Burghfield Sailing Club flooded

Cricket and Football matches are used to being unable to play due to too much water on their pitches. But now Burgfield Sailing Club has been prevented from sailing because of too much water. It's not the lake that is the problem but the roads to it that stopped the sailing. The roads are just passable but the Environmental Agency only wants the Club to make essential. trips.

And there have been some very essential trips. The lake is 3 to 4 ft above normal level. Boats like the Streaker in the picture have had to be moved and she was not the closest to the water. Members that have made it to the Club have been moving their and other members dinghies. The trimarans used for disability sailing have been moored out in the lake. Mooring lines to the orange weed cutters seen in the photo have had to be monitored. There is actually a submerged jetty this side of the weed-cutters and the end post can just be seen on the right hand side.

The Pangbourne and Reading Rowing Clubs had to leave the River and came to Burgfield Lake as a temporary home for practice and now have the same problem as the sailors, but their boats are safe.

Of course amid all the problems there has been humour. Have we had the wrong sort of water? Do you really want a dinghy space that close to the water? He must be very reluctant to come ashore! And will the fees go up now we have a larger lake? But then sailors have always had their banter.

Compared with those who have had homes, businesses and fields flooded our experience has been insignificant.