Tuesday 6 November 2012

Who pulled the plug out?

Sunday it rained. It rained and it rained and it rained. We were going out for Sunday lunch with Lesley and Joe, but no-one could face the long troop through rain and mud up to the road. Apart from Lesley and I having to do something with the dogs (in my case the bare minimum) no-one stirred from the comfort of their boats.
Monday dawned bright, sunny and busy. Downham Market for groceries, dog walking and then a visit to our solicitor's in Ely to try and finalise the paperwork on Mum's bungalow. On the drive back G and I had a little wager - the loser was to cook dinner (pretty clever on my part as I cook dinner anyway). Graham lost the wager so cooked dinner and then we ran out of water - this is only the second time ever that we've run out of water through stupidity; running out because we're stuck in ice, floods or droughts goes with the cc territory. My glass was definitely half full though as I couldn't wash up either (a night off).
We were due to service the boats across the river before we left in the morning, so it wasn't the end of the world - I scrounged a pan of water off of NB Yarwood which filled the dog's bowl and the kettle for our tea in the morning (Daisy only drinks blue milk). When G took the dogs out for last wees he loosened the ropes right off as the water level had dropped a bit and we agreed we'd get up early to go and fill with water.
We climbed out of bed this morning, with some difficulty, to the sound of  Yarwoods engine revving. Not only did we have no water in the boat, we didn't have much under it either and both boats were stranded.
 Good job our ropes were loose. We rang EA who said that they'd had to open the gates to reduce the flooding in Cambridge but that they would shut the gate and we should be afloat again in 4 or 5 hours. Lesley went off with her dogs whilst Graham tried to flush Joe off with our engine. Eventually they got Yarwood off and Joe put a gang plank out to re-board Lesley and the dogs.
 Except jelly boy Floyd (Ty is not the only one) didn't fancy the gank plank at such a severe angle so we put him on Matilda Rose with our boys whilst we concentrated on bow hauling MR off.
"Cor mum - they don't have very big beds round here and they haven't left any food lying about"
Eventually both boats were off - Yarwood mooring across the river in deeper water and MR to the waterpoint. All these shenanigans started about  7.00am this morning and it was 12.30 by the time we had restored MR to some kind of order and people were fed.
As our ropes were loose it was not a big deal (could have been a very different story if they were tighter), just a lot of hassle - made worse by our being daft enough to run our water tank dry BUT emptying the river wasn't an accident. If EA can send out strong stream alerts to our 'phones, why can't they send "we're pulling the plug" alerts using the same system? I feel an e-mail coming on.

8 comments:

  1. We left Cambridge on Saturday lunchtime, mooring up at Clayhithe a couple of hours later. Mistake! as Sunday for our onward journey back to Ely was very wet and cold despite a full canopy.

    On arrival at the home mooring I noticed the levels were very low meaning there was preparation for a lot coming down to fill it again.

    I got back on the boat this evening. I have to say I have never seen the river so muddy. But the level is back to normal now.

    This water management seems to be a bit of a black art. When moored on Midsummer Common the level change about 8" as quick as overnight.


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    1. We lost a good 18" overnight. I'm surprised you moved on Sunday Kevin; it has to have been the foulest day we've seen in a long time, but I suppose Debbie had to be back at school - we'll be back in Ely Friday for Saturday's fireworks. Will you be around?

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    2. I don't think so. No plans to be here but that can change at the whim of er in doors.

      Here now and Thursday doing jobs. So far this visit I have blown up my sky box and my DAB radio by sending them both 270v while adjusting the generator output.

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    3. Ouch - that sounds painfully expensive. On our way to Cambridge now - sorry we seem to be out of sync at the moment but will catch you soon

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  2. Hi both, you're certainly having some 'one-off' experiences over there - sometimes even more than once! I think that e-mail to the EA is a good idea - I can't imagine how you felt knowing that 'you'd be ok in 4-5 hours!' Take care now and give our regards to Lesley and Graham too. xx

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    1. Regards duly passed on. How daft were we to run out of water though. Watching your composting experiences with great interest.

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  3. Deer Jelly-bruvver Floyd

    I finks it is very bad that yous haven't got a big enuff bed- I shoulds complain - us Jellyboys need extra speshul proper lookings after - wot means big beds.

    xxx
    Big Scaredy Wuss Jellyboy Ty



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    1. I did pass your message on Ty and I know my small beds are just not good enough, but I wasn't expecting him and I did give him TWO beds

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