Ouse News Spring 2018

Great Ouse Branch

Ouse News - Spring 2018 Newsletter covering the Great Ouse and tributaries Contents: Branch Committee

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Branch News

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Chairman’s Corner

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Vision for the future p6 Regional Chairman

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Festival of Water

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The Littleport Riots p10

Why not join us on Saturday, 28th April on a visit to RSPB Lakenheath .

Campaigning for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways.

The Lady Teal

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Book Review

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The Little Ouse

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EA - River News

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North Lodge

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p27 Visit to the RSPB The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the Great Ouse Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers.

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Great Ouse Branch Committee: Committee members may be contacted by email: e.g. an.other@waterways.org.uk Chairman: Keith Alderton Tel : 01366 727236 Secretary: John Hodgson Tel : 01234 344884 Treasurer: Enid Hodgson Tel : 01234 344884 Ouse News Editor: Carole Alderton Tel : 01366 727236 Sales Officer: David Anderson Tel : 01480 477227

Membership Officer: Peter Webb Tel: 01353 658581 Volunteer Co-ordinator: Gail Mead Tel: 01359 232603 Member: Stephen Foote Tel: 01763 838936 Member: Derek Bradley Tel: 01353 661601 Co-opted Member: Sharon Oliver Tel: 07711 376 393

(Authorised to examine all private boats and in addition, residential boats provided they are fitted with a gas bubble tester) Additional contact : Ely Boat Chandlers 01353 663095

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Branch News

Winter Meetings are at 8.00 pm at the North Lodge Pavilion, North Lodge Park, Milton, CB24 6UD. (See page 25) T HURSDAY 22 ND M ARCH

2018

This will be our branch Annual General Meeting, together with an update from the Environment Agency.

S ATURDAY 28 TH A PRIL 2018 Visit to the RSPB, Lakenheath Fen.

(Please see page 27) S ATURDAY 5 TH M AY 2018 Gathering of boats at Reach followed by an evening meal at the Dykes End. Book your meal place with Stephen Foote. (01763 838936)

S UNDAY 6 TH M AY 2018 Barbecue & Quiz, Reach Hythe. (if sufficient support and weather permitting)

M ONDAY 7 TH M AY

2018

IWA stand at Reach Fair.

S UNDAY 1 ST J ULY 2018 IWA stand at Ely Aquafest.

We welcome the following new members to the branch.

We hope you will introduce yourselves to us when coming to an event or meeting: Cyril Lumber, Kings Lynn Graham & Sharon Oliver, St Neots David Mercer, Hemingford Grey, Cambs Roderick Owen, Dullingham, Suffolk

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Chairman’s Corner Hopefully, by the time you read this we will have emerged from what has proved to be a long, cold, wet and windy winter! We managed to spend one weekend on Watermist in December when we joined 14 other members of the Stort Boat Club for an excellent lunch at the Butchers Arms in Priors Hardwick near Southam. All of these club members now keep their boats in the Midlands, having abandoned the Lee & Stort due to the onward march of the ‘continuous moorers’ on their home territory. One member recorded over 1500 such boats moored on the towpath during a two day journey between Stanstead Abbotts and Little Venice last year. As always, we must remain vigilant on our local waterways and continue to press the navigation authorities to take preventative action now before it is too late to stop the same situation happening here.

In November we held our last general meeting at Coles Road Community Centre when Debbie Curtis of the Field Theatre Group gave an interesting presentation and talk about the infamous Littleport Riots (see page 10).

Unfortunately, despite an interesting topic, attendance was unusually low.

I reported in the Autumn Edition of Ouse News that both myself, on behalf of the IWA, and David Mercer of the East Anglian Waterways Association, had both submitted letters to GOBA News pointing out the errors in the statement made at the GOBA Annual General Meeting regarding EA funding and Project Hereward. Regrettably, these letters were not published.

However, the point was made, even if it was received with bad grace. The true situation regarding Project Hereward was explained at our February meeting when Project members reported on the progress made so far and outlined future plans to fully restore navigation at Welches Dam and on the 40 Foot River.

