4th Elysian Beer Festival

I arrived in Ely on Thursday afternoon and pootled around the town until it got dark. On Friday, I popped into the local Auction house to view their lots but decided there was nothing to keep me there for the actual auction on Saturday. In the afternoon, I cruised down the Ouse to the small EA moorings nearly opposite the River Lark junction. This is a good place to wash the boat as I can do one side when I arrive and then turn in the wide river and do the other side before heading back to Ely.

In the evening, I left Skylark in her mooring and walked the 50m to the main doors of the Maltings where CAMRA were holding their 4th Elysian Beer Festival.

I had not expected to see so many people. There was a Bouncer Door Supervisor outside letting people in as people left. Obviously, by 7.00pm the event was already at capacity. After I was given my bright yellow plastic bracelet and bought a 'starters' card and beer glass, I went into the main hall to be met by hundreds of people drinking from, I guessed, 150 casks of real ale. There were about 20 ciders and a few foreign beers. I tasted a few local brews including stouts and bitters, and very nice they were too. I left before 'time' was called and carefully negotiated the quayside back to the boat. By the way, the Door Supervisors were extremely polite and helpful - a great improvement on the characters I used to see outside night clubs in the 70's and 80's.

The next day, despite the weather forecast of a cold easterly wind, I woke to a calm bright morning. Not knowing if this would continue, I decided to leave and take advantage of the peace and calm. All was quiet on the river, not many boats moving about, but there were lot of boats moored up on the GOBA and EA 24 hr moorings - presumably having moved off the Popes Corner Marina. As an example, this GOBA mooring, would normally have only one or two boats on it during the summer. Today, in mid winter, it was full.

Apparently, the new owners of the marina are redeveloping the place and have given all the 'live-aboards' notice that they can't return. I don't know the rationale behind this but I hope they have given this approach a lot of thought.

Getting back to Lazy Otter by about mid day, I realised how lucky I was to find this mooring last year.

The following few days are expected to be very cold so I'll probably pop back to the boat on Monday to make sure the new pipe insulation is working.