Disclaimer:
The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this Newsletter but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed herein may be construed as policy or official announcement unless stated otherwise. The IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the Newsletter
Content
From The Editor Page 2 Maldon Mud Race Page 15
From The Chairman Page 2 Essex Waterways Update Page 17
From The Regional Chairman Page 4 Social Update Page 19
Rugby to Wales Part 3 Page 5 Just For Fun Page 20
Langford Ditch Chunker Page 10 Branch Committee Page 20
Canal Holiday 2023 Page 12
From The Editor
I am putting this edition together sitting on the deck (yes glass of wine at my side) of our holiday accommodation in the South of France. Pam and I are on a six week grand tour of France and Northern Italy. Making the most of the internet and email (when it is responding) to gather articles for this Summer Newsletter. I hope you are all making the most of travels and the summer.
We still need you to dig out those photographs, write that article, document those waterway memories as we would still like to increase our contributors to the next Newsletter.
Last inputs for Autumn Newsletter 21/09/2023.
For those on e-mail please send your input to chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk Those without just give me a call. 07837 576464.
From The Chairman
I was inspired recently by a TV series on the Pennine Way. It is available on catch up and is a fourpart documentary series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Pennine Way, presented by polar adventurer and ocean diver Paul Rose.
The trail is 268-mile trail opened in 1965. It stretches from Edale in the Derbyshire Peak District to Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish border. It stretches from the highest pub in England to Hadrian's Wall through Northumberland to Cumbria.
Its an area that I have always wanted to walk, and I then found myself watching the second episode of THE PENNINES: BACKBONE OF BRITAIN (Ep2/4) on ITV 4. It’s repeated from 2022 so do try and watch it if you can.
In this episode they visit the moors of Yorkshire and Greater Manchester to investigate how this place was at the heart of the industrial revolution. It also shows a group of friends who take a boating holiday along one of the region's great canals The Huddersfield Canal, with a formidable obstacle in their wayStandedge Tunnel. As most of you will know it is the longest canal tunnel in England, the deepest underground, and the highest above sea level.
I have never had the privilege of going through the tunnel and I doubt many of us have as I notice from The Canal and River Trust website that only 2 passages a day are allowed in both directions and that needs to have a volunteer pilot on board.
The camera work in the Tunnel was fantastic showing the different types of rock formation along the way, a credit to those who built it and those who restored it over many years. I used to be a great fan of canal tunnels in my younger boating days and always looked forward to Blisworth and others, but I must say that nowadays they make me nervous, so I am happy for the film crew to show me the journey.
From The Chairman (cont)
What I didn’t realise was that the Tunnel ends at Haworth, and we went there last year with my cousin.
I do feel sorry that I missed going to see the Tunnel entrance at least. I must make sure I read the guidebooks better in future.
Some information about the canal and restoration is shown below.
Background
The Canal, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Huddersfield, opened to through traffic in 1811 and took 17 years to build. It includes the Standedge Tunnel which took over 16 years to build and at 5.2 kilometres (over 3 miles) in length, is the longest, highest, and deepest canal tunnel in Britain.
The canal's construction was a major feat of engineering and human effort that developed the economies of the Tame and Colne valleys at the start of the Industrial Revolution.
With increasing competition from the railways, the canal fell into decline in the late 19th century, officially closing in 1944.
The canal became derelict and over the next 30 years sections were infilled, bridges lowered and the majority of its 74 locks were dismantled or made safe. In 1981 volunteers from the Huddersfield Canal Society pioneered a successful restoration of a half-mile section of canal, including two lock chambers in Uppermill, with the aim of reopening the canal to full navigation.
In 1985 a partnership between Tameside, Oldham and Kirklees Councils, the Huddersfield Canal Society and British Waterways was formed, with the aim of opening the canal to allow through navigation.
By 1996 the partners had managed to restore over 12 miles of the 20 miles of the canal. Within Tameside, with the exception of the route through Stalybridge Town Centre, work to the existing channel was either in progress or completed, including the Staly Wharf scheme off High Street.
However, many of the more complex blockages remained, and a bid was made for funding from the National Lottery Millenium Fund to complete what was once dubbed "The impossible restoration". In December 1996 the Millenium Commission announced its offer of £14.85 million grant support towards the £30 million cost of completing the full restoration of the canal and since then a great deal of design and planning work has been carried out. Recently English Partnerships confirmed its £12.8 million contribution to the overall funding package to ensure that the work can now progress.
