Port Meadow - is it flooded

scuzzy weather

Chris_d said:
Are you going? its a brilliant place especialy if it freezes after the floods but the weather looks a bit horrible today.
Click to expand...

I did get up early and it was raining

so......

I shall bide my time in the hope that the sun comes out at a time when I have access to the polo

hopefully it will stay flooded for a while

holiday times are always tough as I share the car with my offspring

it is a great deal... I pay for everything... they trash the inside and leave the tank empty... and occasionally I get to use the car


meantime here is the punt on the Thames - but not at port meadow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgGCH7gaGLU

build one

the thames is a wonderful river for the right sailing boat

Dylan
 
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The easiest way to find out (should be) is to ring the lock(s) and ask.
This didn't work for me this morning - no answer from Godstow and King's, not surprising - as locals will know - both these lock houses are not much higher than the surrounding land, indeed King's can't get out as all the roads and tracks are flooded.


Osney is running +4, but that's not useful information as excess water gets diverted round at least two streams before the lock. I suspect there's a lot of flow under the bridges in Hythe Bridge Street, and that means there's a good flow at the Oxford city end of the Meadow into the two streams - you don't want to get sucked towards them...

I spoke to Osney lock and from a practical point of view - he says you just can't see the River when the Meadow's flooded; even if DW knows the area well. The Lockie also points out that there's a strong weir near where DW intends to launch which might (my words) cause a problem.


I've now managed to raise Godstow (he was working the weirs) and all he can see is water everywhere. He's obviously not in a position to say how much depth there is, save to say that his tail layby is 3ft. higher than normal and the sandy bank by it is underwater as is the adjacent field.
He makes the point that whereas there may be 2ft depth in some parts there may only be 3 inches at others. The ground is so soggy that if you hop out of the dinghy to push clear you may get stuck in the mud. He says that exactly that happened earlier in the year the Fire Brigade had to rescue some folks. To echo what Osney said - launching from Wolvercote car park "is not a good idea" (DON'T).

I bothered to do all this research because the public at large (and perhaps some senior management at EA) just don't realise how important it is to have a presence at locks not only to do their duties but as an information and safety point. Sadly, these functions are not part of the management of the River and are not revenue earning...

If EA navigations and the Thames in particular are to be "dumped" on CaRT, then there must be funding for resident Lock staff and a contractual obligation to maintain them.


BTW Godstow bridge is still blocked, there is a 45ft. nb broached to, sunk or partially so, no access for a crane and so on; thus UFN at least until the flow subsides to normal levels.
 
Dylan

At your age you should know better.

The most dangerous part is the weir below the Trout Inn.

I used to scull as a fit and very strong and skilled teenager.

The boatman would shake his head at me and my fellow nutters .We were never stopped from exploring the Meadow when in full flood. It was even more fun if you had to break thin ice on a cold spring day.
 
Good post from true blue. I just want to add that I went to my boat at Lechlade this morning but' despite sporting waders and a LJ, chickened out. Or perhaps sensibled out. It was not just the depth of the water in fields but also the currents - in all directions.

The worlds best tiny cabin cruiser appear o.k. (from some distance). Now safely in the pub. I'll have one for Dylan too...
 
Was in Oxford this afternoon to see Wasps slaughter the welsh; there seemed to be miles of flooded fields around the Thame around the Chiselhampton/Stadhampton area.
 
with any luck

ianc1200 said:
Was in Oxford this afternoon to see Wasps slaughter the welsh; there seemed to be miles of flooded fields around the Thame around the Chiselhampton/Stadhampton area.
Click to expand...

with any luck there should be plenty of space for sailing well over to the east and away from the main stream

the punt sails in three inches of water

I just hope the light is kind to me

D
 
"I wish I had a quid each time I have been told to stay out of the Wallet or that wells bar is a killer or that tat to enter the Swale during springs is a certain way of committing suicide"



H,mm.... be v.interested to inquire as to what terrors lie in wait for those entering the poor old Swale during springs.Moored at Kingsferry for several few years.
The delightful Isle of Sheppey usually gives welcome shelter from horrid N
NE wind.
Neat place to nip into to get out of lumpy sea on way back from Ramsgate etc.
Good idea to stick to bouyed channel tho,very interesting on nice summer day to go through on LWS with small shallow draft boat.
Water is xtal clear under your keel and you may well sniff the ground once or twice if drawing more than a metre,but on a rising tide who cares.
 
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still alive

had a wonderful morning

some canoeists saw me sailing and tried to paddle over

only to find that it was too shallow for them

the current across the meadow was around a kn ot in places

the river was going a bit faster

D
 
Thinking Of Going Boating In This? Are You Mad?

Y'all listen to TL, he speaks the truth, only a suicidal lunatic would go out on the river right now. Not even the EA are out at the mo which says it all.

Sailing on flooded meadows might be fine till the wind drops and the stream takes you.

The difference between risk and stupidity lies in the mortuary.
 
If we all listened to others, the majority of the world would have remained undiscovered and we would never have stepped on the moon.
We all have different abilities when it comes to dealing with arising situations. Good for you Dylan. :D
 
Phill said:
If we all listened to others, the majority of the world would have remained undiscovered and we would never have stepped on the moon.
Click to expand...

Have to agree, of course.

Happy New Year everyone - from Trotwood (snug as a bug in a rug :D, and in the marina)
 
capnfishy said:
Y'all listen to TL, he speaks the truth, only a suicidal lunatic would go out on the river right now. Not even the EA are out at the mo which says it all.

Sailing on flooded meadows might be fine till the wind drops and the stream takes you.

The difference between risk and stupidity lies in the mortuary.
Click to expand...
If the wind dropped I would just get out a walk! Didn't you read the bit about it being too shallow to paddle a canoe?
 
sailing through history

The English Nation emerged from the Thames - it is like sailing through history

you are very lucky blokes

but I think that you should really explore your river properly

build a duck punt

some canoeists saw me sailing and they started paddling towards me

pretty soon they ran out of water, got out of the canoes and started wading towards me in the beleif that I had found some deeper water

they walked about 200 yards before realising that I was sailing through water too shallow for them to paddle

it was a wonderful moment

Port Meadow is such an amazing place

just one of many brilliant spots along the Thames

Dylan
 
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