Salter's lode, a long night ?

[bargiepat]

Hi,

This boat tried to exit Salter's Lode for a crossing to Denver Sluice. It may well have been waiting since Friday as there have been no crossings since then due to low tides.

I saw it make three attempts to get over the silt bank but the tide was going out and they were unable to reverse after the final attempt.

I took this pic. at 20.00 hrs and the river was still falling. The lock keeper had told them that it was up to them if they wanted to try it rather than wait till tomorrow.

 

Edited August 13, 2012 by bargiepat

[gazza]

we met these guys a couple of years ago, we were on the return trip back to the nene, as were they, took a little pursuading to get em to budge up at the landing stage at denver. the two guys had spent a very uncomfortable night being buffeted about on pole position for the morning locking. we stayed at the EA mooring by the jenyes arms, and had no problems, if memory serves it was 2010 on the back of hurricane bill.

 

it must be getting a bit tricky at salters/denver, these guys are from yarwell on the nene and make the trip across to the ouse regularly. made a bad call this time though..... in to denver on the flood, out on the ebb seems the best plan at the moment

[bargiepat]

Hi,

Well the lock at Denver was left open for them and they managed to float off at high tide and crossed to Denver at 06.30 this morning.

The mud/sand bank outside Denver Sluice is the biggest that the lock keeper can remember and is certainly a hazard to boating. Only 3 boat left this afternoon and the last had a problem turning left out of the lock with much poling by his wife at the bows !

Here is a pic from below the lock at low tide ............

 

 

I am going to give it a go tomorrow with my 30" drought.

 

Regards,

Patrick.

Edited August 14, 2012 by bargiepat

[gazza]

Hi,

Well the lock at Denver was left open for them and they managed to float off at high tide and crossed to Denver at 06.30 this morning.

The mud/sand bank outside Denver Sluice is the biggest that the lock keeper can remember and is certainly a hazard to boating. Only 3 boat left this afternoon and the last had a problem turning left out of the lock with much poling by his wife at the bows !

Here is a pic from below the lock at low tide ............

 

 

I am going to give it a go tomorrow with my 30" drought.

 

Regards,

Patrick.

 

sounds like the IWA national festival needs to be at st ives again, the EA pulled their finger out for that.....

 

how are the sewage barges getting on??? they were finding the passage tricky before the silting

 

good reason to nip down the 100 foot to hermatige or brownhills though

 

the good news is, here on the nene we have had lots of fences installed round the locks, some pretty signs installed by the guilotines letting you know what lock you are at and if the river is safe to navigate, and some stickers on the lock control cabinet, letting you know it is a lock control cabinet, money well spent eh?

Edited August 14, 2012 by gazza

[luctor et emergo]

Don't get me started

 

 

In the morning

 

 

...

Edited August 14, 2012 by luctor et emergo

[gazza]

Don't get me started

 

i forgot about the canoe portages......

 

been very quite on our rivrer this year, boats resident on the river unable to move, visiting boats stuck or put off by the web chatter

 

stoppages on the northampton arm due to lack of water at the begining of spring

 

7 week period from jubilee weekend when the river was mostly shut

 

and now the fabled nene ouse link route basicly shut,

 

makes you wonder if the EA want boats navigating their waterways, god knows what will happen if CART ever get involved.......

 

oh well, we are going to have a look round the middle levels bank holiday week, wonder how the MLC are geting on weed cutting? will find out soon enough with 3' draft and no weed hatch

[MoominPapa]

oh well, we are going to have a look round the middle levels bank holiday week, wonder how the MLC are geting on weed cutting? will find out soon enough with 3' draft and no weed hatch

We've not been out much, but I can tell you that the Western end, through Lode's End lock and down to Woodwalton, was wonderfully clear a couple of weeks back, with MLC weed boats working on keeping it that way.

 

I've heard that there are bad spots on Whittlesey Dyke, but not first-hand knowledge.

 

MP.

[Naughty Cal]

You can have some of our weed if you are missing it down there

[gazza]

We've not been out much, but I can tell you that the Western end, through Lode's End lock and down to Woodwalton, was wonderfully clear a couple of weeks back, with MLC weed boats working on keeping it that way.

 

I've heard that there are bad spots on Whittlesey Dyke, but not first-hand knowledge.

 

MP.

 

We have found the MLC to be pretty good, weed cutters usually seen on our trips through to the ouse. whitlesy dike is normally a bit of pain for us anyway, beaten only by well creek!

 

Still, a few days around the bottom of the levels is quite appealing, not been that way for near on 20 years.

 

Stupid touch screen phones........

