Gone to sea..

Still marooned here at Alwalton and two days into the start of our third week now..  The water levels have dropped considerably with EA getting the water out to sea on the tidal Nene but we are still under strong stream warnings and a number of the locks up river are still 'reversed'. 

The normal arrangement with Nene river locks is that the top gates are closed and the bottom gate, or guilotine is left in the 'raised' position.  This prevents fish becoming trapped etc.  In strong stream or flood conditions the locks are reversed, that is the top gates are chained open and the bottom gate, the  guillotine is lowered.  To manage water levels the Environment Agency (EA) then raise the guillotine as much or as little as they deem (using the lock as a sluice) fit to allow water down stream.

We have been advised by our local river inspector Roy that tomorrow or Sunday the river may be taken off of strong stream and we might be able to get into Peterborough and the service point there.

The river levels have dropped by about three feet leaving a smelly deposit of silt along the bank

This hawthorn has gathered quite a bit of detritus

The canoists are back

The chap below doesn't mind, he's still fishing, regardless.