I am Linda and along with my husband Richard and our dog Oreo we enjoy our summers on the UK's canal system

Sunday 10 August 2014

Stanstead Abbotts (Stort Navigation / Lee Navigation) – Saturday 9th August

Oh boy did it rain last night and every now and again the wind would howl down the river and rock us like mad.  I was still reading and kept on reading until it all calmed down.  I don’t know if it did it again as I had taken a sleeping pill (I was determined to get some sleep).  However I was woken up at 7.15am by a boat going passed with a barking dog on it – I did go back to sleep though.
  
“The Flowing River” by Anthony Lysycia
“Short Stort Thoughts” by Graeme Mitcheson
I found the other two sculptures on the Rover Stort Sculpture Trail today.  At Harlow Lock was “The Flowing River” by Anthony Lysycia and at Burnt Mill Lock was “Short Stort Thoughts” by Graeme Mitcheson.  I only the last one by luck as I didn’t know which lock it was at and the three balls were hiding in the undergrowth where no one has kept the lock area clear.  It’s a great shame and if I was the sculptor I would be pretty p****d off.  I have taken a photo off the internet as my photo would just have been grass.

  


Essex Outdoors

















Just after Burnt Mill Lock is Essex Outdoors which looks a pretty amazing place.  It was very busy on our way up but looked pretty quiet today.
  
Bare roof
Broken tunnel light
We could see that the river level was up and when we got to Roydon Lock we asked the locals there if they thought we could get under the railway bridge.  They suggested that we take the plants off – which we did - but thought we should get under.  One chap did say that if they tow path under the bridge was flooded then we could have a problem.  Off we went with me steering, as we approached I thought we could get under but suddenly realised that we couldn’t and quickly reversed!  By this time the tunnel light was smashed :-(  Richard (I gave the tiller over to him!) reversed back round the corner to the lock landing and take the roof box and solar panels off the roof.  Off we went again with a bare roof and only just got under the bridge.  And yes, the towpath was flooded!!

  
Just made it!
Flooded footpath
It was then plain sailing down to Rye House Junction and up to Stanstead Abbotts where we got diesel and then moved across the river to moor up and return everything to the roof.  We will stay here tomorrow while Bertha is due to cross us.  I am glad we are off the Stort with the amount of rain that is being threatened – we could have been stuck there for ages!


We went to the Jolly Fisherman for a meal – well we are moored outside and it would have been rude not to!  It was an OK meal but I wouldn’t recommend it I’m afraid.


9.39 miles
9 locks

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