The Tap is Open

There's no doubt now that the water is going out. Here's the water tower this week.

The water is going down quickly, as the two pictures of the slipway show. The first was taken at about 4PM on Saturday 29th April and the second at the same time the following day.

Sailing continues as usual, albeit with a slight air of desperation. Sunday's first race was more of a gentle float across the pond (no wind) but we know that we have to sail as much as we can whilst we still have a bit of water! Here is Saturday's Race Officer with the first sailor home.

Water Going Down; Sun Coming Out

Yorkshire Water started to let the water out just over a week ago. These pictures of the water tower and the slipway show how the water level has dropped.

Where there was only a tidemark last week, the tyres are now fully out of the water.

Today brought sunshine, variable winds and sailors.

Racing was slow (stationary) at times so no records were set.

Luncheon was taken out of doors. Legs, first glimpsed last week, are clearly now in season.

Signs of Spring

For some people it's daffodils, for others the sound of the cuckoo but at Doe Park the first sign of spring is LEGS.


How about the water? At first glance, the water level seems as high as ever. But look carefully at these tyres. Could this be a tide mark? Is the water dropping as we watch?

Plenty of water

The water level should have dropped by a metre since last week... Hmm, looking at the slipway, however, there seems to be as much water as ever; perhaps it's just a couple of inches down?

Today offered sleet with patches of sun. Here are Chris and Ray rigging the Omega during one of those sunny spells, ready for the Seamanship trainees. The continued abundance of water means that we may be able to run a novice training course of some kind this year. There is an email address on our website (Denholme Sailing Club) that you can contact if you are interested.

Open Day

The Open Day took place in wind and rain as the weather seems determined to scupper Yorkshire Water's plans for the reservoir. However, a good number of people turned up for a sail and a hotdog. Chris, Ray, Anne, Alan, Mark and Tim, who did a wonderful job of taking visitors out onto the water, got extremely wet! Still, people seemed to enjoy themselves, torrents notwithstanding, and the Commodore even took several new memberships, despite the fact that there will be no (sailing) water for most of this year. Here are a few club members observing from the shelter of the container: More Open Day photos at Denholme SC Flickr Gallery.

The Rain it Raineth...

Water going out...


Water coming in...

April Fool?

Today is the day that Yorkshire Water, according to the plan, will start to reduce the water level in the reservoir. Over the next week the level should drop by a metre. However, it's been raining. And raining. And raining. If this continues, then as fast as Yorkshire Water tries to lose the water, the rain will top up the pond. It must be nature's own April Fool prank.

April bluster made today too windy, even for the most intrepid sailors. Here's one of them bravely gybing round 9 in last week's gusts.