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River Welland – Aegre

Geoff Dodd talked of his childhood memories of the Aegre being seen in Spalding and chasing it. This was before the lock and Spalding was tidal. So  lovely to see this picture found on Facebook.

As reported in Mar 1931. …..”the tidal bore or “Aegre” coming in from the Wash up the Welland river to Fosdyke. This wave is from 3 to 4 feet high and travels at 5 mph, coming in from the Wash with a roar. The huge new outfall scheme, which has been passed, to take the River Welland out to deep water, will do away with this wonderful sight”….

The bottom picture was taken one minute after the top picture. …….”An immense amount of water has entered the river as will be noticed by comparing the banks in the two pictures. Barges have always waited for this flow of water and come up as shown here on high water”….

Vistor comments

8 Responses

  1. The outfall scheme didn’t do away with the Aegre, although it may have tamed it somewhat. When I was a child the Welland through Spalding was tidal, and I saw it on several occasions although it was only inches, or maybe a foot high. After the opening of the Coronation Channel and the construction of the lock below the town, the tide sometimes came in with such force it slammed the outlet doors on the Channel shut with an audible bang. One time I recall there being a substantial tree branch wedged in the doors when the tide came in, and the rising water hit the door so hard the branch was reduced to splinters.

    1. Hi Mike,
      Fascinating stuff. Is there still tidal bore on the Welland. Last April I surfed the Great Ouse bore in my surf kayak and would be priveledged to do so on the Welland however small.
      I first surfed the Severn bore in the 1960’s!
      I would be very grateful of any information you could offer me.

  2. I can indeed confirm that the tidal bore still runs up to Spalding. Nothing visible at Fosdyke Bridge but it is visible below Surfleet Res and below Spalding. The best vantage points I have found are on the bridge over the Vernatts sluices at the Res where you can see down the confluence into the Welland and on the point of land where the Coronation Channel meets the approach to Fulney lock. You can see straight down the river and see how quickly the tide rises behind the wave.

    1. I cannot find Vernatts sluices, could you, please, give us a link on google maps or a postcode of the nearest place where we could watch tidal bore? Thank you!

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