Truce?

It’s a truce between me and the flood. After all the excitement of Saturday night, I went to Staines this afternoon (Sunday) where the water is as high as I’ve ever seen it. This shot is the other end of the lane that runs up the side of Lammas Park.

 

Behind the wooden structure is an arm of The Thames, a limb which runs around an island covered in houses. The main river is on the other side of the Island. The river has overflowed its banks and completely filled the lane. The barges that  tie up there for safety and a quiet life are now in the frontline.

I walked around to look at the Flood Marker on The Colne. No photo I’m afraid, my camera got too tired yesterday and the batteries gave out on me.

It read 4 foot 6 inches above normal, which is about 2 inches lower than yesterday.

Late at night, I walked down to Ankerwycke where it was the same story; for the first time the waters have fallen back. Not far on the fields but Magna Carta Lane is raised up just a little and there the water is about 70 paces further back. You can almost walk up to the bridge, halfway along, although the stream is still flowing over rather than under it.

There was a cold, lung stopping wind which had cleared away the rain that lasted all afternoon and evening – and that means it isn’t over yet. But the moon was high in the sky, hanging over the shoulders of Orion and lighting up the new lake which is where the fields once were.

Then I noticed what looked like seals or porpoises, beached on a shoreline, black shadows in the moonlight. These were logs, picked up by the flood and now left behind as the water slips back.

We are in with a chance!

And that’s just as well because I still haven’t found my wellington boots. I’m sure I had a pair but I have no idea where they are. If I take much longer about finding them, it’ll be too late.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

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