It finally slowed to a drizzle on Thursday evening, then petered out later on.
Where we were moored the river came up about 18”, peaking around mid afternoon yesterday before starting to slowly drop back.
This morning it was still in the red zone on the level markers, but heading down towards the amber, so we decided to get going. We were joined by a pleasant couple, Jack and Lou and their fine looking boat NB Evelyn May. They’d arrived yesterday afternoon, after an interesting trip down from Belgrave Lock.
There had already been a couple of boats on the move, and we met another one as we arrived at Thurmaston Lock.
Thurmaston Lock
The waterway is well overhung with trees, requiring a bit of slalom to avoid getting the roof cleared….
At Johnson’s Bridge the river shoots off to the left over a weir, leaving the navigable channel fairly still all the way to Wreake Junction, where the Wreake joins in. Junction Lock drops back down onto the river level again, although it doesn’t actually rejoin till just above Cossington Lock, a mile further on.
We were joined in Junction Lock by a small plastic cruiser. We had a bit of a hold up leaving, as he couldn’t get his outboard going, but he got it sorted out in the end.
He turned around to head back before Cossington; perhaps as well, below the lock the river got quite fast in the narrower sections.
Leaving Junction lock
Smile
We’d planned to pull in above Sileby Lock, but Jack and Lou decided to push on a bit further, they needed to fuel up and get a pump out, and Sileby Mill Boatyard below the lock is handy.
I helped them down the lock, then they set off across the weir stream to get onto the fuel pontoon.
Across the weir stream.
They actually made it a look easier than I expected, not trying to go straight across, but passing the pontoon then reversing in the slacker water on the right.
Filled and emptied, they pushed off towards Barrow. Have a good trip guys. Nice to have met you.
Jack and Lou in Sileby Lock
We’re staying put tonight, then heading down to Barrow tomorrow. Even though the levels on the river are still just in the red, there have been quite a few boats on the move, both up and down. It’s dropping again now, after reaching a bit of an equilibrium earlier.
The owners of boats at the Ash Tree Boat Club are counting the cost of an attack by burglars on Tuesday night. Though why it's called "a daring raid" I don't know. Daring implies to me something courageous and honourable, risking life. Not a break and entry by a gang of scroats.
Locks 3, miles 5
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