Looking Ahead to 2015

After an incredibly busy spring and summer of cruising during 2014, we are now winding down ready to enjoy some peaceful and relaxing, autumn and winter cruising. With this more relaxed pace of cruising comes some time to start looking ahead and planning ahead for our 2015 cruises.

2014 was all about heading into the unknown and exploring new places and waters we had previously ventured into, a theme we hope to emulate next year with yet more new waterways we are keen to explore.

The first of these we hope will be the Black Sluice, or the South Forty Foot Drain as it is known locally. In 2009 this navigation was reopened after nearly 40 years of being disused opening up 19 miles of river to the west of Boston. The navigation is entered via a lock within the Port of Boston Docks which locks boats up onto the drain. Immediately upstream of the lock is a small tunnel which limits the size of craft which can enter the drain. Luckily for us we can either take off the navigation loop or if necessary drop the whole arch to lower our air draft. We have cruised past the lock many times on our way out to sea but as yet have not entered it.

We hope, weather dependent of course, to visit the Black Sluice next Easter during our first few days holiday of the year. If things go to plan we would aim to spend just the one evening on the sluice which should provide us ample time to cruise the 19 miles to the current head of navigation and back again, taking in both of the pubs along the way before heading back upstream and heading for home again.

This is just the first of our intended exploration cruises for 2015.