Scholar Gypsy
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Posts posted by Scholar Gypsy
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I think you have two options:
* buy a normal CRT licence for 6 months, get a refund, and then visitor licences for the Nene (I think you can buy in person at Northampton marina, 7 days is ample) and the Middle level (2 daily passes will be enough)
* buy a gold licence and an Anglian pass, and then claim a refund once you arrive. You may be able now to get a gold for less than 12 months.
Once you are on Cam Conservancy waters, then if you want to visit the Great Ouse system (ie north of Bottisham lock) you'll need an AP.
This may be of more general use: https://goba.org.uk/a-guide-for-visitors-to-the-east/ to dig out the daily rate and do the sums.
The MLC will check your licence at Stanground (Peterborough).
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St Pancras Cruising Club are organising another of their regular Thames tideway trips on the weekend of 5-7 June 2026 (starting with a briefing session at Limehouse on the Friday evening). As well as the core voyage from Limehouse to Teddington, the optional extras will include a voyage through the Thames barrier, and an early Sunday morning downstream transit from Teddington or Brentford to Limehouse.
We particularly welcome those who have not yet done a trip on the tideway. If you want to join as crew/passengers, then this may also be possible.
To register your interest please email tideway@stpancrascc.co.uk as soon as possible, and we will send you further details. Applications close at the end of February.
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5 hours ago, Mike Todd said:
I am not sure if that is obvious: there are projects on some rivers where occasional serious flooding arises from excess water upstream not being withheld (as a result of riverbed straightening). The schemes seem to re-instate the earlier bends and obstacles to retain much more water, esp on moorlands, where it slowly releases it and allows downstream flood defences to cope. One such scheme was highlighted on, I think, BBC Breakfast this morning - or was it yesterday?)(!)
Yes, I agree it's not a hugely convincing line, they are really joint assets that deliver both navigation and flood control benefits. In that sentence I was talking about summer (low flow) conditions. There is an even more bizarre standoff at Brandon on the Little Ouse (recent FBW event), where the flood defence team used the lock (reversed) to discharge flood water, filled the lock up with silt, and then the navigation team is expected to pay to remove the silt to make the river navigable again!
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11 hours ago, magnetman said:
Boards at Thames locks are fixed to the the number of feet of weir gate which had been opened. Each weir gate has a measurement adjacent to it. Obviously in summer there are generally no large flows so most weirs will usually be cresting with any extra water going over the top. This is to impound water for navigation. That is why weirs exist on the Thames. It's nothing to do with flooding it's just a way to make reaches navigable. A commonly misunderstood principle. If you want a boating lake (yes please!)
Once the tackle is pulled out ie gates lifted rather than lowered this is what dictates the board status at that particular lock.
Total number of feet of tackle pulled out v weir safety assessment on the approach to the head of the lock traveling downstream.
That is where the hazard is. Time available to handle an emergency before getting into the weir and ending up in a compromised position.
The red board system on the Thames is quite conservative to prioritise safety as it was developed in an age where a lot more people with low level of understanding were using the River.
That is why rowing clubs come into conflict with EA issued advice.
Thanks. There is an interesting debate going on in the Fens where the EA are classifying most weirs and sluices as navigation structures rather than land drainage structures. This affects which budget picks up the bill for repairs. In a sense that classification is sensible (if a weir failed in summer it would not create a significant flood risk downstream). But if an automatic sluice fails to open properly (eg St Ives, Brownshill, to name but two) then that could cause flooding upstream in times of high flow. The algorithm for the strong stream alerts on the Nene and Great Ouse is rather more opaque than the one you describe above! -
3 hours ago, magnetman said:
You missed Reading and Walton.
And Taplow MWEFAS Jubilee river.
This page is good as it does Maidenhead and Taplow to show a total through Cliveden deep.
https://chalfontparkcc.org.uk/flow/
Nice page well laid out and simple. The flow data is from the EA feed.
Note: orange boards do not exist on the Thames so the colour shown does not refer to the boards.
Other useful sites
Floodmapper.co.uk
Thames. Me.uk
Handy display of board colours here
https://www.thames.me.uk/s00440.htm
And here
https://www.sheridanmarine.com/boating/river-thames/conditions
Something happened at the EA around data safety so there are fewer people authorised to update the. Gov website which is resulting in delayed and unreliable reporting of board status.
The board colours are not triggered by floor or levels there directly they are twisted to the smooth of feet of weir gates are open. Downstream approaches to locks have been assessed for hazard which is why Marlow-Temple and Chertsey-Penton are the last two to go off red boards. This is due to weir position.
Thank you. I am still trying to work out what predictive text has done here: "they are twisted to the smooth of feet of weir gates are open"-
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I use gaugemap a lot, in particular the flow gauges which I find more useful on Fenland waterways and on the Thames.
