Ice on the BCN - again

Friday, 01 January 2010 21:00

We were full of good intentions and planned to move today

Ha! You must be joking!

Firstly, although we are now more removed from the pub at Cambrian Wharf, it was a noisy night! They closed at three o'clock on New Year's Eve and as we had decided to celebrate quietly, this plan was rather scuppered!

We did catch sight of Birmingham's firework celebrations, as we could peek in between the flats at the back of the wharf! Sadly, we are a bit jaded towards firework displays, as when we lived on the edge of St Mawes in Cornwall, every wedding was followed by a display at the reception in one of the hotels. We must have seen many thousands of pounds go up in smoke!

Fireworks over Brum (flicker photo by ahisguett)

Secondly when we stirred in the morning we were iced-in - oh joy! Before Christmas we had been thoroughly iced-in but it had thawed - so we thought we might venture forth. It was not to be, but one of the boats here, Nb Sabrina, cut a path to the water point (with difficulty) opposite the wharf, by the BW offices. He then disappeared off towards the Main Line, leaving an ice path in his wake.

BW office, Cambrian House

We thought that it was a perfect day for a cruise, sunny and crisply cold. So off we set just before lunch - to the water point! Crunching a bit of broken ice we pulled in (at what is justly, reputedly the slowest tap on the cut. Ed.) and did all the necessary!

Water point with locks behind us

As we finished, the intrepid explorer Sabrina returned - very slowly! He reported that although the area around Sherborne Wharf was clear he had only got just beyond Rotton Park Bridge at the Junction. Beyond that the ice was five inches thick. He suggested we stay at Cambrian Wharf, as he was planning to do, back in his old mooring spot!

Rotton Park Junction (without ice!)

We left our Epiphany name board on our pontoon, as we had already decided that we would be wise to stay put - the forecast was for more freezing temperatures for the next few days.

We reversed back along our ice path, just seen here

So we made sure we were snugly moored, ready for whatever the weather decided to throw at us. We could be in worse places - marooned out in the countryside, in a dodgy spot for mooring, or even up one of the BCN loops!

Here we have shops a-plenty, scope for some interesting walks with my camera and the BW services within walking distance!