Considerate Boating in ice?

Tuesday, 17 January 2012 14:20

So we are well and truly iced-in on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal near Hopwood. 

Ice ahead 

The big question is .....

...will we be able to make a "dash for it" when it thaws? The temperatures are supposed to rise overnight and tomorrow, but will it be enough? It is due to get cold again by the weekend, so we would really like to get into Birmingham first.

The problem of ice can be compounded by other narrowboats. One passed us yesterday - "on a mission"!

Breaking ice yesterday

Once the ice is broken, it refreezes in thicker lumps and the canal froze over again almost immediately after this narrowboat had been through, at speed. Considerate boaters are aware that breaking ice can cause scrapes and damage to other narrowboat hulls and that this is compounded by speed. Piling hooks or mooring pins can be pulled out by excessive speed. Hmm - perhaps they needed the speed to break the ice, but it was not that thick, methinks.

Surprisingly, the Considerate Boater website doesn't include anything about ice or adverse conditions such as wind or fog.

Passing our neighbours

So now the canal looks like this behind us

There was a heavy frost on the fields this morning - it was down to below minus 4 degrees last night and the towpath is very slippery, as I found out when I returned last night after dark. I didn't fall, but took the walk from the bridge very slowly! 

Frosty fields from our side doors

This afternoon the sun came out - almost the same scene

So perhaps we will move, or perhaps we will not. It is lovely here but not exactly convenient for a long prolonged enforced stay. Basic provisions are available at the garage by the bridge (bread, milk, coal, diesel); water is within walking distance, but an elsan - we might just have to take the bus!