In addition to Stalybridge Town Centre the project includes the removal of major blockages at:
• High Street and Wool Road, Uppermill
• Standedge Tunnel
• Slaithwaite Town Centre
• Bates and Sellers Mills, Huddersfield
From The Regional Chairman
Once again, I am writing to you whilst getting ready to a start summer cruise. We intend to try and visit Stoke-on-Trent and the Caldon Canal again this year. We will then cross Birmingham and go down the Oxford Canal to see Fairport Convention play at Cropredy. Water and weather permitting.
If you see us around, on the waterways, please come and have a chat.
As you know our waterways are run by different navigation authorities. The major ones being the Canal and River Trust (CRT), the Environment Agency (EA), Scottish Canals and the Broads Authority.
They are all saying that they don’t have the money they need to keep the waterways in good order. They’re all partly funded by Government and are struggling with funding cuts.
At the time of writing, after many months of delay, CRT has still not been told how much money they will get after their existing funding agreement runs out in 2027. It seems to me that this continuous procrastination can’t be good news for the waterways.
The campaign to obtain the funding necessary to keep the waterways in good order will need all users to work together, and so IWA have joined forces with other waterways organisations including National Association of Boat Owners, Royal Yachting Association, British Marine and Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs to form a new pressure group “Fund Britain’s Waterways”. We will of course be continuing with our own “Protect our Waterways” campaign and will be explaining how you can help and get involved as it is rolled out. As I said last time please help us by spreading the message of the #ProtectOurWaterways campaign to your friends and family. If they are interested in the future of our waterways why not try and recruit them. Get them to sign up on our website at https:// waterways.org.uk/support/ways-to-give/join’
I recently told you about the work West London branch is trying to do on the Hanwell, flight of locks, in West London. The poor condition of the side pounds on the flight, has led to them being put on the at risk register by English Heritage. If you are interested in helping get the flight off the at risk register we do need your help, as to be really successful, we will need the support of all the members in the London Region.
Your London Region and your Branch could do with more people to help us deliver the “Protect our Waterways” campaign and IWA’s objectives like the work on the Hanwell Flight.
We are desperately in need of someone to take notes for the Region Committee meetings, we only meet 5 or 6 times a year normally on zoom. If you could help with this or have skills you think could be useful to support us campaigning, please have a chat with me or anyone in your local branch committee. Finally; can I thank all those who have sent me photos showing the poor condition of the waterway, but we do need many more. I will start building a dossier of problems in the Region so that we can use when talking to CRT and London politicians.
Paul Strudwick London Region ChairTel: 07885240291
Email: paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk
Website: waterways.org.uk
Rugby to Wales Part 3
The final leg of our extended trip, on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, it was time to leave Llangollen, so we prepared to cruise again. John went ahead on his bike with the camera, me and the dogs were on the boat, we left our mooring and cruised down to the start of the narrow section, pulling in to wait for the ok to proceed along the one-way part, I soon had a boat behind me queuing.
Once the oncoming boats had passed, we were off, and we navigated both narrow parts before mooring after Bridge 4w, below The Sun Trevor Pub, we were the only boat here and the views were fabulous. The evening meal at the pub was excellent, they even had a Dog Menu. Later in the evening I noticed great chunks of hay floating down the canal, John went out to look and used our boat pole to free off huge chunks trapped behind our boat.
On Thursday we headed off, having to reverse regularly to get hay off the prop, it was everywhere, a couple of boats had stopped due to hay on their prop. It was a very windy day and our aluminium Sea Otter was buffeted a bit as we cruised over the Pontycysyllte Aqueduct, I was not impressed, and so glad to reach the other side safely, where we moored, and noticed two massive stacks of hay that had been pulled out of the canal onto the towpath. We walked back over the aqueduct to explore the basin, taking Puppy Cleo with us (it was too much for oldie Ant), we went to the visitor centre, one of the CRT volunteers offered to look after Cleo (no dogs allowed in the building) so John and I could go in together. The Museum is very interesting and well worth a visit, it is only one room and doesn't take long, donations were welcomed. Cleo was so good and the volunteer thoroughly enjoyed looking after her, reclaiming Cleo we headed off around Trevor Basin, where a Hire Base occupies one side. Then into the village where we had an early lunch in The Chapel Cafe, a fabulous building converted well, and dog friendly. On our way back we diverted down the steps under the Aqueduct, but you can't go very far or see very much.
