Be prepared for empty pounds on the Leicester Section

AS A continuous cruiser, now that the Leicester Section has reopened I was making my way down and had arrived at Kilby Bridge, writes Pat Jenkins.

But talking to a couple of hikers who had just come up I learned that there was no water in a pound below, so set off to discover for myself.

Leaks like hell

All boaters who regularly use the Leicester Section know that it leaks like hell, which of course is why it has been closed for so long, but with the reservoirs now full it was reopened in January, but getting to the pound in question the picture I took yesterday shows its state.

I walked down to the bottom lock and checked that its paddles were closed, which they were, and there was no sign of the pound below being flooded, so can only assume the pound is still leaking.  I had taken my windlass with me so had opened a paddle before going down and when I arrived back at the top lock later discovered that the water was recovering, so the leak must be a slow one.

Getting very little use

I later checked the water and it had sufficiently recovered to allow me to take the boat though, though I kept to the deepest part all the way down!  The reason for my email is to warn other boaters that as the section is getting very little use at the moment be prepared for empty pounds.