In the lea on the Lee

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 16:43

We have dropped down to our more normal 3 hours/day cruising - so setting off between 9.30 and 10.00am means that we are moored up around lunchtime.

Leaving Carthagena Lock behind

It is certainly easier to get going when the sun shines and the lock is set by a boat coming up .......

I was enjoying cruising, blue skies and no wind (or were we just in the lea of the wind? - groan!) so much, I did not take my usual quota of photos! Here are some blue skies for you too -

Old Nazeing Road Bridge near Broxbourne

Lee Valley Boat Centre

One of the Lee Valley Boat Centre day boats was coming up Carthagena Lock and waited for us to exit. They was a large crew and no one came to help - we exited through one gate and belatedly they realised that, as a wide boat, they needed both open!

Cheshunt moorings were full, however, the ice cream boat there had no customers. There is water on both sides of the Lee Navigation for a long straight stretch - a haven for wildfowl and fishermen as well as water activities.

Cheshunt moorings

Waltham Common Lock has a hook in the tail wall - I think it is for bow ropes or is it something to do with the ropes from the horse barges passing under the bridge?

Tail wall at Waltham Common Lock 

Trying to find an answer to the above question I found some facts about the Lee Locks from the minutes of the River Lee Trust  (my comments are in bold) -

In March 1780 it was "resolved that fifteen Walksmen be appointed for the care and management of the Navigation and thirteen cottages be built .." Two cottages had already been built. Those were the days! 

In December 1812 the lock keepers were given a wage rise - another 2s 6d to add to their 15s/week.

It was not until May 1871 that a boat was provided for the Engineer and the committees "appointed to inspect the Works". It always helps to see the boaters "point of view"

It was not until 1898 that Lock Keepers were provided with uniforms. I bet they did not bother about life jackets!

If you want to read more about the wrong doings of the keepers, smelly ruffians on the manure boats, health and safety in C19th, recalcitrant ex-Army horses etc., have a look at the Leeandstort website.

Below Waltham Common Lock is Powdermill Stream, built in the early 1800s to link the Navigation to (Gun) Powder Mills.

Powdermill stream

On the way up, I mentioned the electric controls for lock gates - our next lock Rammey Marsh has this facility. We could choose which gate to open too.

Electric gate controls

Last night on the One Show they were discussing electric pylons and a competition to design more modern ones. Regular readers will know that I often take photos of these giants as they stride across our landscape. From the Huddersfield and Lancaster canals to the Ashby Canal and the Lee and Stort Navigations, I keep photographing them. Here is my latest at Rammey Marsh Lock.

Pylon against the sky

We moored up below Rammey Marsh almost in the same spot as we did on the way up, as I said above, at lunch-time.

Lee Navigation, Carthagena Lock to Rammey Marsh
3 hours 9 minutes, 5.3 miles, 6 locks