Just returned home having left Mad Hatter at Castle Marina in Nottingham. We cruised the Erewash, Chesterfield, Fossdyke and Witham in May and early June we took a short break and left our boat in Newark. When we returned on 20th June we realised that immediate movement would not be possible. We took a chance on the Sunday and cruised to Nottingham against a reported 3 mph stream and a metre of fresh at Stoke Bardolph Lock. The 'waiting' area for the lock proved the most interesting as the flow and eddies from the weir are not very friendly. This was in contrast to the speed over the ground which was about 2.5 mph for most of the journey but increased to 3.5mph between Gunthorpe and Stoke. The stretch below Holme Lock needed the most concentration so we were glad to reach the more benign waters approaching Nottingham. We entered the canal at Meadow Lane Lock 10 hours after leaving Kings Marina.. Since then we were moored outside Sainsbury's watching the flooding on TV and thinking how fortunate we were compared the those whose houses have been flooded. Last Friday, having exhausted the delights of Nottingham, we decided to return home by car as the Trent had continued to rise all week and the weather forecast was for another dump on the weekend. Have spoken to the Cranfleet Lock keeper today. He has been most sympathetic over the last week, and suggests we ring again on Friday, but I doubt if we will be able to move before next week.
Richard nb Mad Hatter - abandoned