Edited August 15, 2012 by gazza

[FadeToScarlet]

sounds like the IWA national festival needs to be at st ives again, the EA pulled their finger out for that.....

 

how are the sewage barges getting on??? they were finding the passage tricky before the silting

 

good reason to nip down the 100 foot to hermatige or brownhills though

 

the good news is, here on the nene we have had lots of fences installed round the locks, some pretty signs installed by the guilotines letting you know what lock you are at and if the river is safe to navigate, and some stickers on the lock control cabinet, letting you know it is a lock control cabinet, money well spent eh?

 

The lockie at Denver isn't recommending the 100 foot right now. I wanted to go down there this week, but was told that there's probably not going to be enough water as we're on neap tides, and that sandbank really restricting the time available to get into Denver.

[gazza]

The lockie at Denver isn't recommending the 100 foot right now. I wanted to go down there this week, but was told that there's probably not going to be enough water as we're on neap tides, and that sandbank really restricting the time available to get into Denver.

 

I had not looked at the tides as yet, we are normally on for a trip to the ouse this time of. Year.

[boaterphil]

I had not looked at the tides as yet, we are normally on for a trip to the ouse this time of. Year.

Hi, The boat behind me just said to me your the one who got stuck at Salters, my 5 minutes of fame, I would like to point out to all that this was my decision to go out and rightly pointed out I got stuck on the third attempt. Yes it was a long night, I thought I had planned well in advance having telephoned Paul 6 weeks ago regarding tide times, the cruisers that did get through one of which I work at the same place I informed him at the same time 6 weeks ago, he had been sat there since saturday lunchtime we had planned our trip to arrive at Salters at lunctime on Monday and moor at Denver for the night, I rang Dan at Denver he opened the gate for us, we came up with the tide and Mike very kindly let us through at 7.55am, thankyou very much to both of them.

 

We have been making this crossing for 20 years, and it is not always easy, we had a reason for being in "pole" position in 2010 my partners mother was very ill only to die the following week so I apologise if you were thinking I was queue jumping which I was not, I have learnt over the years it is not always best to be first, the year before, we had planned to come through the following day from Denver we rang Dan he had finished locking he said there is plenty of water, come down and I will let you through to Salters no buffeting onto the tyres the tide was not ebbing fanastic if only every trip was that easy.

 

Paul, Mike and Dan are all front line staff, these guys do not manage the budgets for Middle level Commisioners or the EA, the powers that be assure me the silt will be cleared this week or at the latest next week.

[gazza]

Hi, The boat behind me just said to me your the one who got stuck at Salters, my 5 minutes of fame, I would like to point out to all that this was my decision to go out and rightly pointed out I got stuck on the third attempt. Yes it was a long night, I thought I had planned well in advance having telephoned Paul 6 weeks ago regarding tide times, the cruisers that did get through one of which I work at the same place I informed him at the same time 6 weeks ago, he had been sat there since saturday lunchtime we had planned our trip to arrive at Salters at lunctime on Monday and moor at Denver for the night, I rang Dan at Denver he opened the gate for us, we came up with the tide and Mike very kindly let us through at 7.55am, thankyou very much to both of them.

 

We have been making this crossing for 20 years, and it is not always easy, we had a reason for being in "pole" position in 2010 my partners mother was very ill only to die the following week so I apologise if you were thinking I was queue jumping which I was not, I have learnt over the years it is not always best to be first, the year before, we had planned to come through the following day from Denver we rang Dan he had finished locking he said there is plenty of water, come down and I will let you through to Salters no buffeting onto the tyres the tide was not ebbing fanastic if only every trip was that easy.

 

Paul, Mike and Dan are all front line staff, these guys do not manage the budgets for Middle level Commisioners or the EA, the powers that be assure me the silt will be cleared this week or at the latest next week.

 

The trouble with the written word!

 

I hope you didn't take any offence, I seem to remember you both looked knackered after a poor night on the landing stage, I should have choosen a better way to put it.

 

Enjoy the rest of your holiday, hopefully your return to home waters will be less eventful.

 

Cheers

 

Gaz

[boaterphil]

Gaz,

 

Many thanks for your reply,

[ditchcrawler]

We've not been out much, but I can tell you that the Western end, through Lode's End lock and down to Woodwalton, was wonderfully clear a couple of weeks back, with MLC weed boats working on keeping it that way.

 

I've heard that there are bad spots on Whittlesey Dyke, but not first-hand knowledge.

 

MP.

The dyke is not to bad, floating weed all the way across below Marmont lock by the junction.

 

The lockie at Denver isn't recommending the 100 foot right now. I wanted to go down there this week, but was told that there's probably not going to be enough water as we're on neap tides, and that sandbank really restricting the time available to get into Denver.

