited August 26, 2016 by Scholar Gypsy

[Theo]

 

For photos of Ely, Andrew Sharpe is hard to beat.....

 

https://twitter.com/SharpeImages_UK

 

Have just found the H&S blurb for the tours: http://www.elycathedral.org/files/pdf/2014visitorsafetynotesforrooftours.pdf

 

The photos were rather lovely. I especially like those of Cambridge in the mist.

 

I had already read the elfin safety stuff before we were allowed to ascend!

[Mac of Cygnet]

 

Glad you enjoyed it. The timber would be good for firewood - 8 ten ton struts, each some 60 feet long!

http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=491

 

20 mile - pah. Here's the view of Lincoln cathedral from the top of Boston stump - 35 miles.

 

 

What's the yellow flare(?) on the left? I didn't notice anything like that when I went up the Stump.

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

What's the yellow flare(?) on the left? I didn't notice anything like that when I went up the Stump.

 

OK, to get this thread back on topic, see if you can spot Ely cathedral here. You'll have to manage without one of my yellow arrows ...

 

[john6767]

Those wheely difficult locks on the Nene can be made more user-friendly by the use of a screwdriver, put through the hole where the original handle used to be. It doesn't make it any easier, but it enables you to change to a different muscle-set every 5 minutes! Thanks go to nb 'Armadillo' for this tip.

 

NeneLocks.jpg

We shall give that a try tomorrow

[Phil Ambrose]

 

Thanks Phil, useful to know. About here?

 

Two corners to reverse around, still at least the current from the weir will be pushing you in vaguely the right direction.... I bottled out about half way between the two corners.

 

isleham.jpg

Just noticed the photo is very very old, the basin and finger moorings look nothing like it now, oh and yes your yellow arrow is pretty close.

Phil

[Scholar Gypsy]

Just noticed the photo is very very old, the basin and finger moorings look nothing like it now, oh and yes your yellow arrow is pretty close.

Phil

 

Thanks. Yes quite old - July 2008 satellite image!

[john6767]

Those wheely difficult locks on the Nene can be made more user-friendly by the use of a screwdriver, put through the hole where the original handle used to be. It doesn't make it any easier, but it enables you to change to a different muscle-set every 5 minutes! Thanks go to nb 'Armadillo' for this tip.

 

NeneLocks.jpg

We have put this great tip to good use over the last couple of days, it does make it easier on the arms. The manual guillotines are still a real pain though.

[Theo]

Just resurrecting this topic to say that we have had the most fantastic weather up to Bedford and down to the GOBA moorings at Noble's Field, just upstream from St Ives. Roll on the construction of the bedford-Milton Keynes link. It would be good to see more boats enjoying this lovely stretch of water. I have used your map, Grumpy Bear. An excellent resource, thank you.

 

Next question: Tomorrow we will be heading hot foot towards Pope's Corner and the Cam. The current advice on this thread is that Reach Lode is just too weedy for navigation. We would really like to visit Wicken Fen again but would we be too stupid to try it? Has anyone been up there recently?

 

Nick

Edited September 9, 2016 by Theo
to add "just upstream from St. Ives"

[pearley]

You could moor at the 5 Miles from Anywhere pub and walk to Wicken Fen.

[gazza]

The Bedford MK link would ruin the river

You could moor at the 5 Miles from Anywhere pub and walk to Wicken Fen.

That's a smashing walk, lovely early in the morning. Edited September 9, 2016 by gazza

[Scholar Gypsy]

The weed harvesters have been on the Lark this week, not sure if they have got to the Lodes yet...

 

https://twitter.com/DarrenTrumperEA

 

In general, I think you will find the tricky bit is from Upware lock to the Junction with Wicken Lode. I know one deep drafted boat that had to give up a few weeks ago, due to weed and shallowness.

 

If necessary you could bow haul that short section (from the right hand bank). I find Wicken Lode, while narrow, is deep and usually not very weedy,

[Chris G]

We couldn't get down Wicken Fen in a 2'6" drafted boat a few weeks ago. We had to reverse back from the first bend with no forward progress. Big prop, plenty of power. We tied up at the moorings just before the junction and walked it. It looked just the same as everywhere else, but quieter.

There are three boats moored at Wicken Fen at the moment!

[Scholar Gypsy]

Here's the OP (Theodora) and Scholar Gypsy on the moorings at Little Thetford. Nice to meet up!

 

Edited September 17, 2016 by Scholar Gypsy

[Theo]

Here's the OP (Theodora) and Scholar Gypsy on the moorings at Little Thetford. Nice to meet up!

 

We are all clothed up because of the rain the previous day. Most of the time in the summer we cruise with the cloths rolled up at the gunwales and folded across the top plank. We are off up the Cam now.

 

Nick

Blimey. I wonder what for!

Because it is very beautiful there!

 

N

[Theo]

Just a note to say that, having moored at the Miles from Nowhere pub at Upware, we walked to Wicken Fen.

 

The channel all the way there was clear and wide. Little weed but the water wasn't as limpid as we remembered it from a few years ago. That would be because the big tracked JCB was working from the bank doing a good job clearing the weed, widening the channel so that at least two narrowboats could pass, and doing some incidental minor dredging. It was all in excellent condition for boating but not as romantically narrow as I remembered it when we brushed the sedges on both sides of the boat.

 

N