The Leven, and pretty much all the lake fed stuff is as big as anyone has seen it. Major structural damage is being done! The rivers are to be approached with extreme care. Check out Backbarrow 'bridge' today!
Just in case you needed telling - "Danger - no bathing"
There is a load of debris around and the water quality will be awful.
We have biblically high water levels, with heavy rain due to continue for another 12 hours! The combination of strong southerly winds, sodden ground and and water out of it banks, all adds up to a signifcant risk of debris, trees and strainers.
The Kent (pictured here in kendal) was apparently over the wall on the other side of the river this afternoon when the tides were high. Water quality in lower stretches will be shockingly bad. Overspilled sewers, flooded fields (covered in livestock shit) and carcasses will all be around :-(
Take care out there tomorrow folks, and pick your rivers wisely.
Despite Corran's efforts the DVD of 'SUP on this' got stuck in a warehouse somewhere between Canada and here, so didnt feature at Shap on the big screen. Anyway, here it is on the more reliable - youtube. I want a go!!
Cedric has passed on a message that there is a "a major entrapment hazard under the last bridge as you enter the harbour on the Lower Derwent. A river wide log choke that, by the time you notice it, it's too late as the river goes from a scrape, to fast turbulent flow in only a few moments just upstream from the bridge. A group recently had a very lucky escape" which involved the rescue services.
Secondly, now we have a bit of finance we can get on with some of the jobs on the 'to do' list. First of which is a solution to the kent cam losing its angle of dangle!
Whilst shaking off a fuzzy head it feeels agood time to thanks those who made the 4th Shap film festival happen. First a big shout to Joe from WCK who provided a much larger bucket of booze than expected! Secondly, for their help on the night Kris, Rob, Hazel, Jonny, Dan and our M.C. P.B. (Jack). The unsung hero of this site, Shorty, came good again with the button pressing and wires.
Also the film makers - Dave Biggin, Cody Howard (Hucking Huge), Demshitz (via Sammy at Pyranha), Kent Ford, and Whit Deschner. Corran Addison also got behind this, but the disc he sent fell foul of the postal strike - Hopefully next time!
Last but not least, the guys and gals who supported us by parting with their hard earned cash :-). It's appreciated - we will use the funds to keep rainchasers providing some information, and maybe even entertainment, for another year.
