Many boat owners and hirers looking forward to Christmas and New Year afloat had to cancel trips because movement was impossible. Ice also made towpaths and locksides dangerous, and many waterpoints and waste disposal sites were put out of action by ice as temperatures plummeted to -15C and below.
Liveaboards were also hard hit, water tanks and pipes freezing and even short trips to get more fuel or to get water or empty waste tanks impossible in the severe conditions. The New Year brought a slow thaw.
In Stourport, The River Severn also had sheets of ice floating throughout December, even freezing over completely on more than one occasion. Not only did the canal Basins freeze as usual, but the Marina in Stourport also had ice upto 6inches thick until early January. Many boats were pushed up out of the water by the sheer force of the ice and at least one boat had to be recovered from the bottom of its mooring.
Have a look at our Facebook page for some Photographs of the yard and area during the freeze.
This article was taken from the news pages of canaljunction.