Ouse News Page 5 Members are reminded that our branch AGM will be held at North Lodge Pavilion, Milton on the 22nd March. We have followed our normal practice of circulating the agenda, minutes and reports in advance of the meeting in order to enable us to conclude the formal business in our usual snappy manner. Following the AGM the EA river managers will report on their activities over the past year and outline plans for the future.

I am pleased to confirm that our ‘away day’ this year will be a visit to the RSPB Lakenheath Reserve beside the Little Ouse on the 28th April. (See page 27 for details.)

Our spring/summer programme continues with a gathering of boats, evening meal, bar-b-que and attendance at Reach Fair over the spring bank holiday weekend. All are welcome to the dinner at the Dykes End pub on Saturday 5th May (please contact Stephen Foote to book your places).

We will have a presence at Ely Aquafest on Sunday 1st July. The big event of the year will be the IWA Festival of Water at St.Neots over the late summer bank holiday weekend. If you have not yet booked your mooring, you can do so by following the link on page 9. We will be bringing our branch stand to each of the three summer events and so any help that you can give erecting the gazebo and manning the stand would be much appreciated.

Some good local news! The EA have responded to the intensive lobbying over the future of sections of the Ely Waterfront and made the sensible decision to sell them to East Cambridgeshire District Council. This will give the council jurisdiction over the full length of Ely Waterfront. However, how the existing commercial tenants will be affected has not yet been determined. Hopefully Bridge Boatyard and The Boat Yard will be able to continue business as usual and we may even be able to regain some public mooring space. Time will tell.

Ouse News Page 6 It has been decided to award celebratory plaques to members who have been with the IWA for 50 years or more. I would therefore like to congratulate branch members Ivan Cane and M J Robinson on their award and thank them for their support over so many years.

Finally, I am pleased to welcome Sharon Oliver as a much needed addition to the branch committee. Sharon is well placed to make positive contributions to the branch as she is not only a local boater, but also runs a boat brokerage business.

Keith Alderton A Vision for the Future A thriving, growing network of sustainable inland waterways for everyone.

Mission To be a powerful champion of inland waterway causes; to protect and expand our waterways for the millions of people who enjoy and benefit from using them.

Key areas of our work IWA will focus on four key areas to help us fulfil our mission and make our vision a reality: 1. Speaking for the waterways – Promoting a ‘vision for the waterways’. Being ‘guardians of the waterways’.

2. Protecting – Working to achieve well managed waterways. Conserving the heritage and environment.

3. Restoring – Creating a healthy, vibrant restoration sector, resulting in more restored waterways.

4. Inspiring – Inspiring a wide range and increasing number of people to enjoy the waterways in many different ways and promoting understanding and cooperation between different users. Encouraging all users to support the waterways by actively volunteering to support and improve them.

Ouse News Page 7 Introducing Chris Howes, the new Eastern Region Chairman: I’ve spent most of my life on, and often unintentionally in, the water, messing about in boats. A couple of years ago I graduated from small self-propelled boats up to a larger motorised boat, when my wife and I bought a narrowboat, which we keep on the Middle Level. The boat and I are these days rarely parted!

Having stood down after nearly 20 years as a local authority councillor, I welcomed the new experiences and challenges that came with boat ownership and IWA membership. I became a committee member at Peterborough Branch and have thrown myself enthusiastically into branch activities, including work parties and the recent successful campaign cruise to Welches Dam. I have also been using skills acquired and honed in my days as a councillor to correspond with the Waterways Minister and challenge the actions of the E.A. in closing navigation. I’m now Peterborough Branch Chairman in addition to being Regional Chairman.

Since my appointment, I’ve visited the active branches in our region and reconvened the previously lapsed Regional Committee which will be a biannual forum for our branches to compare notes and share experiences, problems and solutions. I’m also hoping to attend the full set of the Region’s branch AGMs. Events this year in the Region include both the Bedford River Festival and the IWA Festival of Water in St Neots. I’ll be at both, hopefully on local IWA stands, so look forward to meeting many of you ! I’ll also try and keep you up-dated on issues through the Region by your local newsletter.

