'Escaped' Ripon Marina

Published: Monday, 13 June 2022

I WAS pleased that you covered the stoppages that locked-in the boaters at Ripon Marina, writes Glenda Tomlinson.

My partner and I could see what was happening with the so-called contractors, so after their first failure we 'escaped' as did others as we could see what a mess was being made and that another hole against the gate was being ignored and many of us thought it was to make another job later on, and boaters being trapped again as the contractors come back for another six months in the country.

Were well away

As we all now know it came to pass, but many of us were by then well away, we kept in touch to learn what was happening, to be told about the possibility of being able to get through the lock that again was being dug-up to get to the hole that was left, but this was bunkum, as those who put forward dates to either get out or get back found it was 'not currently possible' they were told.

After all this, the leaks on the locks on the Ure put another stop to movement, as this river is the only way in and out, and being a river those in high places obviously thought the water would keep coming, but alas it has only a small area of feed, and with the gates not holding the water can soon be too low to navigate, what is exactly what happened, and no doubt will happen again.

Good only for residents

Many boaters believe that Ripon is good only for residents, who don't have to move, and certainly not for those who like to cruise and certainly not for visitors, with a couple who visited, leaving their boat moored whilst they went sight-seeing then finding themselves stuck behind a stoppage for months, though it was then off season, but understand their moorings were down in the Midlands, needing a long journey to visit their boat.

Our own experience was that the marina itself was not too concerned about the stoppage, as of course boaters were trapped and so had to pay, it seems not much effort was made to hasten the work, that dragged on for months, but anyway, we are far away, thank goodness.