Will we? Wont we?

So here is the situation. On Saturday we hope to travel to our bungalow at Sandiacre and put back on board all the stuff we removed whilst non cruising:- spare rope, plank, pole, cruising chimney, omni aerial, etc, etc in readiness for our departure to Milton Keynes next Tuesday. Several things are scuppering our chances at the moment. First is the ice. Up to yesterday we were surrounded by just a thin layer of ice but last night the temperature dropped to -9.2. Consequently when Ian got up to take Jade for her early walk this morning, the horrible ominous sound of cracking ice greeted us. Now, I know the weather forecast is for warmer times ahead starting with Friday ( torrential rain and gale force winds and + 10 deg temperatures ) but I just cant imagine the canal free of ice by Saturday. So one may say 'why not go on the Sunday'. Unfortunately no can do because we have family commitments which can't be reallocated. The only day left before we call the whole cruise off, is the Monday morning before Ian's chemo session mid afternoon. It would mean leaving at first light with Ian driving the car and lock wheeling, while I took the boat. If all the locks were with us, we could be at Sandiacre for around 1ish. I would then load up the boat, do the last bit of shopping while Ian went off on his own to the hospital. We still have another worry in the equation . If the torrential rains do arrive on Friday, then what will the river Trent be like on Tuesday? With the land saturated from the last floods it wont take much for the red boards to show! All in all it's not looking good at the moment, and as my written title shows, will we get away or wont we?

Ice at least 1/2" thick this morning.

I thought I would post a few photos of the disused Nottingham canal. Its strange to think that we are actually moored on the only navigable bit of it.  The basin through the lift bridge being the terminus. Then once off the Erewash and up through  Langley Bridge lock, the Cromford canal starts but within a 1/4 mile ends at Langley Mill boat co  moorings and dock. The Cromford has already been restored in a few places and there is work afoot to continue on from Langley.



 

Ongoing restoration by the Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association on the Cromford

Disused Nottingham Canal