The next stage of my journey was from Cambridge to King's Lynn a distance of approximately 50 miles, starting on the Cam and then via the Great Ouse to Ely. The last part of this voyage involved exiting into the Tidal Great Ouse. The whole journey took three days to complete.
I set off from the Wolfson College Boathouse, the river busy with rowing craft out practicing.
The narrow Cam in Cambridge has to be carefully negotiated
I passed the the Plough pub, a favourite place to walk to from Cambridge.
The Plough Inn, a welcome watering hole for Cambrige folk
The Cam became less crowded as I moved fully into the country side. Some six miles outside of Cambridge was the Baits Bite lock and there I discovered that this and the remaining lock were electronic and I did not have a key.
However, there was passing traffic, so I was able to rely other another craft to operate the Baits Bite lock, including lifting the guillotine gate to let me through.
I felt as if I was making progress, but when I got to Bottisham Lock, a canal boat owner there told me there was a full nine miles to go to Ely. He kindly operated the lock to let me through.
I knuckled down and was relieved to eventually see Ely cathedral appearing in the distance, the last few miles appearing to go very quickly.
In the next trip, I set off for the Denver Sluice, about 15 miles away. I soon went past the 5 million pound Cambridge University Boat Club Boathouse, strategically located here for rowing long training distances without being interrupted by other river traffic.
Further down stream some oarsmen were out training, looking neat and strong. It was well after the boat race and I was wondering what they were training for.
A further few miles and I was at the Denver Sluice, where there is another rowing club.
The third trip to cover the last 13 miles to King's Lynn, going through the Denver Sluice complex at the start of the voyage. Although not massive, it is world famous because it is important for the drainage of land between it and Cambridge some 35 miles away. If the sluice did not function, water would course inland for about 25 miles, overcoming the riverbank and flooding vast land masses, destroying villages and small towns.
There is a lock joined to the sluice, allowing acccess to the tidal Great Ouse. To get through the tide has to be near high. For me, it also had to be ebbing because it was too strong to row against.
Timing the tide correctly meant that it would get dark before I got to Kings Lynn. Because of this, the lock keeper looked somewhat concerned and asked whether I would make it? I confidently replied I would, but he made a point of taking a photograph of me for his records.
Later on I did see a notice asking people not navigate this stretch of the river in the dark.
The tide gathered up pace and helped me along, but it was soon getting dark and I was having to be very careful to not run into any bridges. More dangerous obstructions were two dismantled bridges, leaving some pillars just sticking out from the water.
Although it eventually got dark, the night was clear enough to make out the various hazards as I approached Kings Lynn.
The next challenge was to find the pontoon and not be swept past by the tide. Since the tide was now faster than I could row, I had to turn PicoMicroYacht round and rowing gently forward whilst going backwards down the river, ferrygliding into position. This had the advantage of being able to see where I was going.
At the opportune moment I grabbed a cleat on the pontoon, held on determiningly, wrapping a rope around it.
If I had missed, a plan B had been to find a slipway further down the river. Beyond that for plan C I had an anchor to stop me being washed out into ... well the Wash.
I had arrived at Kings Lynn.
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