Black Sluice pioneers

摘要

Some years ago, we asked the Boston Grand Sluice lock-keeper if it would be possible to take our narrowboat through the lock for one tide to explore The Haven, the length of the tidal Witham which forms the most interesting part of the town's waterfront. We were told in no uncertain terms that narrowboats were unsuitable for The Haven, that those who wanted to cross The Wash were idiots, and that he would only grudgingly let narrowboats through with a pilot!rnRoll on to 2009. A new lock opens at Black Sluice on the Haven, a mile and a half seaward of Grand Sluice, as the first stage of Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership's Fens Link scheme to connect the Fenland Waterways. Their plan is to link the Witham via the 20-mile long Black Sluice Navigation tornthe Rivers Glen and Welland, and then onwards to the Nene at Peterborough. Our plan was to cruise the Black Sluice in our narrowboat Madeley Wood - and in the process, to thwart that lock-keeper and visit The Haven.