No Problem getting heavy hand from GOBA

I am a member of GOBA. I am being accused by GOBA of abusing the mooring here in Ely. I can't go anywhere else, I have been told by the boatyard who is trying to fix our gearbox to stay here. I have told the lady from the council that I have a problem with the gearbox and cant move. She replied that she would inform the Council Office that we were here. If anyone from the Environment Agency had approached me I would have told them the same. I am stuck.

This then from David Mercer of GOBA..

Dear Mrs C

I have to say that I am extremely disappointed to find a GOBA member blatantly bragging about abuse of the scarce 48-hour moorings and seemingly appearing to encourage others to do likewise. It is this sort of behaviour that engenders some of the adverse but often unjustified comments GOBA receives frequently about narrowboats in general. Our code of behaviour on this river requires everyone to play their part in making moorings fairly available for all.

I hope you will have the decency to move for this weekend’s Ely Riverfest when moorings will be in exceptional demand, or at the very least to openly encourage other boats to raft alongside.

Please don’t even consider attempting this sort of abuse of the rules on a GOBA mooring.

David Mercer

The Great Ouse Boating Association ………… celebrating our 50th Anniversary in 2008

‘Navigating the Future’ for over 3,000 boaters on the river Great Ouse and associated waterways.

david.mercer@goba.org.uk www.goba.org.uk

I was shocked to say the least! Maybe I am missing something here, did I encourage others to abuse the moorings here in Ely? From the way I read it, I was in fact, critisising EA and the Council for not monitoring boats along the waterfront. No way do I encourage overstaying.. in 4 years of blogging I have never ever done that.. I told this guy that I don't ever abuse moorings in my reply...

David,

I do not want to be here.. I am not able to move from here.. I am sick of being here.. I hate it here... I have no gearbox.

I am very annoyed that EA have not come to see why I am here.. I am very annoyed that EA let people moor in Ely and don't bother to ask them to move on..

I think you have the wrong end of the stick, please don't accuse me of abuse of moorings. I never ever abuse moorings, nor do I encourage others to do so.

Please tell me where you are getting this information from. If it is from my website then I will publish your email with your remarks.

I am now expecting an appology from you and from GOBA.

Sue C

No appology, and obviously he got it from this website somewhere as he replied..

Dear Mrs C

Please feel free to publish my comments.

Will you be doing as I suggest as the least you can do – that is to actively encourage other boats to raft up alongside while there is pressure on moorings at Ely?

Other boaters in these circumstances find refuge in marinas or on other private sites. They may have to pay, of course. There is NO excuse for illegally occupying a public 48-hour mooring for 24 days.

If you genuinely had any qualms about abusing this facility you would move now. Would you like us to arrange a tow?

David Mercer

I am surprised at how readily David is able to offer us a tow.. surely it would be better if he could arrange for a tow for the sunken boat at the Lazy Otter GOBA moorings so we can moor up there? Maybe David has already done that though? Of course people can raft/moor next to No Problem, I have never had any quarms about that..

David,

Anyone can moor against our boat.. I will publish your comments.. You can tow our boat away if you want to, where will you tow it to? GOBA will then have to pay for an engineer to fix our boat. Bridge Boatyard have that contract at the moment and have said we are to stay here. Sort it out with EA or Bridge Boats, don't accuse me of abuse.

Sue C

Ho hum, I feel it has to be a better day tomorrow doesn't it?