Mrs Trackman

Would certainly be good to see you Ally after your difficult time. We, too, hope to arrive by boat one year but not looking likely to be this one so it's train for us and a short pop in before we turn into pumpkins .

It was a very useful chandlers. They usually had something we didn't know we wanted. Even more useful when we moored in Stone and someone decided taking our bow line was the cheapest way to get a new rope for whatever purpose. Chandlers are really becoming few and far between, so many useful ones have gone in the last few years even though there are more boats.

I agree. With today's rain, Cranfleet unlikely to be open for long and Trent still flowing fast.

Optimistic. As pearley mentions later in this thread, it can show amber when the flow is far too fast for safe navigation. The hydro scheme draws water away from the lock cut The, 'gut' just before Cranfleet is a particular challenge when going against a fast flow. In any case, until Cranfleet flood gates reopen, there's no point going beyond Beeston or Nottingham where you have all facilities and shops.

Well done. You probably know, but in case anyone else is hoping to go on the Trent, Cranfleet flood gates are back on-about 5 days after reopening. You won't be able to go further than Beeston for now. Don't rely on the flood guage at Beeston, it's been inaccurate since the hydro scheme was installed a couple of years ago?

Did you make it? Flow still seems quite strong? I see Shardlow flood gates only reopened yesterday.

Shag pile carpet I assume?

From EA levels, appears Trent may finally be going down. Still high and running fast through Nottingham.

According to the EA guage looks as though the Trent at Shardlow has got to the lowest it's going to for a while without coming out of the red. Currently in Shropshire (which is probably the Severn and not the Trent catchment) and it's rained all night. What a winter!

Agree. There's some lovely quirky chandllers where we love to stop and have a chat and find all sorts in apparently disorganised premises. . Feels sad that the majority of the ones we used have shut in the last 5 or 10 years-at a time when there are far more boats around.

Posted that 9 hours ago. It's gone up again since then.

Trent seems very reluctant to fall. There's a lot of water about.

Outrageously, and especially since austerity policies cut funding, there are many people trying to find somewhere dry to sleep. Sorry. Just saw that post and hadn't read further. Now see I'm not the only one who hates the way society treats those in need.

Even so, that railway is way above the churnett?

Thankyou for that information.

So Captain Pegg was right speculating whereabouts the Brookline boats were heading.

Oh I agree. Seems to be a ridiculous reluctance to do the decent thing and share rings. We were waiting for the Trent to go down a couple of weeks ago. We waited a few days at Burton on Trent as were worried about arriving at shardlow and finding nowhere to moor.

I always wondered if Brookline had anything to do with Brookline cars in Kenilworth, Warwickshire which was set up by a woman with the surname Brook. Another member of the family maybe?

Thankyou

So. Trent is looking very high. Obviously shut at Shardlow. More rain forecast. How is it currently at alrewas? Anyone know or know how can find out. Don't need it till later in the week but not looking good.

Not read all of the replies so sorry if this is a repeat. Firstly, Richard T is definitely your man. He has many years of experience with scouts and narrow boats. As to your point about taking scouts with behaviour issues, I agree it's scary to contemplate some with locks. And with current, 'someone's got to be summonsed' culture that is even more scary. Much of my early narrow boat experience was with school parties of mainly 10 and 11 year olds. I recall some challenging characters who gave me nightmares before we left. However, in all the cases I can recall, they responded hugely positively to doing locks, steering a 70foot narrow boat and generally being outdoors and active. I used to wish some of them could do a flight of locks before school each day. I think it's great that you are looking into getting your scouts to use the waterways and I wish you well with your project.

About a year ago I was accosted at our mooring facilities by a regular overstayer, for whatever reason. He asked me what I was doing using the facilities. All boaters are perfectly entitled to use the facilities but it seemed a bit much to be asked what I thought I was doing when we actually pay for the mooring.

Yes. That all sounds fine to me.

Jan you are totally right. What I find annoying is the blatant misuse of this. For example, I'm sorry if someone cannot move because they are disabled but surely in this situation they should pay for a mooring? We would love to move all the time but we have parents in their 90s and have certain grandparent duties, so we pay for a mooring. I would hazard a guess that almost all boaters are unable to move at some point. Ok. It might be a temporary reason in which case overstaying is fair but to expect to never move or pay seems unreasonable. Visitors have been unable to access a visitor mooring all last winter (& I mean a long length) due to boaters staying for months. I have no idea if legitimately or otherwise and I haven't enquired. However, boaters who did enquire have been threatened.

Well done.