Our original boom was at Sandford, in a feeder stream behind the Waterworks. It's been mended before now, but was now ready for a total replacement.

So, with the securing anchors for the boom only being accessible from the water, a couple of volunteers set off by boat to undertake the work.

Arriving on-scene it was clear why this work needed to be undertaken.

Having the right tools makes all the difference and in no time at all the vegetation that would otherwise get in the way of the work was soon being cut back.

Then, again in no time at all, the old boom had been removed and the new on was in place. Job done!

Once we are in a location where we know there could be Pennywort we like to check things out. So, the boat was moored up

We got a slightly different view of our new boom

And we accessed whatever part of the stream we could. Which wasn't much!

Further exploration of that area will need to wait until more bankside vegetation has died down.

On our way back, an opportunity to check out another potential source of Pennywort - the Manor Farm Fishing lake.

Nothing we can do about that, sadly.

But another good morning's work.

Today's work party was a further push to get the latter situation closer to being under control.

Our regular volunteers turned up; divers from the Chelmsford Sub Aqua Diving club turned up. Two teams ready to do battle with the insidious weed!

The origin of our first team was Heybridge Basin. Equipment and refreshments loaded it was time to set off to collect other members of this team.

But before we even formally started, any trip along the Navigation provides opportunities to remove Pennywort and today was no exception. Some people just can't leave it alone.

Two further volunteers and four divers were collected at Beeleigh and it was time to prepare for the task in hand,

Just below Ricketts Lock the divers were soon in the water and doing brilliant work in freeing Pennywort from the bank.

Giving the crew on the work boat plenty to bring on board.

And the bank crew plenty to pull off the boat onto the bank. Several times

At one point the divers were releasing so much Pennywort from the bankside vegetation that those on the work boat couldn't keep up! Especially where the current was strong.

Meanwhile our Second team had met at Hoe Mill and motored down to the Ricketts Lock Cut on the work boat, towing an inflatable dinghy and with a coracle on board. The latter two were quickly deployed to work along and on the bank.

The 'tow to the bank' technique was used to move large rafts of Pennywort.

Which of course had to be offloaded and dragged away from the water

Soon forming an impressively large pile of weed which should rot down and no longer pose a threat to the Navigation.

By 'half time' everyone was ready for a break. No time was wasted getting to the agreed meeting point!

Those refreshments were, again, justly deserved!

Then back to work and time for more

And more

Meaning, of course, even more offloading.

Even more progress. Even more working in the water,

But eventually time to get the divers back on board.

And with the rest of the team on board, and fleeting glimpse of a Kingfisher. Time to return to Beeleigh.

Further work took place in the Ricketts Lock Cut

Before the first of two breakdowns occurred

The first, on the Hoe Mill Raider. The engine failed! Luckily an electric outboard was available (one designed to be used on a smaller craft such as an inflatable), and not looking too phased by this turn of events, our volunteers made slow but steady progress back upstream.

To eventually arrive back at Hoe Mill.

Further down the Navigation another breakdown had occurred. This time on a boater's boat. Not wanting to leave them stranded and in distress they were taken in tow.

Thanks to everyone who took part in today's work party. It was tough but it was worth it!

Familiar work, familiar faces and familiar techniques used by these expert volunteers,

It's always an early start from Heybridge. Tools and equipment onboard and the long trek on the Long Pond begins.

Good to do a bit of collecting on the way.

On above Beeleigh Lock. There's more here too!

What comes on has to come off.

Meanwhile the team from Hoe Mill were arriving at Ricketts Lock. Didn't we pull that Pennywort out last month? (Yes we did. It's regrown).

Ambitious but effective. First detach a large raft from the bank (where are the divers when we need them?!)

Then tow to the lock.

And get two willing volunteers to pull it out while going back for more

After all that hard graft they were all still smiling!

Then on for more work downstream and with more off-loadings

And more of the same upstream. More towing

And more teamwork

Attention to detail. As we know so well, the smallest fragment can grow to a huge raft so every fragment is netted out.

Another excellent haul.

Over the years we must be getting fitter or faster (or both). A haul about that size would have been made by about 14 volunteers 20 years ago. Today, just 4.

Nuff said!

However much was brought onto the boat there was still more to come.

But good progress was made

And a number of boatsfull of Pennywort were taken off the boat onto the bank.

Meanwhile Coracle Man Steve was doing the valuable job of hand-picking the small strands attached to the bank.

Down at Heybridge earlier another two volunteers had been getting the workboat Buster equipped. They then motored up to Beeleigh.

