Friday, August 14, 2015

We tried to avoid the rain…

…and failed!

John and I had a phone conference this morning after independently checking the day’s forecast. We agreed that the best chance of keeping dry was to leave at around half-one, so John and Barbara came down from their mooring at the Rose and Crown on Zouch Cut to join us for that time.
It was only lightly raining when they went past and we swung out in their wake, but unfortunately the hoped-for dry spell didn’t arrive, and we had to put up with the drizzle all the way to Soar Junction.

All manner of craft moor at East Midlands Boat Services near The Otter at Kegworth IMG_6789

I always admire this fine house just at the entrance to Kegworth Deep Lock Cut.IMG_6791
The bouyed barrier prevents boats from drifting down onto the large weir on the backwater.

We’d passed a boat going the other way a short time ago, so the lock was nicely full and waiting for us. Another arrived below while we emptied, so that was good timing.

Leaving Kegworth Deep, the foam is coming from the afore-mentioned weir…IMG_6796

Where we’d moored the river had risen about 2” after last nights heavy showers, but here, below Kegworth, it looks to be maybe 6” up. There must be a couple of tributary feeders somewhere. Not enough to cause concern though, the height marker below Kegworth Lock was just showing the top of the green.

The flood lock, Kegworth Shallow, was open both ends as expected, then we had a half hour to cruise to Ratcliffe Lock, the last we had to negotiate on the Soar.

In Ratcliffe lock, and yes, it’s still wet…IMG_6800

Redhill Marina’s floating moorings were busy, at least a dozen of the boats were from the Shakespeare Line fleet that I thought were based at Mercia.IMG_6802
Have they moved the operation, I wonder?

A livery that will be not everyone’s cup of tea, I reckon… leopard skin??IMG_6804
In the background, the cooling towers of Ratcliffe Power Station add to the general gloom.

Maybe it’s me, but Redhill Marina always seems to be in a state of controlled chaos…IMG_6806

The Avon Belle’s a long way from home…IMG_6807
I did hear that it’d been bought to run trips from Zouch, but then they found it wouldn’t fit under the bridges…

Fancy a riverside property?
IMG_6809
Linga Longa  is a snip at £395,000. I’d have to change the name, though.

Both boats were intending to moor on the pontoons below the Trent Lock Inn but there was only room for one, so we turned around and pulled in on the bank opposite the sailing club.IMG_6811 John and Barbara were eating out, so it made sense for them to take the pontoon mooring.

The weather promises to be returning to August tomorrow, which will be a relief.

Hi Carol, still here, just had a bit of Windows trouble....

Thanks for the kind comment, Ade. I think the new Windows will be OK once I've got it set up to do what I want, rather than what it thinks I want! The integration with the Cloud and MSN so file sharing is easy is unnecessary for me, at least at the moment, and the associated security features have had me scratching my head a bit! Still haven't sorted out the camera downloads, yet...

Locks 2, miles 5½

4 comments:

KevinTOO said...

Shakespeare Line has gone belly-up, bust & kaput due allegedly to dodgy directors, so Mercia seems to have shown them the exit, there floating offices were also craned out of the marina last week. I feel really sorry for the staff that lost there lively-hoods but surely the 'investors' should have had a good look on Google for the tell-tale signs, they are all there going back a fair few years.

Anyway, onto a happier topic, how's your Win10 upgrade going? Laptop not having swimming lessons yet then?? LOL

Ade said...

Geoff I read on another blog somewhere that may of been NB Inca that Shakespeare Classic Line had gone bust. Hence out of Mercia and stacked up there can't find anything on the net to confirm that though.

Ade

nb Chance said...

Shakespeare Boats went bust earlier this year, they just seem to have dumped them all there, there are a couple left outside Mercia Marina as well!

Alf said...

I think you will find that Shakespeare Line have gone bust, hence tied up awaiting the deliberations of the administrator.