[Kim Taylor Posts: 595 Status: Offline]

Well now - THAT is the way to write up a hover-cruise! Looks like an amazing trip which I'd love to repeat with you at some time if possible...Great photos too!

[Nick Flint Posts: 4853 Status: Offline]

So Ian- can we expect the full story soon then----?
SO SORRY we missed this, but relieved WE had a great time also up northing T'Umber Hestuarie.

[Eric Yeoman Posts: 722 Status: Offline]

 

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3550 Status: Offline]

I took a break from the renovation work today  The weather forecast was looking good and the tides were favourable. I've had an ambition to show that it's possible to to get right out from my place and into the Bristol channel proper, so today was the day. The destination for today was Denny Island, a tiny dot in the Bristol Channel



I set off about 11 from Minsterworth, an hour before the tide was due, meaning that I would pass the bore en route. As it was only a 7.5m tide today, though, the bore was not going to be an issue. I met it at Unla Water (near Arlingham). As predicted it was small, but still brings enough turbulence to keep you on your toes. I didn't get any pics of the 3ft standing waves I inadvertable plughted through at 25mph! A bit bumpy but no adverse effects. Once through the tidal wave, its remarkable what a change you see - its almost instantly from low tide to high tide. Incidentally, Unla Wasser is Saxon for "dreadful water" - legend has it that the Saxons were persuing the Britons who waded over the river at the only ford. The Saxons, thinking to head them off, waded into the river and were all drowned in the deep and tubulent reach they stepped into!

Heading past Sharpness on the Welsh side at almost exactly high tide, I could see something big in at Lydney pier - not thing you would expect! It turned out to the the steamship Balmoral taking on passengers ... They were all lined up against the railings waving and taking photos!



Passing Lydney I decided to take a short break at one of very few sandy beaches on the Severn - in this case an impossibly red sand from the outcropping stone. I took the opportunity to check in with home, just a quick text so someone knew more or less where I was "just in case".



Continuing, I soon got my first sight of the old Severn crossing - majestic as ever. Would you believe that this is a grade 1 listed building And of course not long after that, the second crossing emerged from the haze. This picture is from the Bristol Channel side rather than the Severn side.





This time I had chosen to arrive around high tide, so there was not touble passing under the second bridge. At low water, the main channel is a ferocious torrent - if I was heading into that without power it would be instant "mayday"!! There are a couple of way through for hovercraft, though. A good one is throught English Lake on English side, under the 7th span of the bridge. Better count carefully!

By now I was out into the Bristol Channel proper, and what a day to do so! I could easily have extended the trip to Weston or Cardiff today. But best to stick to the itinerary as I was operating solo. Next time I'll do the Weston run! So a quick circumnavigate of the island and away. There was no-where to land at this state of tide - last time I came here (from Weston beach) the tide was out and you could land easily.



Since I couldn't land on Denny, and I was quite keen to have some lunch, I set out for Severn Beach. This was once a thriving seaside town with pealure beach and all, although how they could call it Severn BEACH is beyond me - Severn "muddy pebbles" would be more accurate. I drew the usual interest from the beachgoers - at least from those that were happy to brave the mud!



So all that was left was to head back. I stopped briefly on Chapel Rock, which is a little island of the point where the Wye joins the Severn. This pile of rocks (there is one wall left) used to host a monk who would hold services on Sundays! Unbelievable what people did back then.



The return run was uneventful, superb, exactly what this is all about. So that was 80 miles in ideal conditions, just over 5 hours  travelling mostly around 20-25 mph (most efficient speed) and I used just 22 liters of fuel! So thats over 3.5 miles per liter or about 16 miles per gallon - pretty impressive I would say! With my fuel contingency, I could easily have made Weston and back.

Now - if there were a record for the furthest trip from Minsterworth and back, I would have just smashed it to pieces! No boat could make that trip in one tide due to the shallows that need to be circumnavigated one way or the other. And no boat could do it on 22 liters, thats for sure 

Can't wait for the next good weather!