Rugby to Wales Part 3 (cont)
Casting off again, and through the lift bridge at Froncysyllte, then through Whitehouse Tunnel, where we had to stop to clear our prop of hay. Approaching Chirk Tunnel, a female Mallard landed on our roof, it wandered around for ages, and looked in our open roof hatch which had a curtain across (for shade), when the duck stepped onto the curtain it gave way and the duck ended up in the boat, arghh, I quickly went in the boat and managed to shoo it out the back door, the dogs were oblivious to their visitor. Got some good photos though.
Next, arriving to join the queue for Chirk Tunnel, and waiting for four oncoming narrowboats to exit the tunnel, once through and across Chirk Aqueduct the hay had gone, like magic. We moored above New Marton Locks in a lovely rural setting.
Friday, we descended the two locks, where the water remained so clear you could see the water plants growing on the canal bed. Soon we moored just before Bridge 1w, unloaded our bikes and dog baskets, and set off to cycle down the Montgomery Canal, on the right, the other side of the bridge, at Frankton Junction. We saw trees which had been blown over and their roots had pulled up the liner of the canal. Some parts of the towpath were overgrown but just about passable.
It was lunch time when we arrived at The Queens Head and enjoyed a lovely snack, before continuing passed the three Aston Locks, and as far as Bridge 79 where we admitted defeat, the towpath was too overgrown to proceed. On the boat that evening we saw a stunning sunset at 10pm.
Cruising Saturday we soon arrived at Ellesmere where we turned left into the town Arm, winded, and moored in the last slot near the junction, lucky we are a short boat. We all went into town to explore, Ant in his trolley, Cleo loving another walk. Seeing lots of knitted items decorating the town, they were amazing. The meal at The Black Lion Hotel that evening was excellent, and dog friendly.
On Sunday cruising included a detour along the Prees Branch, which has two lift bridges, it is a very rural, peaceful route, and at the limit of navigation we stopped at Whixall Marina for fuel. Back on the main line again, and approaching a lift bridge at Whitchurch Junction, there was mayhem, with two boats and a contrary dog, so we hung back, John got off and went to try and help catch the dog, once all was sorted, we continued onwards. At Grindley Brook Locks on a hot day, we treated ourselves to icecreams at the cafe, after mooring at the bottom.
Returning through Wrenbury all was quiet for a Monday, with intermittent locks, and then descending Hurleston Locks (4) which proved interesting, John happened to be wearing a blue T-shirt, the same colour as CRT volunteers, and other boat crews kept calling for his help, especially a couple in a brandnew narrowboat, just collected, and they thought they didn't need to get off their boat as the volunteer had done the bottom lock, so they had gone into the second lock and just kept calling for someone to do lock for them,
I was just coming out of lock three so stayed back and hovered to the off-side, so they could have the straight line into lock three, they still crashed, oops, by this time the lady crew member had got off the boat to operate the lock as no one else was around, John did explain most locks are self-operated and volunteers are a bonus, and you should still get off and help do the locks. They will have a steep learning curve cruising the Llangollen Canal as their first trip, and new to boating.
Turning right below the locks onto the Shropshire Union Canal (SUC), we moored in the shade at Nantwich just passed the White Iron Aqueduct, it was very popular here especially in the shade. The hottest day at 37 degrees, we kept cool in the boat with battery fans, wet t-towels, dog chill pads, closed curtains all day, silver sun shades in windows and hatch behind the curtains, which worked well.
An early start on Tuesday, as heat was forecast again, along a rural route, arriving at the bottom of Audlem Locks (15), briefly mooring at Audlem Mill and Shroppie Fly, and purchased some treats in the Mill from their huge range of gifts and provisions. Heading up the locks, we noticed some of the bollards at the lock sides were square, and huts with round roofs. We queued at Adderley Locks (5), very rural and shaded by trees, mooring soon after, an early stop, under the trees, the temperature was 37 degrees, the boat was kept cool again.
