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Branch Chairman’s Jottings by Bernard Morton What a baptism of excess water the early part of 2014 produced. And 2013 hardly bowed out waterless, either. The levels on the Nene remained high for several weeks, with flood waters gushing through the fully opened locks a familiar and somewhat frightening sight. On the canals, levels were consistently high, too, which made you realise their vital importance as a flood conduit although the water escaping down the Northampton Arm to the Nene only inevitably added to the swollen levels there. As always in these conditions, moorers in the River Tove at Stoke Bruerne bottom lock had their own particular flooding problems to deal with – something well described and pictured in Endeavour over the years. I feel a vote of thanks must go to EA personnel who must have faced daily challenges. On the ground especially did anyone actually have a restful and peaceful Christmas and New Year period? I doubt it. Sincere thanks for all your efforts – we may grouse from time to time but appreciation where and when it is due. Looking into my crystal ball, I see I may be commenting on a drought later in the year – but don’t count on it … 2015 BECKET’S PARK RALLY. Possibility is turning into probability about a major national IWA boat festival or gathering on the Nene at Becket’s Park, Northampton, in 2015. Next year is the year, as you are probably by now well aware, which marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Northampton Arm when, of course, as a Branch we want to organise something special to celebrate the occasion. As I mentioned in last Endeavour, Northampton Borough Council, the Environment Agency, the Canal & River Trust and other relevant bodies are all in favour of what I have called a “Becket’s Park spectacular”. Exploratory meetings involving the various groups have already been held and by the time you read this a decision regarding the status of the event could well have been taken by IWA’s trustees. We shall update the latest situation on the Branch website. The favoured date seems to be the August Bank Holiday weekend. Meanwhile, detailed planning for this year’s Branch Boat Gathering at Braunston is now well underway. The dates of Friday to Monday 2nd – 5th May coincide with the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, and an entry form is included with this issue of Endeavour or can be obtained off the Branch website. Further details of the event are given on pages 1 & 18 while Tim Coghlan, who runs Braunston Marina where we shall be based, has contributed an article starting on page 20. Our sincere thanks to Tim for his generosity in allowing us to hold our Gathering at the marina and also to his colleagues for their invaluable guidance and general back up in its organisation. Please join in and help us make the Gathering a bumper occasion. NORTHAMPTON ARM ACTIVITY. There’s been a change in the organisational team responsible for our activities on the Northampton Arm following its adoption by the Branch last year. For personal reasons, David Higgins has decided to step down