Two out of three ain't bad
by: Myron
Another big day for the Boat Team today. We had 3 big tasks today, to be attempted by a team totalling 12 people.
Weedie, managed by Rob, was to complete the cutting of the Walbridge pound up to Capels Mill, and then bring Weedie back down to Ebley to continue the good work in Ebley and Ryeford pounds. A team had taken Weedie up to Wallbridge pound on Bank Holiday Monday to clear the weed either side of the burned out warehouse in preparation for the clearing of the obstruction in the canal by the Dredgers. It was decided to continue the good work in this pound today, before bringing it back down to Ebley, where it ended the day. How they did all that cutting and managed to get Weedie all the way back to Ebley I don’t know.
Tony took Aquila out to complete the survey of the Dudbridge to Ryeford section, which they completed easily by lunch time. Just as well, as Aquila was needed for a very important job at Ryford locks, see below. Even more impressive was that they found time to survey Wallbridge lower lock, which is so encumbered with silt that it is almost inoperable.
The team taking Margaret out, led by Nick, was supposed to take Delilah down to the Coal Wharf to pick up a load of scaffolding to be used on the renovations of the Lock Keepers Cottage. Well guess what, they didn’t turn up. Some pathetic excuse of the ‘lorry breaking down’ did not wash with anyone. This left poor Shane and Jo a bit let down to say the least. But for us it all worked out ok in the end. We left Delilah at the Coal Wharf, in the vain hope that it may end up with some scaffolding on it, and went back upstream. We’d had a very productive training exercise in pushing barges. Then fate took a hand. As a training exercise for some new to Margaret, we opened the weed hatch, where we found a thick knot of wire round the prop. Poking at it from 2 foot above was not going to shift this lot. I know, why don’t we put it into Ryford double (our dry dock in times of need) and we can all learn the particular aspects of subjecting Margaret to this tried and tested method of boat maintenance. A dummy run to see what the results might be were successfully completed in time to let the trip boat pass, before trying it for real. Aquila, who now joined us was put in her customary place, close to the prop, where the offending detritus was eventually removed.
It is also of note that Floyd Baker has now joined the illustrious group of
qualified Deputy Team Leaders, more commonly known as a skipper with the
arrival of his WRG 21c license. Welcome Floyd.
Thanks all for a brilliant day.