We like to opportunistically grab any pennywort we can as we motor past it. Meaning we get some but by no means all. We wonder if anyone who sees us thinks that is our main technique for collecting pennywort and that we aren't very good at it?!

Having collected more volunteers, including two divers, the group motored on up to Ricketts Lock.

With the learning we took on board from the previous session today we perfected the technique.

Divers in the water removed pennywort from where it was attached to the bank and pushed it out into the river. These guys were new to pennywort-removal but they soon developed very effective techniques.

Pennywort was brought on board the work boat

And then removed by volunteers on the bank.

Within a short time both teams were loading boatsfull of pennywort onto the bank. Critters that were inadvertently been brought ashore were able to nip back down the bank into the water. We helped a few eels get back in the water from the work boats.

Time for a break and a bit of relaxation. What a cheerful group!

Then, of course, back for more of the same.

Eventually time for both teams to finish and head for home. But not, of course, before getting the divers back on board.

Another very successful CCT work party. Another group of hard-working volunteers. THANK YOU.

One team met and set off from Hoe Mill. Three working from the work boat, one in a coracle and one in a dinghy. It's a journey involving two lockings to get to where they'd start work. But not a bad morning to be chugging down the Navigation.

Sadly there was pennywort growing in the lock cut where large rafts had been removed last month. Here's an example of the rafts that both teams encountered

With large rafts it is sometimes easier to tow the raft to the bank rather than heave it into the boat.

Nevertheless there was plenty of hauling of pennywort into the boat

Followed of course by the necessary unloading.

Another team had started off from Heybridge Basin to make the long journey up to Beeleigh.

Although the aim was to get to Beeleigh there's always an opportunity to do some opportunistic, high speed, pennywort-grabbing on the way!

To get ahead of the game, ready for when the divers arrived, this team locked up through Beeleigh lock

To await the arrival of the divers!

This was a new approach for us. And one that, once tried out, we know we are keen to repeat.

Obviously careful preparation is needed

Having volunteers in the water makes detaching large rafts from the bank much easier and that's what our divers did so well.

They seemed to like it!

Getting ever more up close and personal with Floating American Pennywort

Moving around with all of that diving gear, in that murky, low-vis, water can be a struggle so a tow is always appreciated!

And it wasn't only the divers who got a tow. So too did the large rafts they set free.

Once close to the bank we were fortunate that some divers' support folk had arrived. They willingly helped pull pennywort up the bank. Brilliant!

The boat crew took the opportunity to do a bit of pennywort work upstream.

Before a refreshment break was declared and the divers were brought on board the workboat to head upstream and meet the other group.

And, eventually, the other group came into view!

It was good to have a break after everyone had been involved in such tiring work. It was good to get a hot drink and something to eat. And it was good to chat to each other.

However, there was still work to be done before the long journeys back to our start points. So, the teams headed off to do more work.

Having craft that can work in tight spaces and within the reeds, close to the bank, is such an asset.

But all good things must come to an end and for this team it was time to pack up and head back to Hoe Mill.

Meanwhile our other team found time to get the divers back in the water for one more session of freeing a raft of pennywort.

Which was towed away and taken on board for offloading later.

Down through Beeleigh Lock

Then time to head for home.

Thanks to everyone who took part, and especially to the divers from the Chelmsford Sub Aqua Diving Club and their supporters - we'll hope to see you at further CCT work parties.

The task was to deal with the considerable amount of pennywort that had grown in the Ricketts Lock Cut and which had been confirmed by our Pennywort Patrollers. Essex Waterways Ltd willingly agreed to do some prior work on this pennywort and the day before we were due to work there the weedlifter gave us a huge amount of help by lifting the large rafts out of the water, leaving our CCT volunteers to do the inevitable clearing up that removal of large rafts makes necessary. Thanks Michael!

Team Chas. Sadly the enthusiasm and very early start from Heybridge (needed, in order to be able to collect volunteers at Beeleigh at 9.00 am) was not rewarded with the availability of Buster, the Heybridge work boat which wasn't ready and had to have cargo craned out before it could be used.

While the skipper tried in vain to get use of Buster another volunteer made good use of the time.

After a two-hour wait it was off to Beeleigh to collect the other members of Team Chas. Despite the wait they still seemed happy!

Team Keith. Despite a bit of difficulty getting the engine going it was a more straightforward start for this team.

Arriving at Ricketts they were quickly down to work.

By the time Team Chas arrived everyone deserved a well-earned break,

Then time for more. Team Keith carried on from where they'd left off.