Wishing you all happy and safe boating for 2018 Chris Howes

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Ouse News Page 9 IWA Festival of Water – a reminder for your diary In the last edition details were given of the Festival heading our way for the August bank holiday weekend, Saturday 25th to Monday 27th August and this is simply a reminder. This promises to be as good as the “National” at St Ives 10 years ago – although hopefully without all the rain! It will be on Regatta Meadow – partly opposite the Priory Centre.

Further information regarding the event, including booking arrangements, can be found at https://www.waterways.org.uk/events_festivals/ festival_water/IWA_festival_water and book directly online by visiting https:/ /waterways.cloudvenue.co.uk/festivalofwater including the EA deal for temporary registrations.

Prior to the festival why not also take in the Bedford River Festival on Saturday and Sunday, 14th and 15th of July and Ely Aquafest on 1st July.

If you can offer some assistance in running the branch stand at St Neots please contact David Anderson, (contact details in the committee list) it would be much appreciated.

John Hodgson

Ouse News Page 10 The Littleport Riots Our November meeting consisted of a film and talk about the infamous Littleport Riots by Debbie Curtis of the Field Theatre Group.

This organisation was founded in 2004 with the aim of bringing professional quality performance, arts and cultural experiences to the community of Littleport.

The film entitled ‘Rebels and Rioters - The Butterfly Effect’ showed how a massive volcanic eruption, several thousand miles away in Indonesia eventually lead to the instigators of the riots in Littleport being hanged in Ely in 1816. Vast amounts of volcanic dust had been discharged high into the atmosphere and spread around the globe, reducing sunlight for several years.

This in turn caused crops to fail and people across Europe began to starve.

Wages were low and the shortages, combined with increased taxes resulting from the newly introduced Corn Laws, sent the price of grain soaring.

Locally, the population of largely agricultural workers had little work, a situation made much worse by large numbers of soldiers returning home at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. ‘Bread riots’ began to spread across the country as shortages became worse, exacerbated by the hoarding of grain by profiteering suppliers.

In Littleport, the people became desperate and anger began to mount.

Members of the village Benefit Club met at the Globe Inn only to find that because everybody was in need, the funds were exhausted and no relief payments could be made. Rioting subsequently broke out on the 22nd May 1816 when a mob armed with pitchforks, cleavers and guns smashed windows and doors, stealing money, food and goods from wealthier neighbours. Littleport’s vicar tried to restore order by reading the Riot Act, but instead of dispersing, the mob ransacked his house, forcing him to flee with his family to Ely. The vicar, John Vachell was a particular target because he was a hated local magistrate and was well known for his harsh sentencing.

Ouse News Page 11 The next day, the rioters set off for Ely, armed with weapons, including an 8ft. long punt gun mounted on a stolen farm wagon. By now, the mob had grown to more than 300, including many children. They were largely uneducated farm labourers who had little understanding of the serious situation they had put themselves in. The people of Ely had prepared themselves to repel the rioters and a delegation met them half a mile from the City where the Riot Act was read once again. The rioters’ main demand was simply to be given a wage on which they and their families could live.

Although some decided to disperse peacefully, others decided to advance on Ely. There they invaded a pub and were given free ale to calm the situation. This action only made matters worse and fuelled the riot to a greater intensity. The riot was finally put down on the 24th May when the Cambridgeshire Militia and the 1st Royal Regiment of Dragoons arrived.

One rioter was killed, a soldier who had survived the Battle of Waterloo was maimed for life and 83 prisoners taken to Ely gaol.

A trial was started on the 17th June 1816 and as a result, 23 men and one woman were given the death sentence. Five men were eventually hanged, ‘having been convicted of diverse robberies’. The remaining 19 persons had their sentences either commuted to imprisonment or deportation to Australia. The five who were hanged, John Dennis, Isaac Harley, Thomas South, William Beamiss and George Crow were buried in Ely. A tablet was installed on the side of Littleport Parish Church naming the men and bearing the inscription ‘May their awful fate be a warning to others’.