Wednesday was cooler and the canal was busy with narrowboats in both directions, a fallen tree was almost blocking the canal in Betton Cutting, we were mid convoy until we moored at Market Drayton and went into town, a great place to explore. Off again and at Tyrley Locks (5), which is a tree lined and sandstone rock cutting, quite dark too, we saw a tree trunk made into a fisherman, very clever. Through Woodseaves Cutting where there is a 2mph speed limit due to landslip signs, also another submerged cruiser, and then a falling rocks sign. We passed the former Chocolate Wharf, Knighton, along Grub Street Cutting, and mooring at Norbury Junction, we just fit in a slot, with help from fellow boaters who stopped to chat. Enjoying a super meal in the Junction Inn later.
Leaving on Thursday, a damp day, through Gnosall, Cowley Tunnel, up Wheaton Aston Lock, over the Stretton Aqueduct with its unusual pillars, to moor early due to the wet weather, we all went to the dog friendly Bridge Inn for lunch. The afternoon was dry, so we had a wander around the village, seeing 'Speedwell Castle' a fantasy building.
On Friday morning I was horrified to see the mess of bird poop covering a good majority of our boat, one of the risks mooring under trees, I quickly washed it off while the boat was wet.
Cruising again and taking a right turn at Autherley Junction onto the Staffs & Worcs Canal briefly, before turning left to climb Wolverhampton Locks (21), on the BCN. Anti-vandal key at the ready we ascended, these locks have one gate each end of each lock, rather than mitred lower gates, the water here is very clear, the grass verges kept cut and tidy. Part way up John dropped the anti-vandal key in the lock, but luckily retrieved it easily with our Sea Magnet, the water remained clear to the top, and you could see the bottom of the canal.
We only met two boats in the flight and one had moored to get a take away. We moored at the top for lunch and shopping.
Heading off again there were lots of weeds underwater, floating lily pads, and masses of Coots throughout Birmingham, the canal became opaque green, and weeds spread across the width of the canal, through the wet Coseley Tunnel, still battling with the weeds and lily pads. Taking a right at Factory Junction, and right at Tipton Junction, we moored at the Black Country Living Museum (BCLM), where the heavens opened just as we pulled in, a short torrential downpour which soaked both of us.
Saturday, we headed back to Factory Junction and down the three locks, following the BCN New Main Line route, which is very straight, unlike the winding BCN Old Main Line. For a short while floating rubbish added to the weeds, then suddenly cleared.
Approaching Old Turn Junction we passed several navigable canal loops, the canal was busy with a trip, party and electric boats along here, we moored below the Legoland Experience, and looked out on a giant giraffe made of Lego.
Once settled we went for a walk round the Junction and into Gas Street Basin, such a busy, vibrant area, we saw the preparations made by CRT ready for the Commonwealth Games due to start on Thursday.
Rugby to Wales Part 3 (cont)
Leaving on Sunday we took a left onto the Birmingham & Fazeley canal, and descended Farmers Bridge Locks (13), with high rise buildings, some covered in scaffolding, some locks were under the buildings and the BT Tower.
Next taking a left and down Aston Locks (11), some needing an anti-vandal key, an industrial area, lots of rubbish and graffiti. At Salford Junction we passed under the M6, and could see spaghetti junction to the left, but we turned right, still following the B & F Canal.
Our journey back to base at Brinklow took us through Minworth, Curdworth and the pretty flight of locks, Drayton, right turn at Fazeley Junction onto the Coventry Canal, passing Amington, Polesworth, up Atherstone Locks (11), when we had a boat breakdown near to the top, one of the volunteers helped me with the locks while John nursed our boat to the top, where RCR were going to meet us once we moored. John suspected it was the throttle cable, and he was correct, it wasn't long before the RCR engineer had fitted a new one, and we were fit to complete our trip.
Continuing back through Hartshill, Nuneaton, round Hawkesbury Junction onto the Oxford Canal, and back to our mooring in Brinklow Marina.
It had been a fantastic month away, even with mixed weather (July), we enjoyed our time and were very lucky too, as I was receiving daily CRT cruising alerts, advising of restrictions, low water, closures, stoppages, which followed us the whole trip.
The canal had been busy, the wildlife and hedgerows stunning, as were the views in Wales, which we were so fortunate to have returned to after so long, remembering our past visits and making new memories. Cleo was only eight months old when went away, and she was amazing, so adaptable, just happy to be with us and Oldie Ant. Boating life is fabulous.
