Dissapointment.

 Jan 19th

 High hopes this morning that we may be able to leave. This screenshot taken from my phone on the GOV.UK site. It states the level to be steady and in normal levels. Yippee, we might make it onto the Erewash Canal today after all.

 After breakfast, off we set by foot to see if the flood lock light was on. 

 Blast, red light displayed for both River Trent and the Soar, okay, so what would it be like at Derwent Mouth lock. We decided to veer off the towpath and take the path running alongside the field, less muddy and had a better surface to walk on. Didn't get too far though, blast again...well that was a waste of time. Turn around and walk back!

 Derwent Mouth lock, not a chain or padlock to be seen so did that mean the river was truly down. 

 

Our hopes were dashed when we walked to see the gauge below the lock. Clearly it was still very high!

Looks to be like any lock landing on the canal but on normal river levels there is quite a step-up and sometimes the ladders have to be used.

This taken in 2023 showing why the ladders would have to be used.

So disappointed and upset that the app on Gov.uk was wrong. Why say it's normal river levels when it clearly wasn't! 

We couldn't believe what we were seeing when starting the walk back to FS. A boat on the move heading for the lock. "You're not going onto the river?" I asked the lone gentleman boater. He said he was, and even though we mentioned the height of the river, he was undeterred. "Been here long enough" was his reply, "I'm not staying any longer." Even when we mentioned his insurance would be null and void and how would he get off his boat to operate the floodgate paddles at Sawley, he still said he was going. I do hope he makes it, especially as coming from the lock channel onto the river, he will have to cope with two rivers coming into one. The Derwent flow from the left and the Trent from the right. It's hairy at the best of times as power has to be put on to cross the currant, but today....with the rivers as high as they are....well he's either very brave or very stupid!

 

 Oh, and remember I mentioned that widebeam on Weston lock landing yesterday. Well, early evening (dark) it came past us and pulled onto the landing. "Bet they are still there in the morning" I said and sure enough, I was right. It's now 5pm and they are still there!