Denver to Salter's Lode in December

[Happy Go Lucky]

We are 70' long and our daughter has a 30' boat like thing which has no engine and isn't really designed to move. This has made finding a new mooring even remotely close to jobs/schools/friends a little difficult! Our current hope is that a nice man in March will finish building moorings for us by the beginning of December. Unfortunately this means that we have to get through Denver/Salters Lode. We've managed this before (although not in winter) and we will be travelling with one of our neighbours which will help. However, I'm not at all confident about doing it with 'the teenager box' in tow.

 

I'm still looking at various alternatives but is there anyone out there with a tug or other boat that would be better suited to dragging my daughter's bedroom across to the Middle Levels. Obviously we would expect to reimburse them for this.

 

Advice and suggestions from anyone else who has done the Denver/Salters Lode transit in winter would also be gratefully received.

[FidoDido]

Did it in jan on my 70ft, but apparently this is not normal, and usually not passable between oct and march. Pray for dry winter,,,,, . But this summer has been so wet, it might be difficult now, let alone in a couple of months.

 

Perhaps possible to put butty on a trailer? There a slipway at Popes? A llocal farmer might be able to sort? Lift out at hermitage, lorry then back in at foxes likely to be about 1000...

 

Friendly EA type with a workboat able to tow it across? (Or push it, as they seem to do).

 

Denver is closing soon for dredging, I thought?

 

Could strap butty to side, rather than tow. It's a sharp turn, but should be doable like that. I've no experience in that sort of thing though, but would be happy to help out at the time. Live in Chatteris.

[FidoDido]

Just checked... Denver was closed at the end of August for dredging.... Now open again

[FadeToScarlet]

01366382292

 

Paul at Salter's Lode is probably the best bet, he's been lockie for about 25 years I think so should advise.

 

Black Ibis and I are happy to tow the butty across, at 48' with some spare power we could take it through at any tidal state; problem is Happy at 70' has to wait for a tidal window.

 

We're happy to come up any weekend and do the Denver bit at least.

[MoominPapa]

01366382292

 

Paul at Salter's Lode is probably the best bet, he's been lockie for about 25 years I think so should advise.

 

Black Ibis and I are happy to tow the butty across, at 48' with some spare power we could take it through at any tidal state; problem is Happy at 70' has to wait for a tidal window.

 

We're happy to come up any weekend and do the Denver bit at least.

... and if you need more workers, give me a shout.

 

MP.

[Grace and Favour]

What a superb collection of responses chaps

 

 

(Virtual) Greenies to all of you

 

[PaddingtonBear]

Are we sure it is Fox's that they are going to? perhaps it might be the arsehole where Wandering Snail nearly met its demise

[Happy Go Lucky]

What a superb collection of responses chaps

 

I cannot agree more. It is folks like you who have ruined us for living ashore

 

Are we sure it is Fox's that they are going to? perhaps it might be the arsehole where Wandering Snail nearly met its demise

 

It may well be the site of the wayward JCB However, we have very few options. This is the only place we have found willing to consider two liveaboard boats taking up 100' of space that was close enough that only one of us had to give up our job and our son could transfer to a school that he actually knew someone in. We'd be happy to consider other options if we could find one

[ditchcrawler]

Are we sure it is Fox's that they are going to? perhaps it might be the arsehole where Wandering Snail nearly met its demise

That is what I though when the OP said finish the moorings near March. I hope they are well insured.

[wandering snail]

We are 70' long and our daughter has a 30' boat like thing which has no engine and isn't really designed to move. This has made finding a new mooring even remotely close to jobs/schools/friends a little difficult! Our current hope is that a nice man in March will finish building moorings for us by the beginning of December. Unfortunately this means that we have to get through Denver/Salters Lode. We've managed this before (although not in winter) and we will be travelling with one of our neighbours which will help. However, I'm not at all confident about doing it with 'the teenager box' in tow.

 

I'm still looking at various alternatives but is there anyone out there with a tug or other boat that would be better suited to dragging my daughter's bedroom across to the Middle Levels. Obviously we would expect to reimburse them for this.

 

Advice and suggestions from anyone else who has done the Denver/Salters Lode transit in winter would also be gratefully received.

There's a pub by the bridge at Upwell that had a vacant mooring.

[Happy Go Lucky]

There's a pub by the bridge at Upwell that had a vacant mooring.

 

If the mooring is 100' long and will take liveaboards then please send us more details.

[ditchcrawler]

If the mooring is 100' long and will take liveaboards then please send us more details.

No, only one

[nbfiresprite]

Before handed any cash over to 'Tankboy'. Ask to see proof of his planning permission for the moorings from Fenland Hall.

At present the only planning permission for moorings is for the land between the rail bridge and his gate, that dates back

to 2002.

[ditchcrawler]

Before handed any cash over to 'Tankboy'. Ask to see proof of his planning permission for the moorings from Fenland Hall.

At present the only planning permission for moorings is for the land between the rail bridge and his gate, that dates back

to 2002.

