Tuesday 23 April 2019

Back to Normality!



Easter Weekend and it was back to reality after the Wye Invader Two trip to Monmouth on the one of largest tides of the year so far! The Bank Holiday weather was set to be the hottest so far this year so it was decided to go to Gloucester on Good Friday, stop for fuel in Saul Junction on the way and then on to Gloucester to stay over and have a look at the currently closed Gloucester Lock and try to get an under-standing as to why it is taking so long to repair.

Friday 0815 hrs. Wye Invader Two departed Sharpness Marina, as the wind was blowing strong from the North East as soon as the bows were free of the mooring, the wind took Wye Invader Two bow first down the Marina, as we do not have a bow thruster this required going astern to exit the Marina.

0830 hrs. As Wye Invader Two left Sharpness the skies were clear of clouds, the wind was still blowing from the north east and it’s cold!  However, there are no other boats or very few moving on the canal and it’s a beautiful day to be out.









1015 hrs. Wye Invader Two stopped at and moored alongside the fuel stop just short of Saul Junction

10 30 hrs. As there were no other boats on the canal we soon cleared Saul Junction and passed Hardwick off to the starboard side, by 1125 hrs the canal then moves into a cutting and is sheltered from the wind as we pass by Quedgeley and a definite improvement as far as temperature is concerned.

1200 hrs. Wye Invader Two passes under Llanthony Bridge and into Gloucester Docks, there were 2 Wide Beam Barges moored on the west side just short of the lock entrance and 4 Narrowboats on the finger moorings by Dr Fosters in the north east corner, not what you would expect on a Bank Holiday. In the lock, the water had been stopped from the river side and 2 pumps were dealing with a small amount through the lock gates from the dock. A friend had made enquiry of the Canal Trust and been told that the lock will be open on the 28th April. we all hope so!

RETURN TO Sharpness Saturday.

1030 hrs. Checked the engine and gear box oil, started engine and cleared the mooring, the wind had eased, the day was warming up and there was very little cloud about. The journey back was a very pleasant one, Gloucester Rowing Club was out on the canal in force and, by the time we had passed through Saul Junction the rest of the boating community had decided to take full advantage of the day.

1348hrs
Wye Invader Two arrived back at Sharpness and was soon moored up, fuelled up and had spent a very pleasant 2 days on the Sharpness Canal.





Wednesday 17 April 2019

Recent question asked.




An interesting question was recently asked on the Wye Invader YouTube page about the trip to Monmouth, the reader asked if I thought it was "somewhat irresponsible to attempt the trip in those conditions?". I replied with the following…

"Many thanks for your comments. I appreciate your concern and would stress I did not undertake the trip lightly. I’ve spent many, many years studying the tides on both the Severn and the Wye, essential for the original trip with the 130 foot Wye Invader trip to Hereford in 1989 and again back down to Sharpness with Wye Invader in 2012/13. Wye Invader Two has an uprated engine, a new gearbox in 2018, larger propeller and extra cooling tanks, along with all safety equipment such as lifejackets, radio and flares and, just days before had been subject to 5 months out of the water for full winter maintenance including a new starter motor, new water pump, all new marine spec hoses, all new filters along with a complete back to metal hull service with new bitumen. I have a Day Skipper Tidal and RYA-MCA Coastal Skipper and YachtMaster Offshore qualifications and would not have attempted the trip to Monmouth had I thought there was any significant risk to my crew, Wye Invader Two or myself."

Just for information the qualifications I hold are:

  • Day Skipper - Tidal
  • Dutch Barge Course (2 days - Friesland) - Carmel St Quentin
  • Inland Waters Helmsman Certificate
  • Day Skipper - Sail and Power Craft
  • RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore
  • RYA Diesel Engine Course
  • RYA/MCA Small Craft Sea Survival Course
  • RYA Dayskipper commercial endorsement
  • RYA International Certificate (Pleasure Craft)
  • Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Competence








Saturday 6 April 2019

New Mooring for 2019



Friday 5th April. I booked the bridge 24 hours in advance as required and for 0745 hours on Saturday 6th April to gain access to the Sharpness Canal after spending the last 5 months working on Wye Invader Two, and following her trip to Monmouth a few days ago, a distance of just over 110 miles did not show or highlight any problems, so with a strong headwind and sharing the water with HERMAS, the main problem for today was clearing the exit bridge, gaining access to the Marina and then mooring up on my own while going into the mooring stern first, all good fun and by 0815 hrs it was job done. With the Lock in Gloucester out of commission, Wye Invader Two could be spending a lot more time on the River Severn downstream of Sharpness this year!