Planning for my Ouse Cruise

With Christmas Day almost finished and absolutely nothing on the tv, I thought I would mention my visit to the boat yesterday.

I was partly interested to make sure everything was still OK following the high winds on Monday and I found everything as it should be. The remaining barge pole was still on the roof, wedged under the handgrip, alongside the gang-plank.

Everything inside was fine too so I started the engine and gave it a couple of hours running to boost the batteries. While I did this I checked the exterior and found the bow fender was resting on the jetty. I hadn't noticed this before. Looking at the watermark on the jetty, I could see the river had been about 6" higher than usual which, with a bit of slack on the mooring ropes (and no spring), Skylark had risen up to rest her nose on the jetty.

I carefully put her into reverse and she slid off the woodwork and came to rest where she should be. I then adjusted the ropes again and tied a spring back to a mooring post on the pontoon. This should stop it happening again. It reminded me of last winter when I found Skylark's nose right up on the bank.

At the Little Ouse Moorings, I was told the opposite; when there is a high flow, EA open the main Denver Sluice to drain the system, and it first takes water out of the tributaries nearest to the sluice. The problem may, therefore, be a sharp lowering of the water level without any warning. I'm told some boats upstream of the main  fuel jetty can be beached as a result. Where I'm going, further down the moorings, this should not be too much of a problem but I will need to be aware of it.

I'm now making initial steps to plan my cruise; getting my documentation together, registering with the EA for their Strong Stream Advice, checking my insurance is still valid, noting essential telephone numbers, thinking through my cold-weather packing list and so on.

I have a general plan to travel up the Great Ouse to Bedford first, weather and lock maintenance works permitting, and take in the three Cambridge Lodes again, before heading north to take in the rivers Lark, Little Ouse and Wissey, and the main Relief Channel that passes Downham Market and heads towards Kings Lynn. I may even have a go at the tidal section of the Ouse to Kings Lynn and test out the recently refurbished jetty - the reports are all good. This will need a bit more detailed planning and call to the KL Harbour Master.

I left Skylark at about 2.00pm, having carried out all my usual 'light-touch' winterising. I popped into the Malting's Antique Centre on the way home but nothing tempted me to part with any cash.