You just have to help yourselves and get stuck in

Published: Friday, 04 September 2020

YOUR snowflake item reminded me that moored in a queue on the South Oxford last month we wandered up the cut and found a chap stuck in the lock, writes Roger Spurr.

Bottom gate would not open fully, boat waiting to go in had rung CaRT for assistance after getting nowhere with his bargepole.  I popped back to our boat and grabbed the anchor and rope. I dropped this behind the gate and we dragged it into the lock.  After a couple of goes the blockage moved and the gate swung fully open and boat departed, thumbs up thanks!

No progress

Next boat in and going up found that bottom gate would not quite close fully so no progress further than half way up as water sprayed out.  I got the skipper to start again and when back down to give the prop a few short bursts at the bottom gate.  Sure enough the debris was flushed away and a good tight seal was found as we closed the gate and refilled.

Sometimes you just have to help yourselves out of a jam and get stuck in.