Many of the level gauges are sited just above weirs, and so really just tell you if the weir & automatic sluice (which is designed to hold the water level constant) is operating correctly. Level gauges that are just below a lock are more useful, as if they are above "normal" then that tells you if there is a flow on, ie a difference in height between the top end of a reach and the head of the lock downriver. (this requires some sums to adjust the datums).
There are four flow gauges on the Thames:- Farmoor https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1001/1037
- Sutton Courtney https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1043/1094
- Maidenhead https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1132/1230
- Kingston https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1249/1382
Annoyingly a couple are not working at the moment.
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On 20/11/2025 at 14:24, pearley said:
I have read there is a group looking to rename it as the Cam.
Although whilst the Cam has all the characteristics of a river, the Ely Ouse looks like a wide drainage channel. Very few bends of any consequence except in Ely.
And even the route of the river through Ely is manmade - it was diverted to enable delivery of the stone to build the cathedral ...
Another vote for Tuckeys and Westview.
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18 hours ago, pearley said:
GOBA News hasn't been published for a year or more and it doesn't look hopeful that will be soon.
I read something from a Committee member recently: they hope to publish GOBA news before the end of 2025.
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I have my main tunnel light at the stern. That way it illuminates what you need to see - the position and direction of the boat relative to the walls - and not what you don't need to see (500 metres ahead). There is a low power light at the bows to avoid confusing oncoming boats.
And here it is in Blisworth (no flash used!). When another boat approaches I just turn it to the right.
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I tend to drain mine in the depths of winter. I have added a pump that is connected to both sides of the calorifier. (There is also a valve W that goes round the TMV in the hot circuit). Here's a schematic. The drain pump can also be connected to a pipe to pump out the cabin bilges, rarely used. There is no NRV on the inlet to the calorifier, one has to remember to open the hot tap in the galley to let air in. Most of the draining is done with C open, and B and D shut. There is also a "winter mode" which enables you to run the cold water system but not the hot. It takes five minutes to drain the calorifier and five mins to refill it when I arrive on the boat
And here is a picture of the drain pump, and valves C D E and F. I am sure you can work out which is which.
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To answer the question, hire boats are no longer allowed onto the tideway (downstream of Brentford). The way this has been achieved is through tougher construction standards for hired boats on the tideway, which are almost physically impossible to achieve with a narrowboat design. At the same time (more or less) Black Prince closed their hire base at Willowtree marina on the Paddington Arm, partly due to this and partly due to the perceived/real difficulty of mooring in Central London.
The change was made following an incident at Hammersmith bridge, where a boat went the wrong side of the Dove Pier buoy and got pinned against some rather large houseboats & had to be rescued by the RNLI.
There was a video about this on the RNLI website, but since they reorganised their website I have not been able to find it.I have once been asked by the Harbourmaster if the boat I was crewing on was a hire boat!
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18 hours ago, magpie patrick said:
That idea may have been borrowed off Ashline Lock on the Middle Level, certainly a shrouded spindle was used there in the early 80s
And to add - Ashline Lock was user operated at the time, but you had to buy the windlass!
Ashline is still user operated. However the shrouds have now all been removed so an ordinary windlass will do the job there (and at Marmont Priory, now also user operated).
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Here's a 2016 thread. I've had no problem since then
https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2016/11/05/blacking-and-no-more-singing/
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19 hours ago, SnippetySnip said:
Just a short report on a short trip that I made from Northampton to White Mills and back. The Northampton Arm is shut due to low water levels, so we decided to head East down the lovely River Nene instead. I went with an old mate, the last time we went boating together was on a canvas covered camping barge rented from Union Canal Carriers in Braunston some time in the mid-1990s!
Water levels on the river were good (I'm not really a local so I can't say if they are normal or not) but there was a good flow in most places, with water in the weirs and weiring over some of the locks. We encountered one or two areas of shoals or gravel banks I suppose. She's a deep drafted boat so these things are probably not a problem for most, but with a bit of careful navigation we got through. As I said, in most places there was lots of lovely (mostly clear) water. We experienced some weed, but it wasn't anything terrible, the one major trip down the weed hatch was to retrieve an item of black lacy ladies clothing that we picked up in the lock near a caravan park. We were lucky with the weather, managing to dodge the showers and even seeing the sun for a fair bit of the time.
Mooring at White Mills was easy and the marina was super friendly and helpful. All in all recommended.
It's a lovely stretch of River and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it as soon as I can. If you're thinking about venturing onto the Nene, I can say that this bit of it is very nice indeed. I guess that the stoppage on the Arm meant that it was quieter than usual, but it was really very quiet and I hope more people make use of this lovely waterway.
