No end in sight.

Yea.....We have left Sandiacre! Ian found this app on the website, an absolute must-have for anyone travelling the UK rivers. It shows the river conditions in real time and because the river levels looked to be dropping we decided we may as well head down to Trent lock and assess the situation on arrival.

Farewell once more.

Dockholme lock

And arriving at Long Eaton Lock......Now, why am I not surprised that  C&RT still haven't repaired the lock landing. I mentioned the damage back in 2017 and also when we returned November last year.  Will it ever be done I ask myself?

Only one balloon fender remaining.

 Then almost at the stop lock....Gosh were we surprised to see a boat coming towards us. Nothing unusual about that, you might say, but with raised river levels on red? Hmmm....maybe the river levels had dropped considerably more than the website had shown. But on passing the boater he dashed our hopes by saying he had taken a chance and risked the red boards early this morning to get to the Erewash. Foolhardy is the word I would use especially as a boater moored at Trent Lock (also waiting to go down onto the River Soar) told us this boater happened to mention that he only bought the boat 2 weeks ago on his arrival from Australia.

Approaching Long Eaton Flood Gates. The Aussie boater heading towards us.

With Ratcliff power station coming into view, we only had a short cruise left to Trent Lock. A plane heading for East Midlands airport happened to be skirting over the top of one of the towers.

One space left, not ideal as on a bend and the front bollard in the wrong place for FS's length. We made do with stern and middle rope only.

The first thing to do once we had secured FS was walk to the River. Sure enough, the marker was still in the red. Not as high as it had been judging by the watermark but still high enough to cause problems to boaters trying to get under the bridge. And then there would be the added problem of trying to pick up one's crew. Coming off the river toward Trent Lock are stepped landings. Both sides have rings, one set on the Starboard side (leaving Trent Lock) and situated on the second step. The Portside steps have them on the lower step. When the levels come up these are submerged and not seen. And the problem with using both sides with raised water levels? The hull of the boat would be a good foot from any dry land as it made contact with the lower steps. Anyone for a paddle then???

The higher the water levels the smaller the bridge 'ole.

You can just see where the level had been.

No rings shown as they are on the lower step.

Rings on the second step. Arrows show where the submerged step is.

At 2 pm we walked back to the River Trent to see if there had been any change. Unfortunately not, even though the water levels on the River Soar at Kegworth were diminishing we still couldn't get to leave.
Weather forecast for tomorrow doesn't look promising. More rain and winds of 40mph. Blast the River Trent, if it wasn't for that we could have been on our way!

And seen on route,

Another nesting Swan and in a much better position to raise it's young.  On the offside bank.

Oh and seen on Wednesday, a lone Wasp. Another confused critter maybe?