Sunday 20 October 2019

Red boards and creaky ropes

 The red boards (warning, strong stream) are still up here on the River Thames Reach Whitchurch to Goring locks, and these pictures ...
 were taken on Friday (18th) when the river level was at its highest and is covering the lower lock landing ...
 and here's Still Rockin' on the same day ...
 hanging on for dear life with three double ropes around the bollards ... causing loud 'cracking' sounds all day and all night as the boat moves slightly in the strong swell and 'broiling' motion, making decent sleep sometimes difficult.
 These were taken yesterday (19th) as we walked over Goring Bridge to Cleeve Lock (next upstream from Goring) ... its the newly reopened, renovated and enlarged Swan at Streatley
 Looking back as we walked at the top of the very picturesque Goring Lock ...
where (if you squint a bit) you may just make out the red board (below the blue one) just to the right of middle, which states that the reach below (where we're moored) is indeed on 'red'.

Even so, we saw several boats navigating through this lock ... highly dangerous.  One was the large modern dutch barge Elsie which zoomed past us and we worried about them navigating through the archway of Gatehampton Bridge where the strength of the stream will be greatly enhanced ... we've not heard anything to the contrary so assume that no news is good news ... for them.

The water level has subsided a little now ...
and the river conditions update this morning (20th) shows that the top of the Thames is now marked as stream decreasing ... if this continues downstream 'our' reach should also decrease by ... maybe Tuesday? ... unless we get more heavy rain.

4 comments:

Vallypee said...

Goodness, Carol, I hope you can get through soon. A strong current through the bridges can be frightening, if not damaging. Lovely photos as always.

Carol said...

\thanks Val, we're safe enough for the moment, no intention of going anywhere! x

Pip and Mick said...

Hi Carol.

We are making a plan to start bringing Oleanna up from Reading towards Oxford on Wednesday assuming the levels continue to fall. Pip is now away working in Chipping Norton but Paul Balmer from Waterway Routes has kindly offered to crew with me from Theal where I am now up to Oxford. If works out we'll probably moor overnight at Goring on Wednesday. What is the level situation there at the moment? The EA web site seems to suggest it is still Red from Goring to Whitchurch. Is there room to moor for the night? Will you still be there? So many questions!

Mick
NB Oleanna
(mick@geraghty.me.uk)

Carol said...

Hi Mick,
Yes this reach is still on red and although the levels have dropped the steam is still very strong. We are the only boat here at the moment and we will still be here on Wednesday even if the board changes.
Stay safe, see you soon.
Carol