River Boating Forum

Three boats travelled from Welford on Avon to Evesham on saturday 7th June, returning on the 8th June, and a great time was had by all. However the river was still up about 2ft, but on several occasions the depth registered only 1 meter. So perhaps silting is taking place. If that is so, then heaven help us when the river drops to its normal level. Some trees were still lying in the water awaiting removal, but overall no real problems until approaching any weirs. Here the water movement was not nice because a tremendous amount of debris, plus pruned tree branches, were causing partial blocking of the weirs and so speeding up the current; and as we all know on rivers the weirs are next to the locks.

The upper avon could really do with dredging, we went up quite afew years ago with my dad's birchwood and it was not pleasant as we could hear the outdrive hitting the river bed. It didnt do alot for my dads nerves!! so we have never been beyond Evesham now which is a shame as it is a lovely run up to Stratford.

Some trees were still lying in the water awaiting removal

Went down too the boat last Sunday and noticed what I thought was a large log just off mid-stream behind the boat. Couldn't fathom out why it was not moving down the mill stream. Got the boat hook on it and saw why, it was a tree. The trunk was stuck on the bottom, hence the reason why it wasn't moving. I managed to drag it into the side a bit more out of harms way. Could have done a lot of damage to a boat if it was taken to be a floating log.

I was amazed the previous weekend at the amount of rubbish, wood, logs, pallets etc that had got stuck under one of the arches on Tewkesbury bridge.

Steve

Although the Upper and Lower Avon Navigational Trusts have agreed to combine some time in the future, collectively they are strapped for rescources, both cash and manpower, to really dredge the River from Stratford to Evesham although some wiers have been lowered by about 18 inches. At one AGM it was stated that an undertaking some 400 years ago was made to enable navigation up to Leamington Spa and then join the canal system. It appears that selfish landowners are the main stumbling block to this because they may loose their privacy. Incidently there is no problem in sailing up to Stratford on Avon, boats of all sizes do the trip regularly. Lovely scenery and free mooring at Stratford.