Fielde's Stort

Canals Today : Lee Navigation, River Lee, River Stort

We had moored close to the town centre at Waltham Abbey so, before leaving, Mike walked to see if he could find a paper and one or two other items. Although he did find the paper, that was all - provoking, belatedly, a dim recollection that we discovered much the same two years ago.

Waltham Abbey Church

Mike spotted an interesting Good Friday/Easter design set into the pedestrianised high street.

It was a misty morning when we set off - despite the stories in the media about this being caused by a sand storm from the Sahara and advice for all young, vulnerable and elderly people to stay indoors, it seemed to us just like good old British weather when some days just start hazy!

In fact it was generally warm after a chill start and after lunch the sun shone for a couple of hours.

At the first lock a boat above waited for us - it was perhaps the widest wide beam we have encountered on the move. Others often seem to be far too tall to pass under many of the bridges.

Shortly after we took another photo to add to our collection of unusual boat designs

 

 All the lock gates in this area have the same unusual form of construction: a steel girder is connected at one end to the heel post of the gate. It cannot be called a 'balance beam' since it has insufficient weight to do that and, unlike more traditional designs, it does not attached to the far end. This means that all of the torque when opening or closing has to pass through the four bolts which attach the girder to the gate. In this case it seems that someone decided they needed a little extra help!

Kings Weir

Kings Weir is an unusual design also, no doubt with the aim of allowing the river flow to escape quickly if the level rises suddenly.

A little later, as we came around a bend, Mike could see a couple of rowers out from Broxbourne Rowing Club. They did not appear to have noticed us but Mike steered well right to give them extra room (they need more than most river boats). As they still headed straight at us, Mike gave a long blast on the horn and, after a little hesitation they veered across right in front of our bows. Mike hastily put the engine in reverse and brought the boat to a standstill.

Still they came at us head on and slipped along our left side. However, their outriggers and blades (or whatever the proper names are!) caught under our bow and tipped both of them into the water and their boat capsized.

One quickly managed to get to the edge where he could stand in shallow water and the other struggled to bring the boat alongside, needing a little help from Mike from the stern.

Now: how were they to get back into their seats? Normally they start off from a launching slope that allows the bits that stick out to rest on shore and give balance but not so here. Mike had to lean over the edge of the bank and hold them steady as they clambered back in and sorted out their blades. Only then could they be launched, off back to the boathouse for a good shower, no doubt!

At Dobbs lock we had a crowd of onlookers who had walked down from the nearby pub while they waited until it was time for their lunch. Above the lock, we too pulled in for helpings of Christine's latest boat soup - lentil with bacon this time.

A long metal fence had been removed along the off side but these two trees were not letting go that easily!

Fielde's Weir Lock

At Fieldes Stort the sun was shining very brightly. We were able to use the elsan disposal whilst coming up through the lock. We had a slight problem on the approach, however. A gate was open and Mike was slowing down to go straight into the lock, with a boat moored just short of the lock landing. Suddenly Mike realised that we were going sideways quite fast and about to be swept into this boat by the force of the weir stream coming in from the opposite bank. Some very quick acceleration enabled to pass with a few centimetres to spare, but then had to slow quickly as we entered the lock!

After the first lock after turning onto the River Stort we opted to pull in for a rather rural overnight mooring - even though it was much earlier than our usual stopping time! After the last three days of exertions at least one of us was finding that we have still to restore boating fitness after the winter lay off! First time for a while we have needed the plank to get ashore.

The adjacent field has some rather posh scarecrows - perhaps the life/hi-vis jackets are spares from the nearby Royden Marina!

In 2014, Christine took a photo of the blossom at the next lock - this time from opposite our mooring.

6.7 miles - 7 locks