Tring Summit Beach

03/04/12
Dudswell Locks 48-47 - Marsworth Lock 38
10 Locks - 7 Miles - 3 Cycled

Serious Stuff!!

After the initial nastyness of Cow Roast lock, it felt as if things could only get worse as we were heading into the Tring Summit.  All the reports regarding water levels had been scary and a lot of the people we had passed had said that even though Berkhamstead was worse, Tring was still very, very bad.


We could see why when we got to the summit itself, it was scarily low! There were horrible rattling noises coming from the prop where the water was so shallow and gaps under the bank where the water used to be.  










It felt like some kind of impossible assault course, dodging logs, traffic cones and other debri whilst still staying in the centre of the pound, as if you veered of to the left or right you would be grounded and well and truly stuck.

Pebble and rock beaches flanked the river for pretty much the whole of the journey.  Things were so tense that Pamela even picked up on my mood from a text and kept quiet for hours!  


We passed 3 boats, just, all travelling singly, all within 45 minutes of each other.  I couldn't believe it, there are signs everywhere asking people to wait to share locks or before turning locks. Some people seem to be just ignoring them or don't think it applies to them for some reason.

Best thing though, apart from getting trough the summit in one piece.  


I managed to get a picture of a kingfisher!!  Its the second one I have ever seen and I managed to capture it on film.  It definately helped to calm the mood and I am chuffed to bits :0)


Still wish I had a better camera though :0(

We passed Marsworth Reservoir before finding somewhere to moor up for the night and it was scarily lacking in water. 
I didn't really get the extent of effect this water shortage is having on the canals until I experienced it for myself.  The way things are going, I don't think it will be that long before the South and the North of the country will be cut off from each other and we will all have to fit caterpiller tracks on our boats to be able to get anywhere.
We said it as a joke in Berkhamstead, but it doesn't seem so funny now.