Jump to content

Cruising the River Severn in January


MartinV

Featured Posts

Hello!

 

Is it possible to navigate the River Severn in January from Gloucester to Stourport?  Obviously flooding and the weather will affect this but, being new, I was wondering if it was generally considered possible at all.  We're on a 39ft narrowboat and we've been up the Severn in May and September so it won't be our first time on the river and ideally we want to get above Lock 8 Holt Lock, Holt Fleet, River Severn Navigation before the 4th of Feb as there is a closure scheduled.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Martin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

It will depend greatly on the weather and is impossible to say at present. I have been on all the major rivers at times in January without any problem and been kept off them by major flooding in August.

Thanks for that. Just got to keep our fingers crossed for a fine January. Apart from flooding and the bore are there any reasons for staying off of the Severn, or other rivers, in January?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, MartinV said:

Thanks for that. Just got to keep our fingers crossed for a fine January. Apart from flooding and the bore are there any reasons for staying off of the Severn, or other rivers, in January?

Non whatsoever. Winter crusing is fine if you are prepared for the weather and has many plus points not least of which is there are far less boats about to hold you up anywhere. Long range weather forecast could be your friend a bit nearer the time and dont forget to take wind into consideration as well as tide and flow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

Non whatsoever. Winter crusing is fine if you are prepared for the weather and has many plus points not least of which is there are far less boats about to hold you up anywhere. Long range weather forecast could be your friend a bit nearer the time and dont forget to take wind into consideration as well as tide and flow.

Many thanks! We'll keep our fingers crossed.

 

Martin

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, MartinV said:

Thanks for that. Just got to keep our fingers crossed for a fine January. Apart from flooding and the bore are there any reasons for staying off of the Severn, or other rivers, in January?

Make certain that you understand how the lock opening hours work in winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, sharpness said:

You will need to book all locks & the river is closed on Tuesday & Wed. Have a look on the notices & stoppages here;

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/13858/opening-times-for-the-river-severn-and-gloucester-and-sharpness-canal-2018-2019

 

 

Thanks everyone. Really useful information.

 

Martin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's lovely in winter. Needs planning around tides, rain and opening hours. It would be advisable to wear a lifejacket as most of the river is remote from help and the water will be cold. VHF radio is useful as phone reception is patchy.

 

Check pub opening times too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

It's lovely in winter. Needs planning around tides, rain and opening hours. It would be advisable to wear a lifejacket as most of the river is remote from help and the water will be cold. VHF radio is useful as phone reception is patchy.

 

Check pub opening times too!

Cheers!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think all the points I might have made have been covered - I've spent a lot of time on the Severn in kayaks and you have a reasonable chance of getting flood conditions in January. I did a trip on the Severn last week when the lock opening was the same as it will be in January - hours are 10 until 4, closed on Tuesday and Wednesday and you have to phone up and book with Gloucester lock 24 hours before. I booked for 3:30, turned up at 3 but there was somebody already there so I got locked straight through - took less than 10 minutes, so I reckon you could arrive as late as about 3:45, though I don't know if I'd like to chance it.

 

Thinking about heading up to Stourport (and onwards to Birmingham) next week myself, though starting from Worcester - I need to plan when I book the locks for.

 

I'm wearing a PFD when on the river (don't own a lifejacket) and have my anchor out ready for use. Didn't have my VHF with me when I did my last trip - though didn't need to use the phone either as the lock was open and the keeper waiting. Then again I don't have a VHF licence as it was bought for emergency use sea kayaking (I figured if I'm in the water they wouldn't worry about whether I had a tx licence) so not sure I should use it.

Edited by aracer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, aracer said:

I'm wearing a PFD when on the river (don't own a lifejacket)

Are you aware of the difference between a Flotation Device and a lifejacket ?

 

If you hit your head as you fall over and are unconscious a lifejacket will turn you over to be face-up in the water.

A Flotation device will (normally) turn you face down so you drown.

 

A PFD is simply a buoyancy aid to assist an able bodied person (who has fallen out of a canoe) by providing additional buoyancy despite the weight of wet clothes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Are you aware of the difference between a Flotation Device and a lifejacket ?

Yes, very well thanks which is why I specified, but as I pointed out I don't own a lifejacket (and I'm a risk taker!) I've probably also spent a lot more time in the water, including very cold water, with or without a PFD than anybody else on here and whilst I accept they might not help much if you're unconscious they'll help a lot when falling into cold water if you are still conscious. I also wear a PFD rather than a lifejacket when kayaking on the sea in big waves, which feels way more risky than steering a NB on a river.

 

It did strike me as strange when out on the river in a kayak last week without a PFD (I don't wear one for kayaking on flatwater in a racing boat) when I'd been wearing one on the same waters on my NB - just wondering whether I'll end up taking off the PFD when I get in my kayak when doing a NB/kayak trip (thinking about heading up to Bewdley when I go to Stourport)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, aracer said:

I also wear a PFD rather than a lifejacket when kayaking on the sea in big waves,

Which is the ideal application for a PFD - an automatic lifejacket would not work in that scenario.

 

12 minutes ago, aracer said:

whilst I accept they might not help much if you're unconscious they'll help a lot when falling into cold water if you are still conscious.

Again correct, but when you are on a NB you are probably not wearing a wetsuit, and are just as likely to slip 'backwards' and hit your head on the gunwhales as you are to slip 'forwards' and go in head first.

 

13 minutes ago, aracer said:

I've probably also spent a lot more time in the water, including very cold water, with or without a PFD than anybody else on here

Don't bank on that - we have a very diverse membership - personally I 'grew up' dinghy sailing and spent a lot of time in the water, I then progressed to sub-aqua diving, and as you can imagine that involved a fair bit of time in the water. When diving we still wore an inflatable life jacket.

 

I now sail my blue-water catamaran on the ocean - I did almost 4000 miles last year wearing a lifejacket which fortunately was not 'needed'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fairy nuff - probably should have written "most people on here" - though I've done a wide variety of watersports, off the top of my head windsurfing was the one which involved spending most time in the water (apart from deliberately swimming and I've done quite a bit of that in lakes, rivers and sea).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.