A nice gesture

 Feb 9th

You learn something every day! Walking to the water point, container and trolley dragging behind us, we met up with a fellow boater who had arrived only two days ago. His destination was Chapel Farm marina, where he had secured a berth for the foreseeable future. This marina is just beyond the floodgates, so imagine his despair when he realised the floodgates were closed, and he was stuck on the wrong side. His dilemma was having to leave the boat for 5 weeks due to family commitments so he was pretty peeved, when walking to said floodgates, to see no noticeable difference in water levels, even though the river level had risen to 3.10m. Phoning CRT was a waste of time, they were powerless to open those gates because it was more than their job's worth and after all, it was the environment agency who closed them in the first place so nothing to do with CRT. Anyway, we chatted on as one does, and noticing our water container mentioned that the New Inn Pub had a water tap outside and was more than happy for boats stuck because of the river levels to fill their container from the tap. We did no more, after saying fair well, then go directly to the pub to ask if the use of their tap was correct. They were very happy for us to use our hose, and with the small sailing dingy having moved from the mooring right by the pub, we pulled forward hoping the hose would reach. It did, just! Only one small problem, the hose had to go across the road. Now this road is quiet, only the pub and the few houses along it had cars going along the lane but today, all and sundry decided to use it! So the hose was constantly being driven over, and I was beginning to wonder if it would survive. But survive it did and we once more have a full water tank, another problem solved. The other alternative if the pub owner had said no would be having to reverse FS around a bend, the length of the visitor moorings and then manoeuvre through the bridge, this was something I would not have looked forward too.

Feb 11th and day 26

Another trip to Trent Lock to empty the cassettes. The river had risen to its highest at 3.11m on the 9th and although it is now dropping (2.66m) the land around the River Trent at Trent Lock was still flooded. The river and lock levels were at the same height, goodness knows what it looked like when the river reached 3.11m! Should have made the effort to go and see!

Car Park

All the steps are now underwater.

Plenty of rubbish built up by the lock

 Visitors arrive tomorrow. Chris and Sue with gorgeous Cockapoo Tia. Nice to have something other than watching TV to look forward too, although the Winter Olympics has kept me clued to the box. Shame some of our GB competitors have only managed fourth place so far, but it's early days and I have high hopes of Britain getting a medal soon.