Denver Sluice

Slow journey along Well Creek to Salter's Lode Lock. We arrived just in time for the lockkeeper's briefing at 11.30. Shown the location of the sandbanks at low tide and then waited for the tide to come up. We were the last of the batch of boats leaving Salter's Lode Lock onto the tidal Ouse so we were able to watch the three crews ahead of us negotiate the sandbanks. The batch included the narrowboats Shepherds Moon and Hereward (with its tender - The Wake!). The second boat got stuck but was freed by the rising tide. We went out last and on the full tide. We managed to avoid all the shoals. Must have been the skippers skill! (Although I supect the higher tide helped.) There will be no more boats through Denver Sluice for the next four days until the higher tides return. After a welcome lunch at the pub at Denver with Lynda Peyton & Sam Samuels from Stoke Bruerne we cruised towards Ely in driving rain and moored up near the entrance to Brandon Creek.
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