Debbie said that when making the film they had interviewed descendants of the rioters, many of whom still live in the Littleport area and were surprised to find that to this day feelings still run very high about the circumstances and outcome of the riots. There is still the belief that the rioters were ‘martyrs and made an example of’. You can obtain your own copy of the 30 minute DVD from the Field Theatre Group by contacting them at ‘thefieldtheatregroup@hotmail.co.uk.’

Keith Alderton & John Hodgson

Ouse News Page 12 The ‘Lady Teal’ – hotel boat On 26th October the branch was joined

by Gina and Nick Mead who gave us an insight into the design, building and operational experiences they had in bringing the Lady Teal into operation.

They first gave an oversight into early canals – very early canals! The first canals are thought to be Egyptian dating back to 2300 – 2200 BC. The first being about 100km long, wide beam and costing the lives of 200 000 people in the construction - clearly the Egyptians were not the first to introduce a Health and Safety Executive! The Chinese were up to canal building too on their Grand Canal about 400 – 600 BC which is still in use today although it has been updated a number of times. Their problems were the same as contemporary challenges with leaks etc when canalising rivers, giving rise to flooding constraints, so building purpose built canals is and was considered generally to be the best solution. Ireland built the first Government sponsored canal and Acts of Parliament there and in the UK became the usual method of planning. Amongst the foremost in the UK in this category are the Bridgewater Canal (1761) and the Manchester Ship Canal (1894), which is still in regular use.

Of course the early canals in the UK were for commercial use which started their terminal decline with the coming of the railways. Since then leisure use has predominated including private, hire and some hotel boats, such as the Lady Teal, founded in 2010 inspired by a boating holiday on the Kennet and Avon (K & A) canal. She operates on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal principally because it is quieter than the southern canals without the moorings difficulties. She is 60 feet long boasting a 13 feet beam. Equipped with 4 full size bathrooms, 5 televisions sets, dishwasher etc. The main engine is situated at the stern on one side and a mains generator on the other. She can accommodate 5 passengers in 2 twin rooms and 1 single room. Catering is kept distinctly separate from guest areas which works very well.

Ouse News Page 13 There was difficulty in finding a designer and builder for such a unique vessel as, by definition, nobody had the kind of experience required for a vessel weighing 43 tons – craning such a huge vessel was abandoned as a possibility!

The logistics of getting people and particularly supplies at the right place and right time was an interesting concept as trips are contiguous, but once the system was designed it works well with supermarkets and other suppliers willing to meet the boat at arranged locations with the necessary supplies.

This also means that the schedule has to be strictly adhered to as people are waiting to board for their holiday at the stated time and location so a hold up puts on pressure to have time made up!

Gina and Nick have met some tremendous people during their trips with some amazing stories to tell them and they enjoy a high proportion of repeat bookings, so are clearly getting it right during their season which runs from April to September.

John Hodgson

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Book Review

by David Mercer and introduced by Stephen Foote

‘Ouse’s Silent Tide’ by Rev. C. F. Farrar The Autumn 2017 issue of Ouse News carried a letter from David Mercer in which he answered some of the questions surrounding a book called The Ouse by Rev A. J. Foster which we had reviewed earlier.

David has drawn our attention to another book in similar vein – Ouse’s Silent Tide by Rev. C. F. Farrar, published in 1921. The author describes a canoe journey down the entire length of the river from its source (which he claimed was near Farthinghoe, north-west of Brackley) to the outfall at Lynn. I remember borrowing a copy from the St Ives public library many years ago. Written in the slightly curious language of the time, I always recalled the author’s pithy description of the Old West River. ‘It is a dreary little ditch’, he wrote, ‘weed-clogged and sluggish…..where it always seems to be autumn’. Some things don’t change then!