And at last Team Chas could get on with some weedbusting. No point spending time to lock up through Ricketts as there was plenty of pennywort to deal with on the way back to Beeleigh.

Followed by the inevitable off-loading.

Then for both teams, time to go.

Beeleigh Lock was busy on the way back!

A superb work party with our brilliant volunteers justifiably proud of their efforts.

First task, load the workboat and construct the folding dinghy!

Next, prepare dinghy to be towed up the Long Pond

Then up the Long Pond we journeyed

Taking the opportunity to grab any errant pennywort as we passed by.

Having ended our May work party by doing a bit of Long Pond-clearing on our way back to base from the Langford Cut we knew we could start at Chapman's Bridge and work back downstream.

It wasn't long before we were pulling small strands and growing rafts onto Buster, the work boat.

In the meantime our volunteers in the dinghy and the coracle were progressing downstream.

With the entire section from Chapman's Bridge to the Tesco footbridge having been dealt with by the team it was time for a well-deserved break.

What a happy bunch of volunteers!

Then on to more of the same

A change of skipper for the work boat for a while

Still plenty of pennywort to deal with

Getting into the reeds to get to source is always helpful

Plenty of pennywort to be offloaded

Before collecting the dinghy and the coracle and heading off. But not without a bit of opportunistic pennywort collection on the way.

Then back to base

And the inevitable unloading and clearing up of the work boat.

An excellent, productive, work party!

Then off, a few minutes earlier than planned, to head up to Beeleigh to meet the rest of the volunteer team. All good!

Well, it was 'all good' until we came to an undignified halt in the middle of the Long Pond having run out of petrol. (We knew the petrol level was pretty low but we thought there would be sufficient for us to get to Tesco Fullbridge.) Oh well, punt back to Wave Bridge and moor up.

For those who think that Tesco is 'just along the road' from Wave Bridge please try walking it with (an admittedly empty) fuel tank! At least it's a level walk!

With the fuel tank filled it was great news that one of our volunteers could provide a taxi service back to Wave Bridge. And thus, the much-needed fuel arrived.

Then, a bit later than planned, on to Beeleigh to meet the rest of the Team. It's always important to run through the Safety Briefing.

Some initial work around the boom at the bottom of the Langford Cut

And then teams worked up either side of the Cut

Removing both small strands and larger rafts. Here's the 'before' pic

And here's the 'after' pic

Invaluable help provided by our coracleman who, in his new(ish) fibreglass coracle can ease it over submerged logs without the fear (and reality) of the oilcloth of the previous coracle ripping and causing a pretty fast sinking.

There's some interesting wild life in the Cut. Here's a red eared terrapin we saw basking on a log. A bit ironic that we are here to remove invasive Floating American Pennywort and we find this little critter, listed as one of the 100 most invasive species in the world!

It's always tough working in the Langford Cut. In many places it requires hacking through tall nettles and Goose Grass (aka Cleavers) to get to dense undergrowth of brambles and blackthorn bushes to access the smelly, muddy, water's edge. (Not exactly selling it are we?!) One of us misjudged the edge and sank one leg in above welly boot level. Some recognised this as what, as children, they would have called 'a bootey'. Others thought a 'booty' was something in a field you went to on a Sunday morning to buy or sell mainly second- hand items! There are other definitions of 'booty' but we won't go into them now!

Time for the well-deserved refreshment break.

Our cheerful volunteers deserved a break relaxing in the sun.

Then back to the task in hand for more of the same. The sewer pipe makes an excellent firm base from which to work.

If it's accessible it's coming out

With all of the pennywort we could reach having been dragged out we reckoned it was time to call it a day, so back to the landing stage at Beeleigh to say goodbye. Then the trip back to Heybridge Basin on Buster the work boat.

Some of us just can't go past a patch of pennywort without reversing to pull it out. So vigilance was required as we headed 'home'.

And we were able to offload a decent amount of pennywort from Buster on our way back.

Another great effort by our Chelmer Canal Trust volunteers!

We'd been waiting for the weather to give us a dry spell when we could return to treat the bench again. And it hadn't come. Until today!

We wasted no time and seized the opportunity. After all, putting a few things in a work boat and nipping up to the bench, sited just upstream of Ulting Church, should be a doddle.

Well, it was less of a doddle than we had hoped when we saw what was in the work boat.

That's a lot of water to bail out. Thankfully our very thoughtful volunteer had arrived early, with a new bailer, and got the boat dry enough for us to use.

Then we were off

On a warm, clear day like today who doesn't like a trip up the Navigation?!