7.5 Mt on Monday

[bargiepat]

the powers that be assure me the silt will be cleared this week or at the latest next week.

 

Well this morning a low loader delivered the digger and work has begun...............

They are currently waiting for more water as they can only use the silt pusher at certain levels. The estimate for amount to be moved is between 1000 and 2000 tons, going to take 3 weeks maybe to move it all.

 

 

 

Will try to get video if they are able to start digging again.

[Grace and Favour]

 

 

 

 

Will try to get video if they are able to start digging again.

 

Great photies BP - - I've not seen a 'pusher' before . . . . . .

[Black Ibis]

Looks like a floating bulldozer!

[ditchcrawler]

Well this morning a low loader delivered the digger and work has begun...............

They are currently waiting for more water as they can only use the silt pusher at certain levels. The estimate for amount to be moved is between 1000 and 2000 tons, going to take 3 weeks maybe to move it all.

 

 

 

Will try to get video if they are able to start digging again.

We are sitting at Salters at the moment and the chap here has seen it in use on the ML and didn't rate it much.

They have just locked a 70footer out and he is sitting waiting for the tide to come in outside the gate.

[ditchcrawler]

Bargiepat we passed you on the Gt Ouse tidal bit this afternoon but I never thought to take a phot, sorry.

We walked over the sluice after dinner this evening and they were still clearing up. One chap was bringing the rescue inflatable back to the pontoon but couldn't keep the engine running. I think the petrol tank vent may have been closed.

[ditchcrawler]

We are sitting at Salters at the moment and the chap here has seen it in use on the ML and didn't rate it much.

They have just locked a 70footer out and he is sitting waiting for the tide to come in outside the gate.

I walked back to the lock to see what was happening this morning at about 9.30 not much . Two men where trying to mend the rescue boat engine, it failed last night when they were knocking off. The dredger thing was sitting on the bank and there is another Fox'sNarrowboat high and dry on the mud bank, so they will. Be there until about 6 pm tonight.

[bargiepat]

Hi,

When I left last night on the tide the silt pusher was having a go .............. It seemed to be flaying about at all angles with it pulling hawser attached to the jib of the digger.

Before I left I spoke to the EA guy that was working the pusher and he said the heavy metal plough thing was for breaking up the silt and the other thing on the back was for pushing it . There is a winch system that pulls the pusher forwards and ideally there is also a line to pull it back but here they can't use that because the river is too wide. It has to go back with a screw propeller and the aluminum boxes on the side are for deep water stability. The front and back things can be lowered to work up to 1.2 meters deep. He told me the possible problem here would be the fact that this is a SAND bank rather than silt and therefor heavy.

It would be great if someone can get some pics of it working ! http://www.adceastanglia.co.uk/News/Silt-Pusher

 

 

 

 

By the way he stands up to operate it............. he is just sitting here waiting for the tide to rise so that he can work it !

Edited August 16, 2012 by bargiepat

[bargiepat]

Found this also............... The guy in the pusher is the same guy that is at Salters Lode.

 

http://www.fadsdirectory.com/reviews/conver-silt-pusher

 

Quote;-

The unit is ‘steered’ by a pair of fore and aft-attached cables, anchored to the bank, which are controlled using auto-spooling winches. In this way the machine may be accurately positioned for maximum engagement with the silt, an operation that is controlled directly from the operator compartment.

[ditchcrawler]

I walked back to the lock to see what was happening this morning at about 9.30 not much . Two men where trying to mend the rescue boat engine, it failed last night when they were knocking off. The dredger thing was sitting on the bank and there is another Fox'sNarrowboat high and dry on the mud bank, so they will. Be there until about 6 pm tonight.

Well here is the Fox boat and the dredger thing sitting on the bank.

[Davidss]

Bargiepat & Ditchcrawler, quite the most interesting thread, thankyou for your efforts.

I am not entirely convinced about the suitability of that silt pusher for the task it has to do, but thanks to your attention I can adopt a wait and see policy :-)

From the links you have provided the contracting company seem believe it can work with a 'de-watering' unit, so the silt can be transported to a landfill in a dry state. I wonder what their disposal policy is for the sand. On the face of it, a much more valuable commodity than 'silt'.

It also seems to me that despite the positive comments on the web sites, they need to create a suitable 'ground anchor' to pull against, and so enable the silt pusher to work at its most effective manner.

 

Still, patience on my part, with active monitoring by yourselves, and all will be revealed in due course.

 

When do we open a book, or Poll, on how long before the channel created becomes impassible again?

<grin>

 

Thankyou again.