Ouse’s Silent Tide was also used as the guide for The River Great Ouse and the River Cam from Brackley to Kings Lynn – A Pictorial History; a delightful essay in words and old photographs by Josephine Jeremiah, published in 2006 (also reviewed in Ouse News a few years ago).

Ouse’s Silent Tide is no longer in print but David Mercer has an original copy (the lucky chap) and has sent us this amusing extract from it: ‘The lock of St. Ives, which is now-a-days the first really workable lock we have encountered since Bedford, recalls an incident of what I suppose must be regarded as youthful turpitude, though there are usually features in boyish iniquity of bonhomous lightheartedness which tend to alleviate the guilt.

We who perpetrated it, some five-and-forty years ago, are now elderly reputable people, and, of course, we have long mended our ways.

Ouse News Page 15 ‘It fell out on this wise. We started one summer holiday for a joyous river trip from Bedford to the Fens, equipped with a tent, a kettle and frying pan, a hunk of boiled pork, a Dutch cheese, and a light purse, as was the manner of boys in those days, when pocket money was on a less lavish scale. Now the navigation of the Ouse had recently passed through a period of inanition to final death, and locks might open or might not, lock-keepers might attend or might have been withdrawn. At Bedford a lock-keeper still continued an anaemic official existence, and demanded of us the prodigious sum of seventeen shillings as a pass through all locks to St. Ives. Says Shakespeare, “Base is the slave who pays.” Our financial position would have been ruined by such extortion. We explained that we had no intention of paying for problematic locks, and if he did not let us through free, well-we should wait until he went to his breakfast, his dinner, or his bed, and then pull over. He was uncertain of his own official powers, but at least he was certain we should have to pay lower down the river, and finally he dismissed us as “tarnation young varmints.”

‘All went well on the voyage until we reached the lock of St. Ives. There, as long ago at Huntingdon, there dwelt in charge of the lock a “ mynion of the time,” also called Grey. The way was definitely barred, no guile or care would here avail against “ the power of Grey.” The said Grey admitted us to the lock, closed its gates and lowered us down, our hearts sinking with our boat, and demanded our credentials. “ We had no lock tickuts? “ Then we could turn up seventeen “ shilluns” and “ be quick about it.” The “ shilluns” being not turned up, after many threats and oaths that we could stay there until we did pay, he departed, and left us prisoners in the lock, for there was no scaling its dripping walls, and even if so, our boat was there. I remember—it was hot and stuffy down there, and we became a prey to despair.

After an hour or so our gaoler returned, and long and angry parley again ensued. We were adjectival varmints, tikes, and thieves, in the opinion of Mr. Grey.

Ouse News Page 16 ‘Finally, no “ shilluns” appearing, he adopted an attitude of compromise, for he could not keep us prisoners indefinitely. We must return his way in some three days to get back to Bedford. “ Well, then, we was to write to our pa or our ma, and explain our dreadful position, that unless that seventeen shilluns was sent to us by postal order, addressed care of Mr. Grey, St. Ives Lock, Hunts., arriving in the next three days, then it was prison for us varmints at the least.” These were his final terms, and because our position was hopeless, immured in those dripping lock walls, we accepted. Our ma and our pa must be informed by letter. He released us, and we went our way rejoicing, and soon forgot all our troubles amid the joys of camping out in the Fens, and the distressful letter remained unwritten.

‘Four days later we arrived on our return voyage within distant view of St. Ives Lock, and anxious thoughts returned. We held a council of war upon the bank. Clive, in his council of war before the Battle of Plasse could scarce have held more anxious debate than we. Eventually a scheme of attack and strategy was agreed upon. Who the originator of the plan was I know not, though, of course, my fellow-conspirators to this day lay it at my door. We proceeded to prepare the “ mis en scene.” My face was chalked to a ghastly pallor, for a school boy’s pocket always contains pilfered chalk, my head was enveloped in a wet towel bandage, on which I believe a little blood was dramatically smeared, and I was laid at the bottom of the boat, evidently in an alarming state of debility,- and collapse. In weary and depressed fashion my mates rowed the boat to the foot of the lock, where Mr. Grey’s “ morning face “ presaged storm. The “ mynion” informed us that “there warnt no letter from our pa and ma, and that he had sent for the poliss, who was a coming quick.”

