From canals@tclayton.demon.co.uk Wed May 5 23:13:02 1999 Date: Tue, 05 May 1998 22:45:09 GMT From: Tony Clayton Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canals@blacksheep.org Subject: TRIP REPORT - Bank Holiday on the Wey At last we got out on the boat yesterday. On Saturday the forecast was 'very cold', so we didn't go. It was lovely and warm. Oh well, the garden got well done over and I did get a new customer, a young man having problems with his Common Entrance maths papers - all helps to pay the bills. On Sunday it rained first thing, so we didn't go. The rain stopped and it was lovely and warm. Anyway, I had another tutee (maths CE papers again). On Monday we decided to go anyway, and it was lovely until mid afternoon. We hit the day-hire-boat demo at Catteshall Lock, but after a general discussion along the lines of 'We didn't know it was so complicated' they left and we dropped down. Len as always is a great help to us here. Catteshall Lock is one where you cannot cross the bottom gates (at least, not very safely), so it is a case of either walking all the way round by the road bridge, or using the boat-hook. This is where the hook is very useful. Two more boats were waiting to come up, and at the junction with the weir stream there were three lots of ducklings. Each brood had at least 10 babies. Unstead was against us. At least the old problem of tiny paddle holes in the bottom gates has been rectified, and it now takes a reasonably short time to descend, and the new problem of exceedingly stiff paddle gear has been eased. Hazel's one complaint about being moored in Godalming is that she has to get off the roof every time we pass under Broadford Bridge. 6ft headroom leaves only a few inches even when the river is at low summer level. There are danger notices on the downstream side, but it is clearly assumed that anyone coming downstream knows about the problem. This is not always true! The river was not too busy, although the walkers were out in force. St Catherines Lock gave us the only passage of the day where the lock was for us, and we then headed on to Millmead in search of an ice cream. A young man there was selling them from an ancient bicycle contraption, and they were very welcome. 'How far can you go' he asked 'Ripon' I said, but as he looked none the wiser I explained that we had been up through Oxford nearly to Coventry two years before. This is one of the most frequently asked questions from gongoozlers, the other being 'Do you really eat meals and spend the night in that' (a sentiment sometimes shared by Hazel!). The turnaround was in full swing at Guildford Boathouse. They were pleased with the weather after the washout at Easter. By now the rowing boats were out in large numbers, which adds spice to the navigation of the sharp corners in the river. We headed back and spotted two deer in the nettlebeds near the new Pilgrims Way footbridge. We expected a closer view up the weirstream, but a family led by a keen photographer had scared them away by the time we got there. Now, if you want some entertaining steering, head up the weir stream below St Catherines Lock. There are many sharp bends, narrows and the occasional low tree, but once up there it is a haven of peace. The water meadows were flooded after the wet April, more than we have ever seen before. A few ducks were about and two cruisers (but I have seen a 45 footer up there). You can get up within sight of the weir, but there is a shallow area like concrete about 80 yards from it. The safe rule is that if you can see the weir it is time to turn. After lunch and a pleasant snooze we headed back. We had the first two locks to ourselves, although there was quite a bit of traffic and someone heading upstream ahead of us. Another fun challenge is heading up the Wey and Arun, then doing a sharp right and left up the Bramley Stream under the main road and as far as the old railway bridge, but the NT have got a bit nettly about us going up there, the spoilsports. We did time things badly as we came up behind the horsedrawn trip-boat Iona just after the last place we could get past, and they do travel very slowly indeed - none of your flyboat stuff! We know the crew well, and did not mind quietly pottering along and joining them in Catteshall Lock. Catteshall Lock is less than 14ft wide, and Iona is a full 7ft, so we only just jam in alongside their stern, and we scrape the locksides clean with our rubbingstrake as we go up, but we do fit. For a change we went right up to Town Bridge. I have always thought we should be able to get through the central arch, and my investigation indicates that we can, but it would be very tight. We don't know what underwater obstacles there might be with the water as coloured as it is at the moment. One day I shall try it... -- Tony Clayton 'Linton', Godalming Wharf Home Page http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk ... Never attribute to malice that which may be explained by stupidity.