Removing the weeds by boat.

Our flat-bottomed, electric-powered boat, affectionately labelled ‘The Tank’ has vastly increased the speed at which we can clear invasive weeds and reeds. We have been working from Clydach Aqueduct to Clydach Lock for four weeks now, gradually building up large piles of grass and weeds which were choking the channel. Having left them on the side of the towpath for two weeks for all invertebrates to return to the water, we began to collect the piles in builders bags for Captain Walker to guide The Tank across the canal to collect them. The bags were then carried to the off side  to be unloaded up the embankment and composted.

The boat has been doubly useful in that we can ferry two or three volunteers to other areas along the canal for more weed removal  and still be able to  collect them in time for the tea and cake break. Here, Sue and Andy (the bakers of this week’s prize beetroot and chocolate cake) are at Pont John Bridge clearing up more heaps of weed.

And here we see the cleared channel with the more piles of vegetation on the towpath edge waiting to be collected. The two Gareths in the foregorund are busy building a landing stage out of sleepers to ease the boarding of the boat’s passengers. And there is the Tank in the background, linking all these activites together. Our eco-friendly work boat.