‘And then parley began. “ Some dread-ful complaint had overtaken their companion, sunstroke or burst blood vessel, they knew not what. Meantime his condition was alarming—and he was silly in his head,” which seemed confirmed by loud groans from the suffering one prostrate in the boat.

Ouse News Page 17 ‘Under these painful circumstances it was impossible to continue our voyage to Bedford, we and the boat must be put upon the train en route for Bedford. Did Mr. Grey know anybody who could cart it to the station?

‘As our calculations anticipated, Mr. Grey did know someone, provided he was paid ten “ shilluns” for the job, he himself having a hand “ kyart.” This, too, we had reckoned upon, and we knew further that the loading of the same “ kyart “ must be at the yard above the lock.

‘All was agreed, and the truculent one, mollified by the prospect of a profitable job, served us through the lock. Slowly the upper gates opened, and my companions edged gently through until the boat was clear. Then, hey presto! - the sick man sat suddenly up, and with wild cries exhorted his brethren of the oar to give way for dear life, and so they did. The “ mynion” stood for a moment open mouthed, then realising he had been “ had,” ran across the lock gate, and pursued us along the bank with volleys of abuse, stones, and clods of earth. But the river was wide, the oarsmen on their mettle, and dodging his bombardment we put up a return barrage of derisive taunts, that he must be sure to be up to time at the station with the “kyart,” or there would be no ten “ shilluns,” that our pa and ma would be sure to call and thank him for his great kindness to their poor boys, and such aggravating remarks as only schoolboys can invent. At last some barrier barred Mr. Grey’s further pursuit upon the bank, and we easied up to give play to further gibes, to kiss our hands to him, and finally we rowed away, leaving him breathless and gibbering. And so with extra precautions against further lock “ traps,” we reached Bedford without payment of any of the seventeen “ shilluns,” a sum which, I presume, we never possessed between us at the start.

‘Of course, it was most audacious and reprehensible conduct, for which I offer no defence. Still, after all these years, I confess it fails to lie heavily upon my conscience, which I suppose has grown pachydermatous when it is concerned with “ mynions of the time,” sojourning upon the banks of the Ouse.’

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The Little Ouse River Representatives from the branch attended a presentation of the outcome of ‘The Little Ouse River Thetford to Brandon Waterspace Study’ in Thetford on the 1st February. Members may recall that Thetford Town Council resurrected an initiative to restore navigation between Thetford and Brandon a couple of years ago and have since been working with interested partner organisations to progress the concept through a number of stages. The first stage was to carry out a ‘scoping survey’ to define the concept. Funding was then obtained to commission a full scale ‘waterspace study’ by experienced consultants.

Ouse News Page 19 The study looked at the whole catchment area of the River Little Ouse and River Thet including the riverside core in Thetford, the historic environment, improved access to the river corridor, habitat rehabilitation, wider connections to the surrounding area and lastly the eventual restoration of the The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP navigation. with Keith Alderton

Presentations were given by the study author, British Trust for Ornithology, The Little Ouse and Thet Partnership (Anglian Water), the Market Town Initiative (Breckland District Council), the Rt.Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Thetford Town Council, the Little Ouse Headwater Project and the Becks Fen Edge Landscape Partnership Scheme.

It was made clear that Thetford Town Council are very keen to improve the dreary townscape surrounding the river and provide green access for all, not only in the town, but also from the surrounding countryside. It is likely that initial action will be focussed on improving footpaths and cycleways and enhancing the natural habitat.

The restoration of the navigation will first be limited to improving the river to encourage watersports such as kayaking, paddle boarding and wild swimming. Regrettably, any substantive action to restore the navigation for power boats is going to be a long way off and is not being seriously discussed as this stage.

There was undoubtedly a lot of enthusiasm amongst the delegates for the overall vision for the river corridor, although the restoration of the navigation did receive a few adverse comments from the fish and fowl brigade.

