One day rain = Red Boards

[Brayman]

We went to the boat this morning to have a nice leisurely cruise to Goring en route to the Oxford Ditch Laying Up Dinner tomorrow night at Shillingford Bridge. Going over Sonning bridge I noticed the river was about 1½' up over normal level and really swirling from the weir stream. Nobody at the marina thought anything untoward so we put the gear on board.
I thought I had better phone the floodline, and the recorded message of yesterday morning (to be updated on Monday) said red boards were out above Oxford but also at Goring Whitchurch and Sonning. So I phoned Whitchurch lock to find they were indeed on reds and likely to get worse. "Some locks have no weirs left" and he advised us to stay put. SWMBO is definitely not happy!

What's going on? It only rained on Tuesday, are the EA panicking and shoving it all downstream as quickly as they can in case it rains again next week? After losing all that time in the summer we get a good weekend forecast but we can't get out again.
It appears Reds are out at Cookham too but they are expecting it to be ok for the weekend. Does anybody know what's going on?

So we went round to the service pontoon and filled up with diesel for the winter, also reduced my draft 4" by pumping out! £160 for a seasons boating but I don't seem to have been anywhere!

Having to drive to Shillingford now /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[DogsBody]

I guess having to drive to the laying up is preferable to being stuck on the boat in the middle of a field again!

Does seem a bit of a surprise though, to see they've put red boards out already, after what I thought was quite a good week for the time of year. What hope have we got of using the boat when the real winter wet weather arrives?

 

[Chris_d]

Yes I was surprised to see the river up half a metre or so this morning, as i went over Culham Bridge, whats going on /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif doesn't bode well for the winter does it.

By the way, had to give the laying up supper a miss as I've got works do on. Hope its a good evening.

 

[Gavi]

It certainly caught out the owner of a moored (non liveaboard) NB just upstream from us - it was at a fine old angle this morning. Had visions of pottering up with a neighbour this afternoon to help out (not sure on the rules around adjusting ropes without permission, but I'm sure they'd have preferred a floating boat?). When I checked at lunch they'd obviously been around to check and all was fine. I think they are going to need risers.

 

[Sammo]

I to was going to Shillingford on the boat …so was Mike who moors next to me ….but seeing your post have decided against it ……don`t want to get stuck……..pity as it would have been a pleasant end of season run for us with only the one lock at Benson….

Anyway a couple of minutes ago I went into the hotel website and booked a room ….so that`s us sorted….



..

 

[byron]

Yeh! Mike just phoned me to blag a lift to the do. Personally I think this is an over-react by EnVag. They are just running it off quickly. SAM... your boat would easily do the bridges between your mooring at the Silly Bridge Hotel. They are quite high and you are quite low. Mike's might be another matter as he is a few feet taller than you however the river would still need be very bad to lose the height even for him.
Ian, if you can get as far as me then the rest will be a doddle for you. You can always park up here anyway.

 

[rr_123]

agree, have never seen 't river react to a day of rain so quickly in the 20 years i've been around it (him, i suppose?)

EnvAg running it off quickly, but after this summer is that totally surprising?

R

 

[Steve Clayton]

[ QUOTE ]
Having to drive to Shillingford now /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Road boards are out - no access to SB, or Hotel ,or X-country caravans from the A4074 (the roundabout at Shillingford).
Diversion is via Wallingford and then head north

 

[rr_123]

[ QUOTE ]
Road boards are out - no access to SB, or Hotel ,or X-country caravans from the A4074

[/ QUOTE ]

bloomin' 'eck!

Can't walk round my way at the moment, all the footpaths are closed because of the foot and mouth thing.

no boating, no driving, no walking... is there something we should be told...

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Road boards are out - no access to SB, or Hotel ,or X-country caravans from the A4074

[/ QUOTE ]

bloomin' 'eck!

Can't walk round my way at the moment, all the footpaths are closed because of the foot and mouth thing.

no boating, no driving, no walking... is there something we should be told...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, someone wants you to saty home and watch the RWC

 

[andyoxon]

Likewise - went down to Hambleden yesterday and was astounded - as you say, a good 18 inches up. Fastest rise i've ever seen!

A

 

[Skyva_2]

Red boards are forecast at least till Saturday. Apparently 2" of rain in the Cotswolds earlier this week, and all the aquifers are full so the streams are running off into the Thames.

So I was due to run the dinghy racing at Cookham on Sunday, looks like I can have a lie in....even if it changes to yellow there is no wind forecast.

 

[Brayman]

They seem to have given up on Yellow boards these days, they go straight to red. A great forecast if you're not a sailor, but I'm still having to drive to Shillingford!
Next weekend is the Bray CC Laying Up at Cookham, I just hope we can get down to that.

 

[byron]

[ QUOTE ]
They seem to have given up on Yellow boards these days, they go straight to red. A great forecast if you're not a sailor, but I'm still having to drive to Shillingford!
Next weekend is the Bray CC Laying Up at Cookham, I just hope we can get down to that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mike has rung me he has spoken to them at Wallingford and they say levels are on the way down again. he's gone to the SBH by boat.

 

[Brayman]

If I was moored with you I would have gone but it's a long trip to T&K.