[Eric Yeoman Posts: 722 Status: Offline]

There's a very rare stopnet boat being used as a planter- very sad 😞

It is, in a way. At least it's in plain sight & can be measured & recorded, if needed. It is a type of preservation I guess.  It's not buried & lost.. 2 cents

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3550 Status: Offline]

I'm used to having this river to myself, but today I passed not one but two boats. One of them I've seen before, he rows his dog over to the sandbanks for a run! The second had three guys in it, I found out later what they were up to!

The river has been very low recently, which has changed the layout of the sand and channels dramatically. And now we have some major drop offs where previously there was just a gentle beach!





Since it was high tide I took a trip down to Purton and Gatcombe to see the remains of the once thriving fishing industry there. There's a number of long forgotten quays and slipways on the river side of the railway, and several tunnels that were used to gain access from the hamlet behind. There's a very rare stopnet boat being used as a planter- very sad 😞



Also poignant is a putcher left exactly where the last fisherman left it. It never made it into the wier. Must be quite a late one as traditionally they were woven from reeds but this on is wire.



The view from Gatcombe to Sharpness.



Coming over Purton sands I could see why they used to fish for salmon with lave nets, there were some huge fish in the shallows that a skilled man could net. They used to watch them coming and head them off with the net into a dead end before scooping them up!

On the way back I found out what the three men in a boat were up to. Rounding a corner I spotted a bloke in the river - very unusual! I set up to take the wide path around him, but he was gesticulating frantically to take the narrow path. Then I spotted the long net across the river! I thought long net fishing had long since stopped but clearly not. I thought about going over the net, but figured they would panic so I dropped it into the water in an emergency stop and went round him. So there you go, there is still some fishing on the river.


Great evening out!

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3550 Status: Offline]

It's not a Purton hulk, it's about 15 miles away!

[Warby Posts: 1041 Status: Offline]

After a week building a fence I finally got the hover out for a couple of hours. The water was very low so I was able to land on the barge 'Bristol' that's abandoned on the bank and has been for as long as I can remember.

Hi Ian, just a thought :- could the name "Bristol" refer to the port of registry?

[Warby Posts: 1041 Status: Offline]

Could it be one of the Purton Hulks?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purton_Hulks#

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3550 Status: Offline]

After a week building a fence I finally got the hover out for a couple of hours. The water was very low so I was able to land on the barge 'Bristol' that's abandoned on the bank and has been for as long as I can remember.







It's still pretty intact but not seaworthy I would say! It's remote location has protected it from vandals and scavengers. Not sure the galley would meet with modern standards!



There's a nice Ruston electric and hydraulic generator that looks pretty intact.



Not sure what the vessel was used for, there's some serious hydraulic gear on the deck but not (as far as I could see) any propulsion engine. Any ideas?

Ian

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3550 Status: Offline]

Cool - glad you got good weather! I was looking at it, but had a load of work to do on the house

Ian

[rossfloyd Posts: 2025 Status: Offline]

Not quite the Severn, but a little further south, I've just done three days at Weston laying and retrieving the Airshow markers.  Huge fun using Francis' drone to assist spot positioning followed by retrieval today and a perfect run out to Brean Head and back across the bay. I have never seen the water actually blue at Weston before. Pics will follow when I download them.

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3550 Status: Offline]

It's been a quiet year for cruising this year, mostly down to the house taking up so much time recently. Obviously Scotland had to happen, and yesterday I put the craft back over the flood bank so a little run up the river had to happen, and my Severn hover famine was broken. Nice.

Unfortunately no decent photos though! This is the best I could manage.

[Nick Flint Posts: 4853 Status: Offline]

Ah---- the old quicksand special effect. Yes, its well known in camera club circles. Like smearing vaseline on things heh.
I am glad you didnt die just trying to get that effect. I feel youve lost your sense of proportion,
taking such chances for our benefit. We thank you but hey Ian, get a grip---😜

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3550 Status: Offline]

I wonder if that picture was blurry because the camera was presumably cold? It look really chilling. Prraps because it was?

The dunking in quicksand followed by washing off in muddy water didn't help! It's all back to normal now. I think the picture does gain from the effect, I should have claimed that I did it on purpose!