Ouse News Page 20 One fish enthusiast stated that ‘if we were going to deepen the river and remove the spawning grounds we might as well concrete the whole river bed and drive cars up it’. However, I think that such comments were based on ignorance and a lack of detail as to what an eventual full restoration would involve. The Environment Agency did not provide a speaker and we were therefore unable to quiz them about their intention to ‘re-wild’ the river. The report states that the EA are intending to achieve this by pushing material from the forest and felled trees into the river in areas earmarked for restoration. This will undoubtedly cause a major conflict in due course!

However, despite the comments above, it was generally a very interesting and constructive day and we look forward to the next stage of the exercise which will be to produce a comprehensive action plan. You can see the full report on the town council’s website i.e. www.thetfordtowncouncil.gov.uk.

If you scroll down to ‘documents’, you will find ‘waterspace study’ at the bottom of the list.

Keith Alderton River News from the Environment Agency Waterways Operations Team Leader (Gt. Ouse and Stour Navigations) Enforcement: 2017/18 We have processed 500 enforcement tickets up to 31 December 2017, which equates to £231,968 of potentially ‘lost’ income. (These figures include non-registration offences, non-display/abandoned notices and overstaying on 48-hour visitor moorings).

So far we have recovered £108,146.4 (47%) of this ‘lost’ income through our enforcement process. Over the next 3 months we will be working hard to progress as many case files to court as possible.

Ouse News Page 21 2017/18 Great Ouse Winter Works The works programme this winter has been comparatively light for the River Great Ouse compared to previous years, but the works programme for the rest of 2017/18 and the programme moving forward through up to 2020 is available if required.

At the time of going to press, de-shoaling works are due to have commenced on the Old West River at Twenty Pence, which has been outstanding for the last couple of seasons; so it will be very welcomed work and nice to have the area addressed so that boats won’t get caught out whilst transiting between the Bedford and Ely Ouse Rivers.

Work is also about to commence on replacing the lock door sweep arms at Eaton Socon Lock near St Neots. The current timber arms will be replaced, which will provide a new lease of life to the doors and ensure they are fit to operate into the future. Once refitted the doors will be re-balanced and checked so they are as easy to push and pull as possible, making the lock pleasurable to use. In a future edition we’ll look to provide some photos of the work underway and of the finished result.

It is also worth noting that the Denver Lock tidal side landing stage is being investigated with a view to a replacement being installed and we will also be re-visiting the tidal river to de-silt Salters Lode tidal entrance, the Old Bedford and Denver before the season and we have already undertaken some emergency de-silting works at Salters Lode to allow boats to pass.

The final visitor mooring on the Relief Channel at Downham Market is also on the cards to be replaced following the recent replacements of the Relief Channel Lock landing stage and the visitor moorings at Wignenhall and Stowbridge. This will mean all of the landing stages and visitor moorings on the Relief Channel have been replaced within the last couple of seasons enabling boaters to continue to enjoy the little explored Relief Channel for many more years to come. The removed units are to be re-furbished and the intention is to turn these into commercial rented moorings at Denver on the East Bank to generate more income for the waterways.

Ouse News Page 22 So what has become of all that Floating Pennywort?

Wintertime Floating Pennywort Clearance on the River Great Ouse on Anglian Waterways During November and December 2017 the Anglian Waterways Team, working with Area Field Operations Teams, Fisheries Biodiversity and Geomorphology and Environment Management colleagues responded to a Floating Pennywort navigation incident on the River Cam where navigation became obstructed by this highly invasive species .

As a result waterways funded some emergency mechanical removal work utilising Conver weed cutting and Berky weed harvesting boats. Whilst this work was not ever going to completely eradicate this NNIS (non-native invasive species) it did mechanically remove the large rafts that were blocking navigation and removed many hundreds of tonnes from approaching a 50km reach of the Rivers Cam, Ely Ouse, Old West River and Lark tributaries. Whilst further follow up work is being planned and longer term strategies developed this work and sustained effort did clear the navigation and allow river traffic to flow freely once again.