Langford Ditch Chunker Replacement 2010
The Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation was built between 1793 and 1797, following an original concept of 1677,to make the River Chelmer navigable between Chelmsford and Maldon. This to replace the transfer of goods by horses and waggons, such as wheat and flour from the mills, and latterly, between 1928 and 1968 also live eels, by the Dutch Kuijten family The proposal was initially rejected by people from Maldon and Danbury, citing loss of trade to the horsemen and horses. Accordingly, the canal was routed around Maldon to Heybridge basin, where the ships docked, as opposed to Maldon Hythe.
The canal was principally constructed by digging out the heavy London clay, and the dug material piled up at the edge to raise the depth of the canal. Where there were points of Ice Age gravel deposits, these were replaced with clay. Along the new route, elm timber Chunkers were laid beneath the canal to carry existing streams,
One of which survived between Heybridge Corn Mill, ( late 18th Century,) and Black Bridge, the point where the canal cuts through the Late Iron Age/Roman settlement of Elms Farm. The Chunker carries water from the Holloway Road ditch and the Langford Ditch. The Langford Ditch is an historic water course that winds around the modern balancing ponds, then passes under the canal into the garden of Heybridge Mill House, to join the River Blackwater past Anchor Lane. The Chunker is buried approx. 2 mts below the current water level and the artificially raised canal on either side. This was one of three reported Chunkers around Heybridge, and is the only one known to survive intact.
Langford Ditch Chunker Replacement 2010 (cont)
With the water flow impaired it was suspected that the chunker had collapsed, and a plan was drawn up to replace the wooden Chunker with a 1.2 mt diameter PVC pipe. A temporary electrical pumping station was put in place, to pump the ditch water into the canal to avoid local flooding. Also, the Chunker site was isolated by a 4 m wide coffer dam. Once excavated, the Chunker was observed to be well preserved, laid on a gravel bed, and a good example of late 18th Century engineering. It was 33m in length, 1m wide, and 0.6 m deep, built from 3inch thick Elm planks. The canal also appeared to be based on a solid foundation.
The replacement was a round 1.2m non corrodible PVC pipe, sited in the same position .
Archaeological monitoring of the process took place and photographic reporting. A large Iron Age, Roman, and Early Saxon settlement was excavated at the nearby Elms Farm in 1933-5. There was a road network, Temple Complex, Occupation Plots, and Communal open spaces, field systems and Funeral areas. The settlement was abandoned in the early Saxon period and reverted to farmland. Heybridge Mill being built in the late 18th Century, and no longer exists.
David N. Williams C.WEM, M.CIWEM Scientist and Past Manager, Essex and Suffolk WaterCanal Holiday 2023
Since we sold our boat we have been enjoying a return to the canals with our family and grand children. Having done the Black Country Ring we thought that this year we would return to Great Haywood and cruise the Four Counties Ring. However, having spoken to several people, we decided that this would be too much with our younger grand children who would want to get off the boat frequently. We therefore decided on an out and back trip along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and the Shropshire Union Canal and just see how far we got on a leisurely break before returning.
As it happened, we had quite an eventful holiday! Even after fifty years of boating, there are still new experiences.
In addition to Chris and me, our crew was our daughter Louise, husband Simon, their two children Lucas (14) and Arabella (11) as well as our son Lloyd and his two boys Brodie (7) and Aaron (4) who joined us at Penkridge. Unfortunately his partner Suzie was unable to join us. We hired a 70ft narrowboat.
Once we set off we soon saw the problems that Canal and River Trust have with their lack of funding. There were lock paddles out of use, badly leaking lock gates and overgrown grass around locks.
Our first event was on the first day when we passed through Deptmore Lock (10’-3”). Our boat needed the full length of the lock so the badly leaking top gates were flooding dramatically over the bow onto the foredeck. Chris quickly rushed inside and closed the front doors but this was not enough to stop the water entering the front cabin and thoroughly soaking her.
Canal Holiday 2023 (cont)
We did manage a Chinese take away meal in Penkridge that Sunday evening. On our last holiday shortly after Lockdown we had difficulty finding places to eat out, so I am always envious of Stefanie and John who seem to find a pub for a good meal nearly every night when cruising.
