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Middle Levels - Temporary Mooring


Jennifer McM

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We moored just before top of Ashline Lock on Friday, notice says it's for 36 hours. I can't my head around 36 hours, there's a bylaw on this waterway which says there's to be no travelling in the dark (said with tongue in cheek). We stayed on the mooring yesterday (Saturday), but TBH I didn't feel comfortable - conscience was relieved a bit by having a boat doubled up to ours (which is also against 'the rules'). 

 

We're now moored in March, at each end of the mooring's pontoon there're two conflicting notices.

 

I maybe splitting hairs, but I do wish signs were consistent, especially where a charge of £100 is concerned. The 48 hour sign looks new, perhaps this should have replaced the 36 hour one.

 

 

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Edited by Jennifer McM
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Well the White boat by the sanny station, had been there b4 we got there and was still there unoccupied when we left, looks like no one cares. Mooring opposite the services is a health hazard with all that duck, geese crap, you got the better mooring.

It also was 36 hours, gives you two nights effectively

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2 minutes ago, Timx said:

Well the White boat by the sanny station, had been there b4 we got there and was still there unoccupied when we left, looks like no one cares. Mooring opposite the services is a health hazard with all that duck, geese crap, you got the better mooring.

Haven't reached the sanny yet. We've got about a week to kill (got a meet up planned) so we've been dragging our feet prop. Was hoping to move on the mooring (by the sanny ?) - now I'm not too sure, but thanks for the tip ?

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The 48-hour sign indicates the current position.  Fenland District Council was persuaded to increase the 'time limit' to 48 hours to align it with the norm on other Anglian waterways.

 

However, unlike the EA Anglian waterways where the regulation is backed by byelaws creating a criminal offence with a fine on summary conviction of up to £1,000, neither the original 36-hour or the new 48-hour Fenland DC scheme have any such authority. 

 

The new 48-hour maximum scheme will need to be managed as a civil contract scheme requiring that the boater has automatically accepted contractual terms by mooring.  It remains to be seen how acceptable and effective that will prove.

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34 minutes ago, erivers said:

The 48-hour sign indicates the current position.  Fenland District Council was persuaded to increase the 'time limit' to 48 hours to align it with the norm on other Anglian waterways.

 

However, unlike the EA Anglian waterways where the regulation is backed by byelaws creating a criminal offence with a fine on summary conviction of up to £1,000, neither the original 36-hour or the new 48-hour Fenland DC scheme have any such authority. 

 

The new 48-hour maximum scheme will need to be managed as a civil contract scheme requiring that the boater has automatically accepted contractual terms by mooring.  It remains to be seen how acceptable and effective that will prove.

Thank you for your post, I'm glad the 'time limit' has been increased, 36 hours appears loosely ambiguous. 

 

I don't want to 'knowingly' break any bylaws, though I do understand why there's a huge fine. Think it's crucial that any bylaws are made crystal clear

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4 hours ago, Timx said:

Well the White boat by the sanny station, had been there b4 we got there and was still there unoccupied when we left, looks like no one cares. Mooring opposite the services is a health hazard with all that duck, geese crap, you got the better mooring.

It also was 36 hours, gives you two nights effectively

We were there last night!

3 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Haven't reached the sanny yet. We've got about a week to kill (got a meet up planned) so we've been dragging our feet prop. Was hoping to move on the mooring (by the sanny ?) - now I'm not too sure, but thanks for the tip ?

Ah I was wrong twas not that one (at least if you mean the one just out of the town centre)We stayed on the very short piece just before the sani block actually just by the library.  It is better than the one directly opposite and was very quiet. Shops just a couple if mins walk.

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1 hour ago, Mike Todd said:

We were there last night!

Ah I was wrong twas not that one (at least if you mean the one just out of the town centre)We stayed on the very short piece just before the sani block actually just by the library.  It is better than the one directly opposite and was very quiet. Shops just a couple if mins walk.

We must have passed each other today? Our mooring is just 'before' the town by the footbridge (leading to Aldi or is it Lidl?) right next to the park. It's a mooring for just two boats.

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22 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

We must have passed each other today? Our mooring is just 'before' the town by the footbridge (leading to Aldi or is it Lidl?) right next to the park. It's a mooring for just two boats.

That use to be my favourite when I was on the ML for stopping in March

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We stopped at the five bells pub(I think that's the name) it has good moorings and a water tap and shops,( 48 hour mooring )after March, which left about two and a half hours to Denver lock.Turning at Denver with a good flow on and wind in your face is fun, once the boat eventually does as you want it to. But weather is a lot calmer now so should be a bit smoother. Good mooring outside the Jenlyn pub once through the lock, and the pub at Littleport has overnight hook up for ten quid, redeemed against a meal.(we found that a false economy though) 

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7 hours ago, Timx said:

We stopped at the five bells pub(I think that's the name) it has good moorings and a water tap and shops,( 48 hour mooring )after March, which left about two and a half hours to Denver lock.Turning at Denver with a good flow on and wind in your face is fun, once the boat eventually does as you want it to. But weather is a lot calmer now so should be a bit smoother. Good mooring outside the Jenlyn pub once through the lock, and the pub at Littleport has overnight hook up for ten quid, redeemed against a meal.(we found that a false economy though) 

Good tips, THANK YOU! ? 

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I think the mooring restriction sign in March, with its threat of draconian penalties, may have been introduced because a few boats have (or had) spent weeks or months on the town moorings, during which time one boater allegedly made such a nuisance of himself that he was banned from shops in the town.