Whilst removal work was underway, and during the escalation of the event to incident level, there was a good degree of media interest and local coverage including local ITV and BBC as well as the majority of the local press.

Now that the colder winter weather has struck, the Pennywort growth rate has reduced and some dieback has been achieved, but there is still a sizeable bank of this invasive species that could affect the navigation again this coming season on both the Ely and Bedford Ouse Rivers.

Although work is underway, just at present contractors are going back in on the Bedford Ouse to carryout follow up Pennywort removal and a spraying regime is due to take place in the springtime. There are some simple biosecurity measures that boat owners can take to minimise the spread and reduce the risks of boats acting as mechanism by which to transport aquatic invasive plants around the system:

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Ouse News Page 24 • Whilst underway reverse your props periodically to throw off any weed caught up; this is especially important prior to reaching quarantine areas, between St Ives and Earith and the tidal river crossing between Denver and Salters Lode for example.

• Carry out a visual inspection of your vessel regularly and whilst underway on voyages, pay particular attention to areas where aquatic plants may get caught up such as on fenders or transoms for example.

• If fitted, check your vessel’s weed strainers and filters and clear them regularly.

• If on a narrowboat also regularly check your vessel’s weed hatch when safe to do so. On smaller craft fitted with outboards, if a tilt function is built in, lift your engines out periodically to check for any aquatic weed species.

Follow the ‘Check Clean Dry’ principle with all on board equipment, clothing and personal safety wear, and search ‘Check Clean Dry’ online for more information.

If you do find weeds present, please remove as much as you safely can and when it is safe to do so please leave the weeds at the water body where they originated from. Where possible please deposit them on the river bank as far away from the water as you can physically place it.

Should you suspect that invasive or non-native species are present, please report these via the various mobile phone apps that are available, via the Environment Agency Incident Hotline: 0800 80 70 60 or via e-mail with a phot o and as accur at e a l ocat i on as possi bl e t o: anglianinvasive@environment-agency.gov.uk Your efforts to reduce the spread and the risks posed by invasive and non-native species will help to protect your river and waterway.

Paul Separovic

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Nearest Post Code for North Lodge Pavilion CB24 6UD

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Bridge Boatyard Bridge Road Ely, Cambs CB7 4DY

email info@bridgeboatyard.com Website www.bridgeboatyard.com Telephone 01353 663726

Moorings in marina and on riverside in historic Ely. Close to rail station.

Repairs and servicing Engineering and glassfibre workshops Slipway Suppliers of diesel, gas and coal Authorised Nanni dealership Gas safe engineer

Ouse News Page 27 IWA Great Ouse Branch Spring Visit RSPB, Lakenheath Fen Join us on Saturday, 28th April for a talk and guided tour of RSPB Lakenheath Fen. The visit will start at 11.00 am, when members can purchase a cup of coffee on arrival. This will be followed by a short talk by David White, Visitor Experience Officer. After a buffet lunch, David will take members on a 2 hour (approx) walk round the Reserve. A viewing point/hide is available for members not wishing to walk and this can be reached by vehicle.

More details about RSPB Lakenheath, including how to get there, can be f ound on thei r w ebsi te rspb.org.uk

The cost of the visit, together with lunch, is £15.00 per person inclusive. Please complete the form below and send it, together with a cheque made out to IWA Great Ouse Branch, to: Carole Alderton, Holly Cottage, 57 Globe Street, Methwold, Thetford, IP26 4PQ by Friday, 30th March. If you have any questions or need any more information, please contact Keith or Carole Alderton on 01366 727236.

----------------------------------------------------------------------Please reserve ........ places on the RSPB visit on 28th April I enclose a cheque for £ .......................

Name ..................................................

Tel No ................................................. e-mail .................................................

Date ....................................................

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The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England No 612245.

Registered as a charity No 212342. Registered Office: Island House, Moor Rd, Chesham, HP5 1WA. Phone No 01494 783453.