Sunday 30 September 2007

Change of scenery.

9 locks, and 9.5 miles. Now moored at Stonebridge lock on the River Lea.

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We had given Islington a good going over so it was time to move on to pastures green. We had planned on mooring up at Victoria Park by Old Ford lock but the place was full with the usual go nowhere live aboard's. Frustrating when they are supposed to be 14 day visitor moorings. How ever we watered up IN the lock as the tap is in the adjacent facilities wash room.

As we were forced to move on to find alternate moorings we wasted no time going up the river Lee trying to dodge the islands of floating rotting stinking vegetation. What with the weed and the rubbish the first few miles were not very impressive.

At Tottenham lock we spoke to a gentleman about moorings and he told us to moor above Stonebridge lock where we are now. There are live aboard's on the opposite bank and we found out that there is also a park which has a regular mobile security patrol which is a guard dog and its handler. It is very pleasant and quiet but as we don't need shops or anything else it suit's us fine.

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The state of the river is improving but there is a lot of water weed being washed down stream which is accumulating in front of the lock gates making a very large island. The weed is actually stopping the lock gates closing properly even though they are electrically operated. I dread to think what we will find upon our return as there are less and less boat movements each day as we get closer to winter.

709 locks, 1000.5 miles, 29 Tunnels, 39 swing bridges and 19 lift bridges since Nov 2006

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