Victor reckons we just escaped in time!

REGULAR readers will be well aware that we recently left Sawley Marina for Mercia.

And just in time too! As so much rain has caused its usual havoc at Sawley with it well and truly flooded.

I am told by resident Paul that there are sunk boats, he adding that as usual securely tied to their roofs or with no restraining 'string' stopping sterns going under the jetty. Both stopping the boat from rising with the flood and subsequently taking in water and down they go. The picture shows two sunk in the past.

And our Keith reporting that the the flood was high enough to damage the Customer Service Facilities by the old Lock Cottage at the bottom end of Sawley Cut.

Not once but twice the flood has affected its toilets, showers and even its Elsan facilities, and is still out of action awaiting repairs, our being told that further information will be given on the 5th of January.

The picture shows the level of a flood at Sawley Lock and with the facilities just slightly lower on the same ground means the present flood(s) must have reached it to cause such damage to the facilities.

The only other facilities at present are at Trent Lock where the Erewash joins the Trent, it being—as yet, safe above the flood waters.

Before this, in early December the facilities at Sawley were out of order as the showers were broken and with other problems, but were 're-closed' [that's a new one!] by the present high water.

That's it

That is it indeed folks, still in the idle holiday mode!

Here's to a Happy—and healthy—New Year, to you all, especially to Keith Gudgin, for his much appreciated endeavours regarding CaRT and to Ted Sedman for his much needed proof reading who both make narrowboatworld so possible.

And all the best to you boaters who are attempting to cruise this coming year—may luck be on your side and you not find yourself stuck as those poor sods as in the picture!

Victor Swift—telling tales for 23 years.