Yet another glorious sunny day even if the sky was a little more hazy than the last couple of days and a few fluffy clouds appeared in the middle of the afternoon, only to disappear a couple of hours later. The evening was especially attractive.
Before we could return back down the River Wissey we had first to complete the short distance to the head of the navigation where another stream joins the main river and there is enough room - just - to turn boats around.
At the aqueduct over the Cut Off Channel we came to a halt even though there was no way to get off. Holding the camera as high as we could managed yielded just a tiny view - not all that interesting!
At the junction with Methwold Lode it looks a lot easier to decide which was we should have turned on the way up than it did at the time. Well, the wake of the boat is a bit of a give-away . . .
At the sugar beet factory there was rather more work going on at the lattice structure beside the river - not easy to spot the workers even when they do shout out a greeting. All of them at least waved to us.
At one point this very large tube crosses the river and seems to be heading towards a large pile in the distance - we could just see kit but the cloud of dust being blow from that direction was not too pleasant.
We kept a lookout for the more interesting buildings - this one was once an engine pumping station but now seems to have been converted to a B&B.
As we approached Hilgay there was a long line of moored boats but the view was rather attractive.
We also wanted to see where the mooring is located - we missed it entirely yesterday. As we approached the village road bridge we could see someone returning to their boat having filled their water container from a tap. As we pulled in we could just make out the sign indicating that this is indeed the expected mooring. What was not expected was that close by there is also an elsan disposal point which was not in our guide books.
By the time we reached the first of the two GOBA moorings near the start of the river it was time for lunch so we pulled - perhaps so that we could that we have stopped at all the official moorings on the Wissey!
Shortly after resuming our journey we left the Wissey and turned onto the very much wider Great Ouse.
There are not very many landmarks along the stretch to the next junction but we did managed to see a few interesting buildings. The first is the small St Mark's church for the hamlet of Ten Mile Bank. Its website states that services are held two Sundays in each month but, since it has not been updated since 2011, who knows?
Next we saw two former pumping stations. The first is converted into a dwelling but a zoomed in photo just about reveals that it was built by the Littleport and Downham Commissioners in probably 1852 although it seems that the first pump was provided on this site in 1812.
And finally yet another pumping station - close to the Denver Sailing Club it pumped water from Engine Drain. It appears to have been discontinued and we found one suggestion that it had been converted into a private residence but it was not completely obvious from where we could see it.
As we turned off into the Little Ouse we could see The Ship pub at the junction. However, the close proximity to the busy A10 is probably more to do with its continuing success than serving passing boaters - although there are moorings for patrons.
From the junction there was a rather long line of waterside moorings, mostly mass produced cruisers but this one might just be said to be 'up a creek without a paddle'. (Joke)
And this one looks as if it was an attempt to replicate Noah's Ark.
Shortly before we passed under Redmere Drove Bridge we passed this dilapidated timber building. Alas we can find nothing about it - it looks even more quaint from the long side but the sun was in the wrong direction for a photo.
Not quite as late as we at one time feared (just before half past five) we arrived at the GOBA mooring. We knew from the GOBA magazine that work on it is planned but its remote location makes it quite a task. Still, at least we could jump off and secure the boat but a ratre outing for the gangplank was then advisable for subsequent use!
By now flying from RAF Lakenheath had come to an end for the day - almost all day so far we had seen frequent flights of the F15 aircraft that belong to the US air force and are based here.
23.8 Miles - 0 Locks
No comments:
Post a Comment