 |
| Queuing for the Staircase Locks. |
At Stourport-on-Severn we left the Staffs & Worcs Canal
via the 2 sets of staircase Locks (4 locks in total) onto the R. Severn. I have a lasting memory of these Locks from
2011 when I experienced Lock rage with another boater who was determined that
the staircase Lock from the River had been set for them. Now I could see what
had upset him but I was justified in knowing the Locks should have been ours
and he should have moored up in the middle pound and waited! Knowledge acquired
through experience. Now it’s 2016 and there were no boats coming off the River
so it was smooth locking for us going down. The boat behind was on our tail and
its crew of 2 youths were pumping the paddles. As DB left the bottom Lock and I
was closing the gates they had already started emptying the Lock above into the
Lock I had just vacated. This meant the draw of the water shut the second gate
with force. It almost sent me flying onto DB and a deluge of unfriendly words
escaped through my lips.
 |
| R. Severn |
Phew, we began to cruise the R. Severn and expected Worcester would be our destination for the
night. On arrival we read the Mooring charge was £4 for the night and we would
need to pay at the Car parking machine. Blow that, I couldn’t be bothered
locating the Car park so we continued to the Lock. The way you are made aware
that the Lock Keeper has noticed you is the Red Traffic Light flashes and when
the Lock is ready for your entrance the Traffic Light becomes Green. This is
the nonverbal communication used for the River Locks.
 |
| Worcester Cathedral |
We cruised 10 miles, down river, to Upton-upon-Severn hoping
we would get a mooring. As luck had it we moored beside ‘the steps’ and, later,
offered another Narrowboat to double berth for the night as there were no vacant
moorings. I think it is important to be considerate even though I was tired and
would have preferred not to be involved!
 |
| Floating Mooring looking towards Step Moorings. The 'dolphin' is not a chimney! Think how high the river can rise!! |
Next morning we moved to the floating pontoon
moorings, when a space became available, and stayed a second night in Upton.
There is a bit of boat traffic that cruises the river particularly known to we ‘steels’
as ‘tupperwares’ / ‘plastics’ of the large variety. We met a friendly couple
from Welsh Wales in their comfortable ‘plastic’ who were moored alongside the
steps when we had arrived. The steps have a variety of mooring rings and poles
but care needs to be taken climbing the challenging steps. Remember never to
moor there if the rain is falling heavy in Wales as the Severn River is affected
from this and is prone to flooding. The floating pontoon moorings are
interesting as the steep walkway leading to it is on wheels and adjusts to the
rise of the river. I’m not planning to be there when the river is in flood but
I’ll keep that info up my sleeve!
 |
| How high does the river get to level the pathway? |
Leaving Upton, I thought it would only be a couple of hours
to get close to Gloucester, I think it took more than 2 hours to get to
Tewkesbury. We cruised on past Tewkesbury, remembering that we had ‘done’ the
River Avon on Avalon Mist and we needed to get to Gloucester as Cptn had an
appointment looming in Birmingham and for ease of land travel as well as our
cruise plans Gloucester was the temporary destination. So keeping on the R.
Severn we came to Upper Lode Lock with the red traffic light showing.
We waited
and we waited and blasted our horn. The Lock keeper obviously hadn’t seen us
and was still blindly not seeing us. We should have had our handheld VHF Marine
Radio switched on and then we could have alerted him on Channel 74. I found the
telephone number for the Lock and made contact that way. Lockie apologised for
not seeing DB and immediately the Red traffic light signalled our presence with
continuous flashing. We were pleased to see the Lock gates open and a Narrowboat
exiting. The Green traffic light signalled us to enter and I was surprised to
see the size of the Lock.
 |
| Yachts on the river |
Moving along the Severn I noticed, in the distance, a small yacht
that increased in number to 9 yachts. This is a river, not the width of an
estuary, and I was surprised to see sailing taking place. As we passed I called
out “Americas Cup trials?” A windswept smile acknowledged my comment!
Cptn contacted the Gloucester Lock while I was on Helm duty
and the green Traffic Light was showing as the Lock came into view. We went
straight in but had to wait for a giant Tupperware! Gloucester Lock is deep and
it seemed to take ages to rise to the level of the Gloucester Basin, the end of
the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, lined by the renovated Gloucester Docks.
 |
| Gloucester Lock |
A few angled Pontoon moorings were available and Cptn
skilfully reversed into one of the moorings while DB was being blown by the
wind. I threw a rope to a helpful moorer who understood the wind was not our
friend!
 |
| We moved from angled mooring to linear |
Wait there’s more but I've got to write it first!
 |
| The Severn estuary in -Waiting! |
No comments:
Post a Comment