Stealing a March

Sunday morning we awoke to our share of this spring snow.  Jill and I went off when the ground had aired a bit and walked the four mutts around Upwell.   On our return we collected our respective husbands and dragged them, kicking and screaming, to the The Five Bells for a Sunday Lunch;and what a good lunch it was..  Lots and lots of FRESH seasonal vegetables to accompany the carvery and all for £7.95. 
Replete, we returned to our own boats and watched the Malaysian Grand Prix only venturing out again for another dog walk early evening.

 Yarwood and Matilda Rose huddled together in the snow at Upwell

 

This morning as Joe prepared the boat for the off I texted Maureen, the lock keeper at Marmont Priory Lock to say we were on our way.  No sign of Maureen when we arrived so I set about closing gates and filling the lock for us to lock down towards March.  At eleven foot wide, this lock is roomy but not roomy enough for two narrowboats, so Graham and Jill on Nb Matilda Rose couldn't join us in the lock. 

 

 Yarwood entering Marmont Priory Lock

 

 After Marmont Priory Lock the navigation opens out and for the first time since Salters Lode there is actually some depth of water under the boat.  This stretch is also home to a considerable number of wind turbines!

 The view through the front hatch

 

Moored in March on the Town moorings

 

So here we are in March and we may be here some time.  Having escaped the River Great Ouse on Saturday we cannot get out on the Rive Nene.   I called Roy Smith, one of the River Nene Inspectors, for an update on the conditions on the Nene and it seems that water levels are very high still, many of the locks are still reversed and work scheduled for a number of the locks is delayed because of conditions.  Air draft at at Islip Bridge, near Thrapston, is currently 1.2m only so unless your vessel is a submarine you ain't going under that one. 

His advice, stay put and call them next week for an update. 

Seems like one of those DAY-JAR-VOO moments!!