Where did the sluice go?,

If I was asked to describe the sluice at Denver I would say it looks like an industrial Brandenberg Gate. Any mention of things Berlin takes me back to a time spanning 1972 when I first lived there and 1981 when I last lived there.

This morning you wouldn't have known it was there

 One lovely dog walk between these shots.

And the close ups!

If I promise to miss you will you go away?

My little joke. Photo situation resolved.  In the meantime, we had our last night at the Fish and Duck.

This the view at 0700 on our last morning

With 'our' family of swans making an appearance.And,of,course, the cows couldn't be left out.

So we are officially based at the Denver Sluice Complex. Can't promise an 0700 pic anytime soon. I was up that early as I was off to a wedding. More of that next time.

Ooops

In trying to resolve the picture isses I have managed to removes huge chunk of the back catalogue. There are now unsightly circle things in the gaps in previous blogs where pictures should be.

A dilemma ... When it is sorted do I reload all of them, some of the more recent ones or declare it .... Meant to be .... Or for the more robust readers a wtf moment!

I think I have to put the Kings Lynn and Salters Load pics on ... Perhaps a selection of pics blog might work .....hmmmmmm

Surely I still have a picture of today's mooring .... Seems not! We are in Ely.

Well that was unexpected ... We've moved home!

QISMA continues to be well named. Because we had such a long trip back from Kings Lynn last Thursday, we decided to moor at Denver and not go on to Downham. Because we moored at Denver we saw that an EA mooring we had our eye on last year was empty. Because I was talking,to EA about changing our licence over to them I asked about the mooring. Because of all of the above and only having to give one months notice at the marina ..... Well here we are.....







1115

1230

 A long shot

Because we are on the move so much we can easily meet the 3 out of 7 requiremnt and for the first time we feel QISMA has found her home.

Big sky country

All things Salters Lode

A lovely walk on Friday morning, back down the bank of the River Great Ouse and past Salters Lode Lock. To those thinking of heading this way, it really does look worse than it is and the Lockies will help. If you are deep in the water you need to let them know.  It isn't first come etc they need to get the order suited to the tide.  

A walker very kindly sent pics of QISMA cruising past after the epic voyage from Kings Lynn

Liking Kings Lynn

Just sat down to write the blog and we hit a sandbank  ..  a wtf moment ... even though I knew the answer! Hmm. Some 3 hours later and many sandbanks behind us, we learnt that the tide was 'suppressed ' ie running late ... an event that can't be predicted and if that wasn't enough ... the EA had 'lost' a metre of water. Hey HEYS ....we made it.

One of many hazards ....at least we didn't have trouble getting under the bridges ... and,the,sun was shining!

Now where was I? Just about to say what a fab visit we had to Kings Lynn. Or Lynn,as we now know to call it.

The town centre is yards from the mooring. Good walks for LJ who was much admired - so it gets his vote.  Everyone was very friendly and the old part of the town is very appealing. I'm not turning my nose up at the new town centre but one shopping precinct is much like another

We had high hopes of the Tuesday Market.This square is called the Tuesday Market Place. Sadly this pic was taken on a Tuesday.

The moorings are on a rising pontoon. It cost £180K and completed last year and makes it possible for us to visit.

Love th

I love mooring on a rising pontoon. at high tide you could see QISMA from quite far back on the jetty. At low tide you had to peer over the edge.

And we on the

 I waited all week to catch a shot of the very mid channel .. it IS there!

This sculpture .. I think that would be the right description, was my favourite thing ... And right opposite the entranc

So..... An hour and 30 minutes behind schedule,we went past Salters Lode Lock 

A beautiful sight any day ... But especially welcome today

And, if this wasn't enough Picassa have changed the way I load pictures mid Blog!!

Enough already, I think the pub!

We are in port!

I love the view of Denver Sluice.

We were given a time slot of 1230 to go through Denver a Lock because, to quote the Lockie, the 'normal' people are going through from 1140!

Well, they thought they were, but the tide disagreed with that. We were moored on the far bank but, at 1210' when there was still no movement, Alistair phoned across and we told we could go through. We didn't know the problem was they were just waiting for the water levels to settle.

Our movement started action on two of the three boats moored at the lock waiting to go through Salters Lode and onto the Middle Levels. Queue jumpers Ahoy!  The third boat, being from March, was more relaxed! Oh dear...they got a telling from the Lockie  'get those ropes back on you aren't going anywhere!' and we got 'looks'!

Past the entrance to Salters Lode and a wave from their Lockie. Onto waters new.

Unlike the Thames, no desire able, or otherwise, properties to ogle at on this cruise. A lot of this..

A bit of this ..

 And a factory to rival the sugar beet job

And a bit over two hours later Kings Lynn where I could watch our arrival on the jetty live webcam! 

http://www.sailthewash.com/marinas-pontoons/kings-lynn-visitor-pontoons

 Tide in

Tide out

These moorings were only opened last year. At £50 a night ... Ouches (as LJ might tweet) but budgeted for!

 Our view this morning!

And the view of us