Wind....

...not the self generate stuff, the weather stuff.

We were taking Waterlily into Mercia on Saturday morning and the wind was really blowing. For those of you that know Mercia you go in via a road bridge which is in effect a small tunnel. As Rachel turned in we felt the effects but as we entered the wide water all hell broke loose.

We were aiming for one of Aqua's moorings for the window to be replaced. Justin was trying to give advice but we could not hear him, Rachel tried to get the boat lined up but the wind just took Waterlily sideways - it was totally uncontrollable as we were pushed for about 10 yards into the corner of the fueling jetty. It was a really hard bump...

Justin came round off the pontoons where were then perfectly lined up on the pump out landing as the wind had turned us 90 degrees back bow into the wind. Justin advised to go into the marina and wind (!) and apprach the pontoons with the wind behind us. I took over and winded and then kept the wind at my back and slowly put the bow onto the pontoon then with Justin's help turned the boat into the pontoon fighting the winds desire to take us sideways again .

All in all a real trial, it just showed how easily a narrowboat can turn in to a large sail. I bloody hate boating in strong winds !!

Thanks to Justins help we got in ok only to find the bump has actually pushed the broken glass that was in the window out all over the corridor next to the bathroom on the boat - such was the force of the wind and the bump.

We have been caught twice before badly by the wind. Once on the GU when it pushed us to the far side of a winding hole and it took us about half an hour to get off the bank - that was on Sylph.

Then again at Streethay - the wind was coming down off the bank and straight across the cut - we went to the bank side to pass a boat and the wind just pinned us to the bank. It really felt like the wind was playing with us - we just could not get the bow into the wind enough to get off the armco - it was another 30 minute trial of our strength - until the wind got distracted enough for us to get on our way crabbing down the cut - did I mention I hate the wind !!

Nev