east coast cruising

No problem
As for the TNC , they're an interesting bunch but looking at The Website I can't help thinking how much things have changed in only a few years
Fulney lock now has full security fencing all round it , Fosdyke yacht haven isn't even there in its current state and even Seas End has changed a lot since then
Looking at the Seas End pic , from the bridge onto the moorings , my mooring is first on the left
I'll look forward to hearing from you
 
I've send an e mail to Neil asking him to reply on this; was there any specific you wanted to know? If things have changed (I think I went something like 2001-2202) then any advice as you say may be out of date. Neil had a contact at Spalding Yacht Club (if it was called that) who came along and gave us contact info etc.

IanC
 
Matt

I've just reread the TNC report to remind me, it was 2001, and firstly coming from the Thames i was amazed at how large and empty the non tidal welland was. Spalding reminded me of a Dutch waterside town (or some we saw on the TNC Irish tour last summer), it's a pity that some of the bridges are so low. When Neil went back he said the Coronation Channel was now closed off, again a huge amount of water to navigate back in 2001.

Rereading Neil's report of going back out of Fulney lock he said it was an overtime fiddle that they let us out so late, I feel it was simple inexperience, following written instuctions, and not knowing how to use the lock.

The tide speed is faster than anything else I've experienced (I haven't done the Severn). Making any progress against the tides on the Welland is a very slow process. Neil's report says about John Chapman in Frogmore being too early in going up to Fulney; he attempted to anchor by chucking the anchor out the front when going up with this fierce tide. I thought there was a chance he could of capsized Frogmore. He retrieved the situation somehow, and he had a young lad from his church who was inexperienced at boating as crew. John got this lad off onto the steep flood bank and he somehow made fast to stop Frogmores progress. We weren't that impressed!

Having said that we left Sufleet as soon as we started to float, so had a tremendous struggle against the flood.

We used the Stone Barge close to the entrance off the Wash to more on overnight after we left Surfleet, and went out to go to the Nene. I think Neil said next time he went the barge was gone. Interesting to note when we left the tide continued to ebb but the level started rising.

Neil also had a bit of local knowledge about when to enter the Welland, I think when the training wall at Tabs Head begins to cover that's the sign of when you should set off for Fulney at a slow pace.

Hope this is of some use.

IanC
 
Hi Ian

Ive been reading the TNC website,its full of very usefull info,at one point i felt dismay when iread about the footbridge having an air draught of 1.6m,so i shot off down there after work and either its a new bridge or the river has shrunk,it now look to be around 2.5 meters.I also checked out google earth and the stone barge is there but could have moved gain as the photos update every year or so.

Well i contacted the EA bloke about fulney lock and its a case of meeting him there at 5.30am,so im hoping for fair weather on bank holiday weekend
 
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