Bath Quays

Today's Navigation : River Avon

For the most part, today was very grey and at times quite chilly. With a long session ahead of us we, as on the way down, made an early start and left the visitor moorings at 8 am. 

We went under the Pero Bridge where the water is a bit wider coming back under a different arch to pass the moorings once more, but on the outside.

Our first task was to cross over to Wapping Wharf to empty all three of our elsan cassettes. Close to running out of time! On the way we passed a number of ships. The first is MV Balmoral. Built in 1949 she first served as a ferry, running between Southampton and the Isle of Wight, carrying up to 10 cars on its deck, as well as passengers and small freight.. After that role finished in 1968 she has had a chequered career including for a short time providing a service to Lundy Island. For some time she has been adapted to a life as a day cruiser and needed several very expensive refits. Alas in 2017 she was deemed unfit to set to sea and has been tied up in Bristol since then, used as an education centre.

Next, we passed John King a former tug that assisted ships into and out of the harbour out as far as Avonmouth. The work gradually tapered off as less and less sea freight traded into the harbour and, in any case, modern ships did not need such help. In 1970 she was sold off and had various used but was eventually bought by Bristol Museums and now runs trips around the harbour.

We mentioned the replica of John cabot's Matthew in an earlier blog.

Moored next to Wapping Wharf is a large motor yacht now called Miss Conduct. yet a nother vessel that has ended up here after a long career. She was built in US and completed in 1990, initially used as a top of the range super yacht restaurant. Gradually every billionaire wanted an even larger yacht and this one slipped down to 195th largest! For a while she was laid up, rusting away but after an extensive refit for a then reclusive wealthy businessman she became his home, permanently moored here. Earlier this year his identity and the source of his wealth became known when he was convicted of numerous offences as a rogue landlord and received a hefty fine. But he still lives here with his non-flying helicopter!

We tied up on the services pontoon but, alas, quickly discovered that we needed a different access code from either of the two we had already. We had to wait until 8.30 for the Harbour Master's office to open.

We were now able to return back aln the rest of the Floating Harbour, followed by the Feeder Channel. The poor light meant that we could not take any better pictures than on the way down.

We stopped briefly at Netham Lock to chat to the lock keeper who was out watching boats through - we had already passed the first arrival heading to the visitor pontoons.

These cottages appear, from old maps, to have been for the workers at several large quarries alongside the river.

We left the semi tidal river at Hanham Lock - only a small rise and thankfully already empty and ready for us (it was the only one of the six today, alas!) We shared most of the locks coming down but none today. However, there was a steady stream of hire boats on the move  - not all entirely familiar with lock protocols.

Spotted a couple  of dinosaurs feeding at the Avon Valley Adventure Park - which started life as a Pick Your Own Farm!

As on the way down, Swineford Lock proved very slow to fill - it all but stopped just a few cm short of being able to be opened. We had to resort to an advanced boating procedure to make progress.

Here, at the Avon County Rowing Club, the facilities were totally deserted, in sharp contrast to when we passed on the way down. Overall, we saw almost no water users, other than hire boats, save for one group of 10 canoes. Still had to maintain a careful lookout, just in case.

Weston Lock (the one with an extensive sand bank below) was almost as slow to fill as Swineford. Thanks to crew waiting to come down, we did not need special measures - just two people pushing rather than one. The time gave a chance to chat to the other boater who had been accompanying her father on a transit from Sharpness to Bristol, with the help of one of the Gloucester Pilots. She remarked how interesting he made the trip, pointing out endless landmarks accompanied with many tales and histories. 

As we arrived at the Quays mooring we could see that there was plenty of room and we actually tied up in almost the same place as before. (As also in 2014 on our first visit to Bristol, but now with much better railings). Later on, several more boats did arrive and most slots were occupied by nightfall.

Whilst Christine prepared the evening meal, Mike walked to the nearby Sainsbury supermarket for a few items. This store has introduced the latest security measure - you now have to scan a barcode on your receipt to be allowed out through the gates from the self checkouts.

17.5 Miles - 6 Locks