As a post-script: I took a bike ride up the Arm and there seemed to be a lot of water in all the pounds including the Rothersthorpe flight, flowing strongly in the bywashes in many places, I guess that may be a temporary thing due to recent rain, or maybe CRT are just keeping it topped up to protect the lock gates.
Nice to see this. I have to say that the river gets even better further downstream, pretty much all the way to Peterborough. Good moorings for shopping in Wellingborough, though I try to avoid stopping overnight due to a very noisy flour mill (which used to be served by narrowboats).
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On 24/08/2025 at 11:12, mrsmelly said:
A few years ago.............mid nineties I bought a narrowboat that had been on the Nene with a sea toilet, legal or not? I cannot remember what I did but I removed it myself whilst in the water, as others have said there is more than one type iirc mine was a Blakes? but absolutely unsure now, I cannot tell you what I just had for breakfast 🤣 So have a look and suss it out you may be lucky.
I can confirm that sea toilets are still allowed on the Nene, Great Ouse and tributaries. Those rivers are covered by different EA Bylaws to the non-tidal Thames and the Medway, which others have commented on. I don't think there are many still around.
The signs on the GOBA moorings, especially those at the end of the navigation (Wicken, Reach etc) now tell you discharge of sea toilets is not allowed at that location.....-
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1 hour ago, David Mack said:
You can only go up the Backs in a powered boat during the winter months, but can (could) you go through Jesus Lock all year round as long as you didn't go too much further?
The current signage implies that you can go about 2 metres above Jesus Lock, in the summer months.... In practice the lock is only used in the summer months by the 2 or 3 boats that have moorings above the lock .... -
There is no extra fee to travel above Jesus Green lock. It is covered by the general licence arrangements for the Cam - the best option is an Anglian Pass which covers licence holders on the Middle Level, EA Anglian Waterways and the Cam Conservancy waters to use the other two for a small annual fee.
Sadly neither Jesus Green nor Baistbite lock are navigable at present, but we are working on it.
There are a few boats with permanent moorings just above the lock. They don't move very much (and not at all at present). -
3 hours ago, magnetman said:
That is much more similar to what I drew earlier on as an estimate except that you did not go as close to the side where what @GUMPY calls the training wall is. I have always been very close to it when turning into the entrance.
one of the issues with a full ferry glide across the channel is other traffic.
I still call them Thames Clippers.
I keep a good distance away from the pier. The yellow track here shows an arrival from upriver, turning to face upstream. and then drifting backwards to the Grapes to let half a dozen other boats lock in ahead of me, and then entering the lock. (The other tracks show a departure for the Barrier (red), travelling past on the way up to Brentford (white), and then departing again for Teddington (black)! All part of the SPCC cruises this June).
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4 hours ago, magnetman said:
Oh right it just looked like it from your GPS track.
Edited as I failed to grasp it's a GPS track which includes the sideways slide. I was thinking of it as a track over water when of course it is over ground.I have used a track more like this where the Boat ends up directly in line with the flow at the tail of the lock entrance however this does put the vessel downstream of the entrance which is not ideal if there is a question about power.
This is drawing not a GPS track. In fact it might look very similar to yours if it was over ground ! My brain is geared to what is happening on the water not on the ground.
Yes I was initially looking at it as a track over water rather than over ground. That's why it looked like the torpedo. I suppose a speed over ground colouring on the track would make it clearer.
I have also seen one of the LFB fireboats doing almost exactly your track but without the angle. They turned an just went straight across at a right angle. Ebb tide. This was described by the lock keeper as the torpedo when I asked about it.
I think from your GPS track someone could misinterpret and end up in a silly position.
Because it does not show any information about rudder position.
Car driver mentality could be a problem here.
Yes it does take a while to get used to the fact that the water is moving, and that the direction the boat is pointing can be very different from where it is going.
Here's another track (over the ground), when I had to delay the crossing a bit to avoid an inbound Uber boat (the video I posted earlier),
For this direct approach the (Catholic) church and the "M" of "Marina" on the bridge give a handy transit line. Again some people can handle that concept and some people can't.
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2 hours ago, magnetman said:
Other way round Shirely.
That is the torpedo approach.
While I would of course bow to your superior knowledge on how to go into a limehouse from the Thames the disadvantage of this approach is that one is committed. Using the ferry glide option with the vessel pointing upstream there is always the option to abort the manoover right up until the last minute.
For example if you get a prop foul during the torpedo approach it could go very badly wrong whereas with the ferry glide one can use the rudder to get out of the manoover giving time to clear the propeller.
