The end of the season

Wye Invader Two in Sharpness docks on a cold November day, on her way to join the queue to be lifted out onto hard standing for the winter.

On this day - 29th November 2012

Wye Invader at Holm Lacy bridge and Ballingham Weir.

Biggsweir Bridge

We were now on the non tidal River Wye, a 3 mile straight leading up to Redbrook, ahead were 3 large boulders at about half mile intervals in the middle of the river and several fishing concrete walkways out into the river, all of which I had marked on my large scale map the prevoius year.

At 4pm we were about 100 metres below Redbrook Bridge, adjacent to the left bank looking up stream, we could not go any further, the amount of flood water was too much, I had phoned the NRA’s river flood line and there was a large wave of water on its way which would be clear by the morning. Although we didn't know at the time, this was to be the last rain we had for 7 months and the start of the 1989 summer drought. I spoke to the crew and at 6pm we secured Wye Invader to several large trees, put the gangplank ashore and walked the 100 metres to the Boat Inn for what turned out to be a rather long night!

Sharpness to Saul Junction

A late Autumn run out with Wye Invader Two to Saul Junction for a fuel top up.

Slight malfunction.....!

The last week of October and the colours of the leaves in the Wye Valley were about at the best they were going to be, Wye Invader Two set off from Sharpness to Chepstow then onto Brockweir. Thursday morning was set for the run back to Chepstow to video the Autumn colours in the Wye Valley, unfortunately 2 video cameras malfunctioned so there is no footage however the crew did manage a few still shots including the Severn Bridge in the dark - who in their right mind takes a narrowboat under the Severn Bridge in the dark!

(Disclaimer - Wye Invader Two crew always wear life jackets, carry full safety equipment and radios on the boat, have navigation and spotlights lights fitted and the Skipper is fully experienced with certification.)

Sharpness mooring

Brockweir 

Wye Valley

Severn Crossing

Redbrook Bridge

Saturday 8th April 1989, 10.00am. The river had lost more than a metre of water overnight, there was now just over 2 metres available, we cast off and followed the left bank through Redbrook Bridge then moved to the starboard side so as to be able to follow the channel close to the bank and squeeze past some large stones that were still submerged a few hundred metres upriver.

Monmouth was 3 miles ahead, as Wye invader moved up the river into the outskirts, just below the Sewer Works on the right, there were loose rocks formed into what looks like a fishing weir coming downstream from the right bank almost all the way across and stopping about 10 metres short of the left bank leaving just enough room for Wye Invader to squeeze past. A few hundred metres further upstream on the left bank is what was left of Troy Bridge, a 20 arch stone rail bridge, about half a mile ahead we could see Monmouth Road Bridge.

Brockweir bridge

The first full day we set about securing Wye Invader in her temporary mooring so she could move up or down with the tides. We had to wait for a high tide of about 9 meters at Sharpness and about 3 meters of flood water in the Wye Valley measured on the Water Level Gauge at Redbrook, backed up with 2 meters at Monmouth and 2 meters in Hereford, this would give enough volume and depth of water for long enough to get past and over the rocks and shallows on the corner below Redbrook before we moved up to Monmouth.

We had 2 weirs to pass over before Brockweir and Biggsweir bridge's, each weir lifts the water about 5 to 6 feet, it was is distance of about 2 miles and about as far as a 9 metre tide would take us, the rest of the way would be on the river flood.



High tide was at midday and the rain in Wales had filled the River Wye to over 3 meters above normal at Redbrook and 2 meters most of all the way to Hereford. We left Tintern an hour before the top of tide to be sure of passing under Brockweir Bridge, the floodwater and tide were over the quay, which meant we had plenty of draft and were not concerned about the Weirs, there was now only Biggsweir Bridge and 20 minutes later we cleared it with space to spare. Half a mile ahead, St. Florence Weir has disappeared under the flooded river, we moved from the middle of the weir to Port (left) side to avoid the large rocks sat on top of the Weir just to the right of centre.