OK, so is this is true exploring? - well it was charting totally unknown territory, with no idea what I was heading into - so I'm saying yes - plus it was the most physically taxing thing I've done in a long time.
Many of you will have seen some of these already - but I wanted to pull them together in one place that wasn't facebook with all its kitten pictures and 'share to beat cancer' crap.
So, last Sunday I took a trip from East Lyng to Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels - thought I'd share a few pics, and a short video clip.
All that you see is road, field, or property - no rivers or lakes normally.
East Lyng, please paddle carefully....
Pumping kit - long since overwhelmed by rising water.
Setting off down the A361 - the main road from Taunton to Glastonbury
And still it comes - a veritable wall of water pouring over the fields, being fed by a failed section of flood defense wall - the current here was so strong it took me 15 mins to do about 100m and pass it on the way back.
'Burrow Mump' in the distance, usually a short drive...
Welcome to the A361, water, fallen trees, floating debris, underwater obstructions...
Not so much canopy as landing stage now...
Offices of a local property company.
Can't even look inside the above one it's so deep.
Hardwood flooring factory - took the pics by just putting the kayaks nose though a massive hole in the wall that the water had made.
Bugger.
First floor entrance...
I kayaked over a 6 foot fence to get into this wood yard...
Tourist information point - 'The Island of the Princes'
And a little video if you prefer that sort of thing...
[video=youtube;b0CesvXydnc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0CesvXydnc&feature=youtu.be[/video]
A truly immense amount of water, very challenging at times (waves breaking over my head on the way back against the wind) and all accompanied by the feint whiff of diesel and death.
______________________________________________________________________________
Footnote:
This picture (as seen bigger in the report)
Has gone viral, however the good (???) people at The Sun, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, The Star, and the BBC have paid to use it - money that I have happily accepted on this occasion, as it will go to the flood relief collection.
If you feel generous you can give via this link;
Just giving
Many of you will have seen some of these already - but I wanted to pull them together in one place that wasn't facebook with all its kitten pictures and 'share to beat cancer' crap.
So, last Sunday I took a trip from East Lyng to Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels - thought I'd share a few pics, and a short video clip.
All that you see is road, field, or property - no rivers or lakes normally.
East Lyng, please paddle carefully....
Pumping kit - long since overwhelmed by rising water.
Setting off down the A361 - the main road from Taunton to Glastonbury
And still it comes - a veritable wall of water pouring over the fields, being fed by a failed section of flood defense wall - the current here was so strong it took me 15 mins to do about 100m and pass it on the way back.
'Burrow Mump' in the distance, usually a short drive...
Welcome to the A361, water, fallen trees, floating debris, underwater obstructions...
Not so much canopy as landing stage now...
Offices of a local property company.
Can't even look inside the above one it's so deep.
Hardwood flooring factory - took the pics by just putting the kayaks nose though a massive hole in the wall that the water had made.
Bugger.
First floor entrance...
I kayaked over a 6 foot fence to get into this wood yard...
Tourist information point - 'The Island of the Princes'
And a little video if you prefer that sort of thing...
[video=youtube;b0CesvXydnc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0CesvXydnc&feature=youtu.be[/video]
A truly immense amount of water, very challenging at times (waves breaking over my head on the way back against the wind) and all accompanied by the feint whiff of diesel and death.
______________________________________________________________________________
Footnote:
This picture (as seen bigger in the report)
Has gone viral, however the good (???) people at The Sun, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, The Star, and the BBC have paid to use it - money that I have happily accepted on this occasion, as it will go to the flood relief collection.
If you feel generous you can give via this link;
Just giving
