The day began with once again clear blue skies and already high temperatures.
Our scheduling today revolved around Ellie's arrival by train. The plan had been initially to meet her at Littleport with a fall back option of Ely. The former is just one stop after the latter and the ticket prices from London are the same.
Just before we arrived at the city we saw what little remains of a former arm, lock and extensive dock which is now underneath the supermarket and car park.
The bridge carrying the railway line to Ipswich was badly damaged by the derailment of a freight and this is a recent replacement.
As we passed under the bypass construction we could see that since we came here a few days ago the concrete parapets have been completed, the temporary walkway for construction workers has been removed and the final crash barriers are nearly complete.
We had made a good start but by the time we arrived at Ely, with the need to do some shopping, it was clear that we would have to rush to get to Littleport in time and so Christine texted her whilst she was on the way to say that Ely was now the meeting point.
As we edged slowly into Ely it was not looking great for a free mooring spot. There was one room for a little boat but nothing our size. And then Christine, on lookout duty in the bows, spotted nb Knot on Call and as we came close they invited us to moor alongside - we now owe them two favours!
We had a short chat about our plans ahead - they may well take the same tide out of Denver as ourselves but look like attempting a quick transit of the Middle Level. We have opted for an extra day.
As we wanted to check out the walking route to the station we headed to Tesco - in any case it was significantly nearer this mooring than any other.
As we were not now rushing to get to Littleport for just after noon, we had time in hand so were able to carry our five large bags of larder stores back to the boat and take a break before Mike and Alice went back to meet Ellie.
We already knew that the train was packed solid from London so we thought about booking seats for the return trip tomorrow afternoon when Ellie escorts Alice back home. Alas, this train does not take bookings! We later discovered via the internet that these problems are said to be down to very long standing issues with Ely North Junction (where several lines merge) as well as short platforms at Littleport and Waterbeach that mean that it is not safe to operate 8 coach trains after Cambridge. (This is why the train divided there and Ellie had to make a quick change from the wrong to the right half!)
However, the media reports of recent meetings with ministers and train companies does indicate that the reasons are not always consistent and one is left wondering what really lies behind it all. In one case the train company justified a recent timetable change that adds at least 10 minutes to the typical journey times to Kings Lynn from London as 'giving a more reliable service'. Surely the best way to ensure that no train run late is to not run any at all! Clearly some passengers think that some train operators should be given that option . . .
After walking back to the boat - Ellie had not seen it before now - we set off as soon as possible, but only as far as the service point. Since everyone else was rather hungry for lunch, Mike was left to complete these activities - although he did have to wait quite some time midstream until a previous boat finished.
We have noticed each time we came along here this single boater apparently camping out moored alongside a sunken barge and a just-about-floating pontoon. In the last few days he has started to erect a steel framework. What will it be?
Once we were properly underway along Sandy's Cut (the straight section north of Ely) Ellie emerged to take over steering which she very competently did all the way to our eventual overnight stop on the GOBA mooring near Southery.
We had previously targeted Littleport but an earlier conversation at Ely told us that there was some kind of regatta event there this weekend and indeed when we arrived there was a small flotilla of cruisers lined up outside the pub on one side, all at right angles to the bank whilst on the opposite mooring it was full with narrowboats. Looked very much like a class war in progress! In any event it was rather too soon to be calling a halt for the day even though there was room at the mooring at Littleport Wharf (which is where we would have stopped if we were meeting the train at that station!)
Many of the GOBA moorings are remote and sometimes a bit wild bit this one had especially dense thistles, nettles and grass - but at least there was plenty of room whilst the posher EA moorings were all full, mainly with plastic boats.
After some chill out time Christine, Ellie and Alice set off to explore the local footpaths the other side of the flood bank, leaving Mike unable to see where they had gone whilst he was continuing to prepare tonight's roast dinner. (OK, so it is not Sunday but Ellie and Alice will have left by then!)
They walked some distance along the carefully cut grass footpath on the top of the bank. They took a look at a former pumping station at the end of a substantial drain.
13.5 Miles - 0 Locks
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