We set off down the river Avon from bath on 9th October 2013 very happy to be in deep, wide water again but very aware that we were on a large river at the time of year when flooding was possible so we kept moving and only spent 3 nights on riverside moorings, at Bath Pool, Saltford Lock and on the outskirts of Bristol at Hanham Lock.

The Avon was made navigable hundreds of years ago and some of the lock structures are really showing their age.

There are very few moorings on this stretch, and the boat owners who keep their boats here have had to make elaborate arrangements to hold their boats in place when the river is in flood. These dwellings are not for the faint hearted in winter! One man we spoke to says he clears off to Spain in the flood season and is glad when he finds his boat still there on his return.

On a drizzly day we entered Bristol Floating Harbour at Netham Lock and paid for our fornight's stay which was all we were allowed. The harbour was made by damming off the Avon near Hotwells ( below the suspension bridge ) and flooding the valley. The river water now bypasses the dock on the South side and runs down a man-made cutting.

 We had to wait for a set time to go through Princes's Street swing bridge, so we took shelter under the massive arches of Temple Meads railway station. 

Between rebuilding the wheelhouse and sightseeing around Bristol, David started doing the passage plan for the trip up to Sheerness near Gloucester, where we planned to moor for the winter. The combination of swirling mucky water, the biggest tidal range in the world, winter weather, shortdays and talk of rocks in the channel edges started us thinking that the Severn was best left until summer.

To make the passage safely, you need to sit out one or two tides at Portishead, in the Severn Estuary, just South of Avonmouth. I took the car down there to investigate the lock entrance and to have a look at the estuary on a fairly windy and decided that the inbound passage under the bvridges would be fairly calm so long as the wind stayed in the West or SW. A few portishead pictures on a web album here, just look at that water depth gauge, and the stonework rises at least 10 feet above that
 

So there we have it, one big river and two Bridges too Far the River Severn Crossings

So then we reluctantly put her up for sale at a Bristol Brokerage after giving great service since we left Glasson Dock in April 2010: