It's rare for the Cam to freeze over completely and even when it does, the flow keeps it from getting thick enough to remain throughout the day. But last night, temperatures in Cambridge dropped to -13.8 degrees
below freezing and the river was properly frozen over, not just a little
skim of ice but centimeters thick (for canal dwellers that probably
sounds thin, but for us river dwellers, it's rare to see it this
thick!). At 11am it was still bank to bank and not showing signs of
melting!
The chunks on the surface are from some of the Blues rowers who were breaking up the chunks at the edge, and skimming them across the surface. the sound of the ice breaking, skimming over the surface and hitting the opposite bank (or boats) was so noisy! I don't think they realised that the noise traveled so well through the ice and to the hulls of the boats!
This morning, James went off to coach an erg session, leaving me snuggled up in bed with Lyra. He stopped back afterwards to pick up a hat and them went to help (big) James with some gardening. On the way out (I didn't realise at the time) but he locked me in! So I had to ring around my boater friends to find someone who was about and close enough to come and let me out - we have a combination padlock. Thankfully Charlotte on Felicity was close by and unlocked the door for me!
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this morning the ice cracking around the hull was SO NOISY! nice though. Hope you are keeping warm :-)
ReplyDeleteHope you are keeping warm too!
DeleteIt sounds a bit unsafe for you not to have an alternative escape route.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible to get out via the back hatch which lifts up from inside. But that sounded like a lot of effort when I could just call a friend and get them to let me out!
DeleteHi Amy, I've only just noticed the two poles you've driven in between Lucky Ducky and the bank. I'm assuming that's to protect you from concreted section you're currently moored to, or perhaps an ice-related solution?
ReplyDeleteThey are flood poles - so that if the river level rises we don't end up drifting over onto the bank, and capsizing when the level drops again.
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