Week beginning 10 February 2020
Monday 10th February. Well what a day that was yesterday with storm Ciara going through, by Sunday night the gauge would have been reading if you could see it 13 feet or more, as you can imagine there is a lot of debris all over the banks and will take a lot of clearing up. Today the gauge at the Lees was still under water so it was about 8 feet this morning. Team Harper here for a couple of weeks so he’ll get a cast eventually. A helicopter was over the Lees last night helping to rescue a man who’d got stranded in his jeep, by the time they got to him he was sitting in his jeep up to his chest near to the Learmouth hut, he’s a lucky boy. The weather has turned a lot colder now with snow showers and a bitter wind.
Tuesday 11th February. 7’0” or there about’s and dirty brown with a gale blowing that would cut you in half combined with snow sleet showers, all in all a horrible day. There is nothing to say the place is at a standstill until the weather improves which is not going to be this week.
Wednesday 12th February. 5’6” or there about’s this morning with a wind that would cut you in half, a few snow showers during the day didn’t help to lift the temperatures. The Temple boat was the main object of our attention as it had slipped back into the river from its place of safety and sunk, this involved a long rope and a jeep in 4x4 to retrieve it. By this evening the river had dropped another foot but was still dirty and I’ve just seen photos from the top of the river and there is a lot of snow up there, any rain is going to put the river straight back up I’m afraid. I also found out that the new wheels and tyres don’t fit my trailer as the holes for the nuts are too small so thats meant a trip to the local garage to drill them out as I found out I don’t have a drill big enough. Will start clearing the banks tomorrow unless we are fishing.
Thursday 13th February. It had dropped to 3’9” by this morning but was still dirty, nobody fancied a cast so it was read the paper a coffee or two and a wee dram to go with lunch, Graeme went for a 20 mile walk. I had a bit of a hunt through the washed up debris to see if there was anything worth salvaging like a suitcase full of £20 notes but didn’t find one, maybe tomorrow.
Friday 14th February. River back up to 4’3” and rising wind picking up, cleared a wee bit of crap of the bank, popped up to Kelso to get new seat for Temple boat that disappeared when it sunk, set a mole trap or two, waited to count a goosander or cormorant but didn’t see any. Forecast horrendous.
Saturday 15th February. Those who like to spin now have that option as from today, not that it would make any difference with the river rising and colouring. Looking at the forecast and the amount of rain thats coming I decided to shift my surviving hens into my polytunnel at home, luckily Graeme was here to help as there was a bit of resistance from the hens, they are now all safe and dry but my beds in the tunnel are in some mess now. Looking at the gauges everything is rising apart from the Whiteadder which is steady that was at 5.00pm. What a week it’s been and the start of next week looks no better, one day it’ll calm down.
As ever see instagram for latest photos and clips.
©M Campbell 2020
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