Sight of his Public liability insurance wouldn't go a miss ether

[Happy Go Lucky]

Interestingly, the flyer that led us to March did state that there were only a limited number of moorings going to be available. A positive outlook on this is that he has planning permission for a fixed number of boats. A negative view is that he only has enough wood to build a few moorings. Regardless of which is the case, do I really want to know?

 

He is the only person we've yet found willing to let us moor our boats. Admittedly I have some apparently unreasonable requirements: we would like water and electricity (although I'm working on the electricity bit), we would like to be close enough to our previous location that we don't have to give up all our jobs (2 out of 3 is enough), we can't afford to pay a whole years mooring in advance, one of our boats is 70' long and it isn't shiny.

 

It may all be unimportant anyway. If we can't get the boats through Salter's Lode (and the river levels at Earith & Mepal don't look good) then the mooring may be gone before we get there. Then we're back to waiting until we get evicted in January

[ditchcrawler]

Interestingly, the flyer that led us to March did state that there were only a limited number of moorings going to be available. A positive outlook on this is that he has planning permission for a fixed number of boats. A negative view is that he only has enough wood to build a few moorings. Regardless of which is the case, do I really want to know?

 

He is the only person we've yet found willing to let us moor our boats. Admittedly I have some apparently unreasonable requirements: we would like water and electricity (although I'm working on the electricity bit), we would like to be close enough to our previous location that we don't have to give up all our jobs (2 out of 3 is enough), we can't afford to pay a whole years mooring in advance, one of our boats is 70' long and it isn't shiny.

 

It may all be unimportant anyway. If we can't get the boats through Salter's Lode (and the river levels at Earith & Mepal don't look good) then the mooring may be gone before we get there. Then we're back to waiting until we get evicted in January

Came passed today and he has moved his own boat that use to be moored at the east end of his land against a small wooden staging to the west end and moored it outside the boat that replaced Wandering Snail, so his own mooring is now free, its the only one.

[MoominPapa]

the river levels at Earith & Mepal don't look good)

I drove through Earith today, the level was high and the sluices to the Old Bedford were running.

 

MP.

 

the river levels at Earith & Mepal don't look good)

I drove through Earith today, the level was high and the sluices to the Old Bedford were running.

 

MP.

[Benadix]

Was hoping to go through Salter's Lode to Denver today, but when I spoke to Paul (Salter's Lode) lock-keeper earlier in the week, levels were going to be too low for any day-light passages from Thurs through to Mon am @8:30am. End of that plan. However if you're coming from the other direction you can always spend the week-end moored outside the Jenners Arms. There are worse ways of spending the w/e - especially with the wind, hail & cold on the Fens at the moment!

[FidoDido]

The Upwell mooring had a wide beam on there before. Perhaps your butty would be OK alongside?

 

Walked down the Upware moorings past the lock last weekend. Seemed to several fairly large spaces... Might just be boats had gone out and about tho...

[ditchcrawler]

The Upwell mooring had a wide beam on there before. Perhaps your butty would be OK alongside?

 

Walked down the Upware moorings past the lock last weekend. Seemed to several fairly large spaces... Might just be boats had gone out and about tho...

I thought he had a 70 footer, the lock is only 63 footish. I have also noted that there always seem spaces there, just like above Denver Sluice near the Jenyns Arms

[Keeping Up]

Was hoping to go through Salter's Lode to Denver today, but when I spoke to Paul (Salter's Lode) lock-keeper earlier in the week, levels were going to be too low for any day-light passages from Thurs through to Mon am @8:30am. End of that plan. However if you're coming from the other direction you can always spend the week-end moored outside the Jenners Arms. There are worse ways of spending the w/e - especially with the wind, hail & cold on the Fens at the moment!

 

Do they allow boats to moor on their garden now? Last time we were there they wouldn't allow boats to moor there, in case someone got drunk, fell in, and tried to sue the pub. This was despite the fact that the nearby EA moorings were out of action for repairs - so we didn't go to the pub.

[ditchcrawler]

Do they allow boats to moor on their garden now? Last time we were there they wouldn't allow boats to moor there, in case someone got drunk, fell in, and tried to sue the pub. This was despite the fact that the nearby EA moorings were out of action for repairs - so we didn't go to the pub.

Still covered with "No Mooring" signs but the EA ones are all up and running now so not a problem.

We crossed this morning at 8 am but the locky at Denver doesn't start until 9 am now.

[Happy Go Lucky]

We crossed this morning at 8 am but the locky at Denver doesn't start until 9 am now.

 

How long is your boat?

[ditchcrawler]

How long is your boat?

We are 57ft and the boat that followed me was 62ft I would estimate that the water was only 2 ft higher than low water when we crossed, that is about 5 foot above making a level crossing. With a full length boat I think you will need to wait for a dry spell so less water coming from Earith, it quite high up there at the moment see the EA web site

[ditchcrawler]

The Upwell mooring had a wide beam on there before. Perhaps your butty would be OK alongside?

 

Walked down the Upware moorings past the lock last weekend. Seemed to several fairly large spaces... Might just be boats had gone out and about tho...

We are at Wicken Fen at the moment, there were only 2 small and one smallish space when we came down today. Several boats that were not there last time we came this way. Roger's old mooring is still empty at Upware Marina