The Wash.


Preparing to leave Boston

I have to admit that there was a certain, shall we say, reluctance from the lock-keeper at Boston to allow us to take two narrowboats out onto the Wash. At first, he presented us with as many obstacles as he could to prevent us from going, without actually saying we couldn't go, as he doesn't have the authority to do so. He even told me that there were no pilots available at all..

However, a call to Wisbech yacht harbour got me the number of Daryl, our pilot, and when the lock-keeper realised that we were a) determined, b) sensible, and c) serious, he had to allow that we were going to go. So this is a picture of us waiting for the tide to come level with the water in the River Whitham, as the lock itself isn't actually long enough for narrowboats our size.

"Tendele" at sea

Considering that Alan and Eileen were originally planning to take their narrowboat, "Tendele" around Trent Falls, but backed out of that trip when Eileen found out how potentially dangerous it could be, it's amazing that they felt comfortable about going across the Wash at all.

They live aboard their boat, so they weren't simply risking their floating holiday home; they were risking their residence, and of course, their dogs. And it is a risk, and so much so that the insurance company we were with refused to cover us for the trip. So while we were out there, we were very careful to make sure the weather was right, and made sure we kept to the correct route. You will be pleased to know that "Tendele" is now moored in her usual berth, near the Anderton lift, at the marina there. Call in, if you're passing.
"OMF" at sea

A couple of curious things to note here, the first of which is that I have a beautiful green shell on board now, a memento of the trip, which I found on the beach that was revealed at low tide, when we took the dogs from "Tendele" for a walk, half way across.

The second thing is that I have to report that I now also have a mackerel fishing line on board, which Daryl and I deployed while making the crossing. We didn't catch anything, which is a pity, but I was so pleased to be able to say that a narrowboat has in fact trawled for mackerel in the North Sea!

It's a curious sight, a narrowboat at sea. You normally expect to see towpaths and bridges in the shot at the same time, and it's also quite unusual to be able to get all of the boat into a camera shot, as again due to the constrictions of the towpath it can be quite hard to get far enough away from it!
Wisbech - a safe haven.

Regular readers will know that I really like tying up "OMF" in places where you can be alongside ocean-going vessels, and Wisbech yacht harbour is another such place. It's quite a tricky place to get to really, as the river is seriously tidal here, and it flows very strongly both in and out twice day. This is a nice shot I think, as it represents arrival and safety, and an achievement made by very few narrowboats. Thanks to Daryl for his guidance, and to Alan and Eileen (and the dogs!) for their company.

Back to Home Page