PS I have always understood the torpedo approach as meaning crossing some distance upriver, near Shadwell, well before you get to the corner, and then coming down the wrong side of the river with the tide behind you and then - hopefully - turning left into the lock entrance at the correct moment. I have never tried it and don't intend to, for the reason you suggest. -
19 minutes ago, magnetman said:
Other way round Shirely.
That is the torpedo approach.
While I would of course bow to your superior knowledge on how to go into a limehouse from the Thames the disadvantage of this approach is that one is committed. Using the ferry glide option with the vessel pointing upstream there is always the option to abort the manoover right up until the last minute.
For example if you get a prop foul during the torpedo approach it could go very badly wrong whereas with the ferry glide one can use the rudder to get out of the manoover giving time to clear the propeller.
This is a ferry glide, the boat is pointing up to 45 degrees to the left of the track. You can as you say turn to the left once you get to the other side - for example if the lock gates are not open - and wait for things to calm down. I think a fouled propellor while crossing the river (which you have to do, come what may) would not be a lot of fun whichever approach you are using.
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10 minutes ago, blackrose said:
I've done the trip twice on my 57ft x 12ft widebeam and entered Limehouse both times without hitting anything.
Others know more than me about timing the trip but in general I left Brentford about 45 mins to half an hour before high water so I was punching the ebb tide to start. That should mean the flood tide isn't running out so fast by the time you get down there and turn into Limehouse.
Having said that it's still pretty scary and the second time I did it it was really running out fast and the Limehouse lock keeper warned me over VHS not to go too far past the entrance before turning or I wouldn't make it back.
I'd take Scholar Gypsy's line in terms of when to start the turn, except I wouldn't expect to stay on that line because you'll get pushed sideways past the entrance and have to make your way back upstream. Once you get over onto the other side of the river closer to the side the current isn't as strong.
The other way of doing it might be to take Scholar Gypsy's line and ferry glide across at 45 degrees with your bow pointing upstream. The only problem with that is river traffic coming upstream who won't be able to understand what you're doing.
Thanks - I would agree with you on timing the departure from Brentford.On the point about confusing other river traffic, that is the great benefit of VHF. On my last crossing London VTS made me aware of a rather large inbound trip boat (MILLENIUM CITY, I think it was) that was about to come around the corner. I spoke to them on the radio and checked they were happy for me to cross slowly in front of them, rather than going behind them. There was plenty of room. If it was an Uber clipper I would make clear my intention to cross behind. As in the video below - taken a year ago and also shows the outer pontoon (and additional fendering!)
I also meant to say that however you approach don't reduce power until the boat is going under the bridge. I find quite a few skippers I crew for reduce power as they get closer to the wall. which greatly increases the chance of hitting it! If anything a blip of full power as you straighten up for the lock, and then half astern once you are under the road bridge and lined up for the lock. Then you can worry about getting your bow and stern lines onto the steel riser cables.
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1 hour ago, magnetman said:
He is brilliant. Very knowledgeable I went to one of his talks about the docks and local areas. A mine of information and a very pleasant gentleman. I forgot his name. Lived on Cannon Street Road just off Ratcliffe highway.
Yes, Jeremy Batch. He is still doing talks at various locations, well worth hearing if you get the chance.Anyway, back to the main subject. Brentford and Limehouse now operate 0700 to 1900 (shorter hours in winter), and must be booked at least 48 hours in advance on the CRT website. Brentford is open 2 hours either side of HW, and Limehouse 4 hours either side.
So on the day in question HW is 0500 at Limehouse (0600 at Brentford), and there is no way you could depart Brentford at 0700 and get to Limehouse by 0900 when the lock will shut. As others have noted the outer pontoon is not operative at present, and mooring for 4 hours there is not going to be fun.
My preferred approach to Limehouse is shown in this GPS track. As well as the tide it requires coordination with London VTS and other traffic. I normally slow down if needed to let outbound traffic overtake me, and get advice from VTS as to whether there is something coming upstream that I may need to cross.I also attach (link below) a log of a recent trip. This was quite a slow boat (and the overheating alarm decided to start buzzing when we got to Waterloo!). I would normally plan for 3 hours for Brentford to Limehouse, plus some contingency time.
https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2025/07/11/brentford-to-limehouse-10-july-2025/ -
1 hour ago, Stroudwater1 said:
What a shame, I’m pretty sure we went up Jesus lock very many years ago and paid for 2 days mooring but could be wrong.
Would CRT be able to suggests surveys who may better understand lock engineering? IIRC isn’t @Scholar Gypsy a Conservator?
Ironic that it’s happened in one of the wealthiest areas outside London. Perhaps a go fund me page may help a bit?
Indeed I am. We have indeed taken advice as you suggest,-
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Reliable online river levels check?
in General Boating
Posted
I guess that's the most appropriate sign they have. Still no sign of funding for this work.