Intrepid boaters carry on - the windy and windy Stort

Monday, 12 September 2011 14:35

Having spent a very pleasant couple of days above Feakes Lock, we thought it was time to move further downstream.

Weekend mooring

Would the gusty wind trouble us?? No, we are intrepid boaters ..........

My plants on the roof were well watered and therefore heavy, our new tarp was well and truly tied down, the boarding planks were tied and locked down, anything else on the roof would be OK in the gusty conditions.

Arriving at Harlow Mill Bridge 

Just beyond Harlow Mill Bridge there are visitor moorings, a water point and Harlow Lock.

Empty VMs on our way up

There were two narrowboats moored - one on the VMs and another (unoccupied) on the water point/lock landing. In windy conditions, the latter boat really caused problems. We had to reverse to pull in to the VMs, but we were right up against the bridge, so I had to keep a close eye on Epiphany. Yes, we could have gone up to the lock gates, but I would have struggled to control the boat even if I could have got a rope ashore.  Incidentally, the aforesaid boat is unlicensed; when we came up it was moored right below the lock, using a lock landing bollard, again making life difficult as we approached the lock.

Below Harlow (and as the Stort Navigation skirts the town), not only was it windy but it was windy! (as in "wine-dee". Let the reader understand. Ed.) The navigation meanders around tight bends on its way to Latton Lock. This section has a few willow trees down, but it is still passable. After Latton Lock, the meandering continues. It was getting progressively more windy, Conkers were raining down on us but we had blue sky and sun!

Overhanging willow tree

We needed a bendy boat to get under this one - John did a good job avoiding all the branches!

Under the willow

I had been apprehensive about Burnt Mill Lock, as when we came up it was very busy with nowhere to wait for the lock. However, as we left the sani-station above it (there is a book exchange here), a boat passed us - so it was set for us. Phew! I did not fancy playing bumper boats with the trip boats and those moored on the VMs beside Harlow Station.

Parndon Mill Lock was pretty straight forward, despite the sharp bend to the right before it

Parndon Mill 

Below Parndon Mill, the navigation is very open and exposed. Now we felt the wind, but John had time to snatch a photo of Eastwick Church across the A414 running parallel to us.

Eastwick Church

We had planned to moor below Hunsdon Mill Lock. We had "fun" here, as the wind made getting in to the curved lock landing a little tricky. It really was time to find a mooring, preferably not under trees and a little sheltered.

About a quarter of a mile below we found our mooring - partly on piling again, but boy was it difficult to moor. The wind whipped across Hunsdon Mead and it took all my strength and a lot of effort from John to get us in and settled.

Our bow is a little exposed but it is a lovely mooring

Our garden today, Hunsdon Mead (a panorama, but not quite perfect!)

Stort Navigation, Feakes Lock to Hunsdon Mead
3 hours 23 minutes, 5.3 miles, 6 locks