The next night was spent at Cross Green so we could eat out at the Anchor pub. In the very early hours of the morning Lucas woke with a horrendous pain from his ear, down his face and neck saying he had never been in such agony. He had been bitten, but didn’t know by what. A dose of anti-histamine and a call to 111 reassured Louise that as he had recently had a tetanus jab he would be OK and the pain would gradually recede. In the morning we found a dead false widow spider beside his bed. No mention was made of the spider as Arabella would not want to sleep on the boat!
On Tuesday we travelled through those scenic cuttings and bridges of the Shroppie to Brewood for the night where we walked into the village for a lovely meal at the Swan Hotel.
The next morning we turned the boat at Countrywide Cruisers and headed back to Autherley Junction. After a stop for water we were about to leave the Stop lock and turn back onto the Staffs and Worcs when a narrowboat aligned to enter the lock and then reversed to let us exit. While waiting for the completion of this manoeuvre I noticed the helmsman fall overboard and shouted “someone has fallen in”. Lloyd and I rushed to the incident which was on the opposite bank probably 150ft away. We couldn’t see him and his wife now at the stern shouted that she couldn’t see him. Before I realised it, Lloyd had stripped off and was swimming towards the boat. He asked for confirmation that the engine was switched off. I watched him go under water at the back of the boat and had the horrific thought that I might be watching my son drown. To my relief he surfaced shouting “I can’t find him, get a life ring”. I rushed back to our boat for the one on the roof and threw it to him for support. Louise saw what was happening, stripped off, jumped in and swam to help. Simon did the same, diving in. Lloyd called for a knife which I ran to fetch, but the wife produced a Stanley knife as his clothes were wrapped around the propeller. After what seemed like ages they had retrieved a body which they quickly brought back to the tow path where Lloyd shouted to those who had gathered to help lift him out. A lad next to me said “I’ll dial 111”, no I said, “999 - ambulance”. The victim was not breathing. Somehow the wife was now ashore and she started CPR but was not forceful, so a local guy took over. It seemed like ages, but eventually the body started breathing, amazing as he had been under water for such a long time. I could hear an ambulance arriving and a helicopter above. We covered him with a blanket as he was minus his clothes which were wrapped around the boat propeller. The ambulance crew and helicopter crew soon took over and our three rescuers were able to return to our boat for showers. We were so relieved to see him breathing and then speaking to the paramedics who were excellent. They warned that the rescuers might suffer from shock after the event. The police started taking details. I arranged with the nearby boatyard to look after their boat so the wife could accompany her husband Graham, who was 80 and around 16 stone, to hospital. Before leaving she thanked me saying that our family had saved Graham’s life. She had been amazingly calm through the whole drama. We wait to hear more on his recovery, which will take a while as he had a dislocated shoulder, broken arm, numerous lacerations across his chest and probably broken ribs from the CPR. I became choked, I couldn’t be more proud of our kids and I include Simon in that.
Canal Holiday 2023 (cont)
We realised that when reversing his boat the rudder hit the opposite bank or something underwater and swung the tiller so sharply that it knocked him over the guardrail. He was not wearing a life jacket and the propeller had dragged him under the stern, caught his clothes and pulled his arm around it, hence the struggle to release him. This no doubt stalled the engine. How many of us stand beside the tiller rather than ahead of it?
Lucas witnessed the rescue and saw his mum, dad and Uncle Lloyd bring the helpless man ashore. As he thought he was dead, he returned to our boat to prevent his sister from seeing the body and injuries.
Chris was able to keep the younger children on our boat away from the scene, but Brodie did ask why daddy and Uncle Simon were wrestling in the canal while Auntie Louise rescued a man? Lloyd and Louise reminded me that we had sent them both for survival training and they were very aware of the risks of jumping into cold water and the advice of not going to rescue a drowning person who was struggling, as they could pull you under.
That night we moored at Cross Green again for a meal on board and walked to a fun game of crazy Dinosaur Golf to take our minds off the event. The paramedics had warned that we might suffer from shock. It was however Arabella and Chris who had not witnessed the full drama but had seen the rushing around and activity that suffered from shock during the night. Another call to 111 for advice and reassurance made us aware that we should all have ‘What 3 Words’ on our phones so we could confirm our exact whereabouts for any emergencies in remote locations.
