Mrs Trackman

So. The Soar is now open and the flood lock at redhill allows boats to go through.....onto the Trent which is still in flood. Seems a bit mad not to at least mention that?

Unfortunately, Trent still rising at Shardlow. Surely got to start falling eventually?

All the best to the owners. We always went in when passing and inevitably bought things we did or might need. Sad that yet another useful chandlery will be no more.

Trent shut at Alrewas though presume you know that.

Not surprised to see this. We saw many trees that looked on the point of falling. Many overhanging boughs that needed attention.

Watched e a levels for Trent obsessively. Couldn't believe levels still falling or not rising. Even Soar and Derwent only risen again in last few hours. Listened to rain all night. Set off very early. Derwent mouth in green. Sawley flood lock on but almost level and in green. Sawley green. Cranfleet green. Currently heading for Beeston and confidently expecting it to be green though the guage is useless as doesn't take account of the hydro scheme. That said. Conditions are horrendous. Very wet. Extremely windy. Would not recommend inexperienced to risk it. If on a hire boat, the company would prefer you stayed safe. They can sort the boat out. The irony of not getting where we wanted because of lock restrictions for water shortages then worrying about getting back because there is too much water is not lost on me.

Goodo

Thankyou for your help everyone. Streethay were lovely and very helpful.

Thankyou

We need to top up somewhere. I seem to recall stories of yards that won't allow self declarations? Also wondering if can buy from Auriga but not quite worked out the Facebook page. Anyone help?

Remember 2007. In July both Alrewas and shardlow were shut for 2 weeks leaving many holiday makers to potter between the two. Better than those who had to spend their two weeks in sawley marina. There was a celebratory barbeque the night before Alrewas finally reopened.

I've never found any CRT information about alrewas. It's high and still rising at shardlow so I guess Alrewas could be shut. More rain still due this weekend but could be ok by Wednesday. But I guess you already know all.of that. Hope works out for you.

Trent's still rising at shardlow though Soar seems to have peaked at Kegworth-for now. More rain on the way.

Trent still rising at shardlow at 6.pm today. There's at least 3 boats on the wall at cranfleet. Only saw from train but appears to be only a very few inches of wall left.

And the boards at Beeston no longer accurate as the hydro electric scheme affects the levels.

Way up at shardlow last night but falling now.

Agree about current levels compared with previous years. It's not that long ago that cranfleet flood gates were shut for months apart from a very brief opening of a few hours. There's a lot of boaters who won't be aware of this though I believe the poor boaters from the original post had been boating a good while. Sounds terrifying. It's like the story of the boaters arriving at sileby lock in a flood and being asked if they knew the soar well. On replying they didn't the questioner said they thought not since the boat had been navigated straight across the fields.

Err... there's a lot more to come yet. According to the E A site, the Trent is currently higher at shardlow than the peak last Thursday. And more rain forecast tonight.

Saltisford is a great mooring, though I'm inclined to avoid it after falling in there when we first had this boat. A lovely moorer took me in for a hot shower so I do have good feelings about the arm.

I think that's it. I find lots of places interesting even if not exactly pretty. I'm convinced Burton on Trent is one of the most underrated towns in the country. It has some really grand buildings right in the centre though none of them are tarted up. And the mooring at shobnell fields is pretty at this time of year with lots of daffodils.

Stratford opposite the theatre must take some beating.Towns on the Avon have beautiful moorings, Tewkesbury, Pershore and Evesham. Actually, being a river, I think they were the only places to moor except at locks?

Hummm...not so sure. I think I keep an eye on the situation and i wasn't aware that heavy rain was forecast or had fallen. It's difficult to be aware in Nottingham as there's a hydro scheme at Beeston then colwick is opened to keep the levels low through the city so the river is hardly up at all. The Trent has been low all winter compared with previous years when it has been shut to navigation for months at a time. All reasons why could get caught out. As others have said, it does happen not infrequently. Always sad. I gather the boat is currently being raised. I really feel for the owners. Just good noone physically hurt.

Thanks. Hadn't realised was so close to Stoke lock.

Agree about moving to a floating pontoon but can't think of one near there. Seems owner was on board and trying to save it.

That's so sad. From the little that can still be seen, looks like a well looked after boat. Looks vaguely familiar. Anyone any idea which boat? We were on the Trent in Nottingham last weekend and watched a boat going downstream. Owners may not have left it for long. The Trent used to rise slowly but with current weather fluctuations and various hydro electric schemes it's much more difficult to predict. Are those the newly redone moorings?