Stourport to Bristol 2007 in Aid of Cancer Research UK

A last minute decision by the Environment Agency and British Waterways gave us the green light to go ahead with challenge on Thursday 12th July.

Most of us traveled from Bristol via a mini bus supplied by Kingswood Community Transport and expertly driven by Scott.  We met up with Andy Anderson (Dragon Essence) at the Stourport rowing club and off-loaded the boat ready for an early start.  On to the overnight accommodation and we said our goodbyes to Scott and Gemma who we hoped to see again at Sharpness on the 14th July.

A reasonably early start at the rowing club and the first issue was how to get the boat in down a steep flight of steps and onto a submerged walkway that also had a thick layer of river Avon mud.  This was the result of the previous flooding that had occurred in the area.  We would later see just how bad it was.
Early on we could see where the flood water had been and what the force of the water could do; fallen trees, smashed and sunken boats and all manner of debris high on river banks and even in trees!!

The flow of water helped us along and we were soon in Worcester where we, raced along the Worcester 500m Dragon Boat course and beyond as we missed the finish!  We stopped for a quick break and then on to Tewkesbury. Here we moored in the marina and looked at the flood water level: where we were standing would have been covered with 7ft of water!

The next day took us on down the Severn and then into the canal system at Gloucester then on to Sharpness where we stopped for the night. We were advised that the wind and tide would prevent us from traveling down the Severn Estuary but we decided to make a final decision the next morning.

Saturday arrived and we went back to Sharpness docks. The wind was very strong and with waves of over 1metre the decision was taken out of our hands on grounds of safety. There was no other choice than to load the boat on the trailer and walk down the estuary.

Read the BBC Bristol report

We met up with the boat at Avonmouth later in the day and paddled up the Avon and under the suspension bridge, what an amazing site. On arrival at the floating harbour we were met by a very big crowd of friends and well wishers who were swelled by the patrons of the Cottage Pub who all came out to cheer us in.

Looking at the recent flooding that is effecting the area once again my heart goes out to those that have been flooded and some more severely for a second time.