That said, I don't know who (if anybody) enforces the time limits.

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1 minute ago, Athy said:

I think the mooring restriction sign in March, with its threat of draconian penalties, may have been introduced because a few boats have (or had) spent weeks or months on the town moorings, during which time one boater allegedly made such a nuisance of himself that he was banned from shops in the town.

That said, I don't know who (if anybody) enforces the time limits.

Compared to some canals, the ML and the Ouse looks 'practically' free of nuisance boats. The £100 fine scares me... if the authorities step up, some over staying boater will be made a test case and I'd rather it's not us :)

 

 

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10 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

Compared to some canals, the ML and the Ouse looks 'practically' free of nuisance boats. The £100 fine scares me... if the authorities step up, some over staying boater will be made a test case and I'd rather it's not us :)

 

 

That's quite understandable, but you'd probably have to stay put for another few weeks to risk being made a test case!

Are you still in March? When Alchemy went past our garden yesterday afternoon, they asked if I'd seen you and I probably puzzled them by saying "Not here".

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Yes, we're still here. Not sure if we'll be moving today or tomorrow. Will need to let the lock keeper at Marmont Priory Lock know we'll be going through the lock. 

 

Not sure what to do though Athy, we need topping up with diesel (we're over half a tank left, but like to keep it topped so we're not desperate). Yesterday we passed Fox Marina, but at that time yesterday, England's game had started and John was desperate to moor. So do we go through March and wind to come back to Fox Marina, or do we continue on to another diesel point? A boater mention another one yesterday (but forgot the name) further along.

 

Which way was Alchemy going?

Edited by Jennifer McM
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19 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

 

 

Not sure what to do though Athy, we need topping up with diesel (we're over half a tank left, but like to keep it topped so we're not desperate). Yesterday we passed Fox Marina, but at that time yesterday, England's game had started and John was desperate to moor. So do we go through March and wind to come back to Fox Marina, or do we continue on to another diesel point? A boater mention another one yesterday (but forgot the name) further along.

 

Which way was Alchemy going?

It's not impossible to listen to the radio and steer a boat at the same time. I sometimes do that when an England cricket match is being broadcast.

I really can't think of another place to buy diesel on the Middle Level this side of March. The Riverside Garage in Upwell closed some time ago when the owner retired. There's a garage in Outwell but it's quite a walk from the cut. The former garage in Nordelph is, to the best of my knowledge, now a car wash only. The next place I can think of where you're guaranteed to find diesel is Ely, about 35 miles by water. So, for your peace of mind, Fox's may be your best option (be aware that unless they've changed they will do only a 60/40 price split.)

Alchemy was going the same way as you.

Should you wish to break your journey, Upwell and Outwell between them can muster three pubs (all with moorings), two mini-markets (one with Post Office and landing stage) two butchers (one with rough but serviceable concrete landing stage), a cake shop and two fish & chip shops, all waterside or nearly so.

Edited by Athy
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1 minute ago, Athy said:

It's not impossible to listen to the radio ans steer a boat at the same time. I sometimes do that when an England cricket match is being broadcast.

I really can't think of another place to buy diesel on the Middle Level this side of March. The Riverside Garage in Upwell closed some time ago when the owner retired. There's a garage in Outwell but it's quite a walk from the cut. The former garage in Nordelph is, to the best of my knowledge, now a car wash only. The next place I can think of where you're guaranteed to find diesel is Ely, about 35 miles by water. So, for your peace of mind, Fox's may be your best option (be aware that unless they've changed they will do only a 60/40 price split.)

Alchemy was going the same way as you.

Should you wish to break your journey, Upwell and Outwell between them can muster three pubs (all with moorings), two mini-markets (one with Post Office) three butchers, a cake shop and two fish & chip shops, all waterside or nearly so.

Thanks Athy - he was listening to the radio, which made his frustration worse ?

 

Think it'll be a wind, and back to Fox Marina. Thank you for your information - nothing like have someone who actually lives in a place to help you along!

 

Hope to wave to Alchemy at some point. Our destination is Isleham lock on the Lark, we're meeting family there but that's not for 2 weeks, therefore we're not rushing.

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31 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

 

 

Think it'll be a wind, and back to Fox Marina..

You may not be able to turn until you reach the junction with the romantically-named Twenty Foot Drain, after which the Old River Nene widens considerably. When it gets past Popham's Eau it can be called the Old River Nene or Well Creek, which can cause confusion.

Fox's deserve people's custom. They are a local success story, which started with Charlie Fox hiring out rowing boats from the bankside in March in the 1950s. He passed away a few years ago, by which time his operation had grown into a marina (now extended) and a boatbuilding operation (they still build all their own hire boats from the ground up). It's owned and very efficiently run by Charlie's two daughters and their husbands. 

Edited by Athy
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Thanks Athy for the interesting info, a good bit of histoy! The lock keeper's booked us to go down the lock at 1pm tomorrow, so if you're around, we'll give you a wave! 

 

Somebody must have said / read something ? The 36 hour mooring sign has been removed, and a new sign put up this morning. Great no more confusion.

 

 

 

 

24-10.jpg

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5 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

Thanks Athy for the interesting info, a good bit of history! The lock keeper's booked us to go down the lock at 1pm tomorrow,

 

 

 

24-10.jpg

An insufferable pedant would point out that you'll be going up, not down, the lock.

I, of course, would never say any such thing.

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