The next day one of the toilets had stopped pumping out so we stopped for a pump out, our second, to see if a full tank was the problem. It wasn’t, so a call to the Hire Base who came out and changed the pump. Great service! That night we were back at Penkridge for a meal in the Boat Inn where Lloyd had left his car. A couple from Brisbane, Australia on the boat moored behind said that they had witnessed the event at Autherley Junction and our kids deserved a medal.
Canal Holiday 2023 (cont)
On the Friday we headed back to Base at Great Haywood very aware that we would flood the rear deck at Deptmore Lock. We cleared the drainage outlets, switched off the engine once in the lock to avoid any water ingress, closed the rear cabin doors and placed a rubber mat over the door vents. We all got off the boat and pulled it through. So bad was the leak that the rear cabin still flooded. The crew of a waiting boat seem bemused that we were pulling our boat through the lock! When back at Base, we reported that the engine drip compartment was full of water due to the lock leakage. We were told that there was a planned lock closure the following week.
That evening the people on the boat moored next to us said that they had spent the week cruising the Four Counties Ring, no doubt without event! Apart from the dramas, we had a good family holiday reliving the beauty of our canals.
Roy ChandlerMaldon Mud Race 2023
It was our first time attending the Maldon Mud Race. We arrived fairly early so we could enjoy the build up to the race, and look around the stalls set up around the lake at Promenade Park, there was also a great choice of food and drink stalls, BBC Essex had a stage and a varied selection of music artists were playing throughout the day.
We walked along Hythe Quay and saw the moored boats and Thames Barges, while listening to some shanty singers on the Quay
Maldon mud Race 2023 (cont)
The sun came out, and after an early lunch, John, myself, and pup Cleo found a slot to sit on the sea wall, which had filled up rapidly, we sat over looking the River Blackwater, to wait while the crowds of spectators gathered in rows behind us.
With the tide out there was only a narrow strip of water along the estuary. We were positioned very near the inflatable arch for the start of the race, so were able to watch over 300 competitors in all manner of fancy dress gather ready for the race to begin, some wearing rather elaborate costumes, and also using copious amounts of Duct tape along clothing and on footwear to prevent the loss in the mud.
The count down and start was performed by comedian Jo Brand, and mayhem was unleashed, everyone stumbling into the thick, deep mud, then into the strip of water, out the other side, into more mud, following the race markers and intermittent Race Marshalls along the muddy estuary, by which time some were crawling in the mud, then back down through the water again, before heading up the muddy bank to the sea wall and the finish line.
The competitors had become quite spread out as some found the tricky conditions easier than others. It was a crazy, fun spectacle to watch, and we were glad we had witnessed it. After the presentations, there was more musical entertainment with John Leech from BBC Essex.
It was a great day out, and we didn't get muddy, thank goodness.
Stephanie Mason & John GrieveEssex Waterways Update
After what seemed like weeks of rain, the change in the weather to what has been described as a “heat wave” has seen visitors flocking to the Navigation.
At Paper Mill Lock the Willow Set car park operators did not open their car park until late May due to wet ground conditions and it is currently closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Some Sundays have seen it full to capacity with resultant long queues at the Tea Rooms and Lock House Ice Cream cart. Unfortunately none of these businesses are run by Essex Waterways so we do not benefit from the income derived although we may have to deal with the resulting busy tow paths and increased waterway use. This can result in litter being left, demands for toilets and occasionally anti-social behaviour.
Essex Waterways Update (cont)
Essex Waterways does however employ a River Warden who is kept busy at Paper Mill and along the Navigation dealing with any such incidents and checking on canoe and paddleboard licences. These provide useful income to Essex Waterways although the increase in their popularity especially since Lockdown has been of concern to some of our moorers who worry about navigating amongst them.
At Paper Mill Lock we hire out canoes and kayaks as a source of income and run our charter boat Victoria and trip boat Albert to provide waterway experiences for visitors. Albert and Blackwater Dawn, which runs from Heybridge Basin, both provide hourly ticket trips throughout the summer and are crewed by volunteers. We have not been able to run our Chelmsford Trip Boat this year due to lack of crew. If you wish to help and be part of any of these operations please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Lucy Pegram. Lucy.pegram@waterways.org.uk
The arrival of the hot weather means that our lengthsmen and volunteers are kept busy with tow path cutting and weed removal from the navigation channel as well as the occasional problem of a lock paddle failure.
Let us hope that the summer weather continues and all the varied users of the Navigation can continue to enjoy their visits