Luckily the outboard engine was behaving - the flow of current was pretty strong.

Here's the bench when we arrived.

Although clear at the front, the nettles were starting to encroach at the back. They were soon dealt with.

Then it was just a case of getting on with the wood treatment.

It went on well and seemed to soak in well. The wood almost said 'thank you'.

Just a bit of tidying up behind the bench.

A final pic of the bench

And a well-deserved cuppa.

Having dealt with the task in hand so efficiently, the reward of a trip up to the Rushes Lock weir to see the impressive amount of water flowing.

Then back to Hoe Mill, tools and equipment back to Heybridge, and back home.

We just managed to get our cars parked in the space available!

Soon our intrepid team were ready for action.

And the work began.

We moved down either bank of the stream.

Removing all visible pennywort and with those on the opposite bank 'spotting' for their colleagues.

Always good to see a clear stretch of water.

And good to make such excellent progress downstream.

Having a volunteer able to get to places other volunteers can't reach is invaluable.

By the time we got to this bridge we'd earned our refreshments!

More work to do after our break with two volunteers checking downstream.

And the remainder working up another tributary along the boundary of the old waterworks.

And again, coracleman could get to places others couldn't.

With the entire system having been checked, a complete loop completed, and with all visible pennywort having been removed, it was time to head back to base.

And pack the equipment, and head for home.

Another great CCT work party with a great group of volunteers.

With just the right number of volunteers to work from the craft we had available it was another early start from Heybridge Basin.

Buster, our work boat, was readied for action

As were the two smaller craft we were lucky to be able to use.

Then, with tools and equipment (and refreshments) on board it was time to head up the Long Pond to meet our foe - Floating American Pennywort. We knew not to expect a lot. But we also knew that attention to detail, picking out small strands, especially where they were trapped under brambles, would limit the weed's opportunity to grow into large rafts during it's growing season.

The plan was to spread our capacity along the Long Pond. The coracle was first to go!

Followed by the fold-up dinghy.

The next time we'd see these superb volunteers would be when we stopped for refreshments.

The crew on Buster then got close and personal with the brambles, cutting them with garden shears from above the water and hauling them, and the attached pennywort, onto the work boat.

Everyone worked ever further up the Navigation and the next time we saw dinghy-man and coracle-man was when we went to find them for the refreshment break.

Always welcome and well-deserved we moored up for a short break.

Who doesn't appreciate a hot drink and something to eat on a cold, damp, day!

Then it was back to work, back to more of the same.

Close and personal with those brambles again. Surprisingly no cuts or scratches.

Not a lot, but the bramble/pennywort mix was offloaded.

And with a good morning's work under our belts it was back to base, the storing of the tools and equipment and the cleaning of the work boat.

Another good work party; another brilliant contribution to the battle against pennywort.

The weather and the sunrise were a just reward today!

We weren't happy with the temporary arrangement to cover the hole left by a missing deckplate; equipment (and even people) falling through the hole could come to serious harm. For once, some of those items thrown into the Navigation further upstream can come in handy!

The early start by three of our volunteers gave time for some work to be done at Heybridge Mill on the way up to Fullbridge where most of us were to meet.

Lucky that we have volunteers willing to get close and personal to the outboard when the cooling water-intake gets blocked.

It was a lot more pennywort-free when we had finished.

Then, having registered car registration numbers so that we didn't get fined for parking over-time at Fullbridge (thanks, Tesco!) the group headed up to Beeleigh to continue with the work that had been done last month.

Two teams again. Team Long Pond and Team Langford Cut.

Team Long Pond set off down the Long Pond to cut back vegetation and remove the pennywort it had trapped.

It didn't take long before a sizeable amount of pennywort was being brought onboard. This pile wasn't the result of one or two rafts of pennywort, it was very many small strands that irritatingly had escaped us last time we were there.

Good progress was made down as far as the Flood Gate and beyond.

Before return to meet Team Langford Cut for some welcome refreshments.

While Team Long Pond had been working down the Long Pond, Team Langford Cut had been working downstream along the Cut from the sewer pipe (we haven't see any Pennywort above the sewer pipe). Having a volunteer on the water is incredibly beneficial, accessing parts that, despite our long red poles, couldn't otherwise be reached.

All credit to our volunteers willing to battle through the blackthorn and brambles to get to the water and work on the muddy, smelly, fringes.

Having done so much work on this hellhole last month it was surprising how much pennywort still needed to be removed. Fair to say, it was challenging work in a challenging environment.

So, for both groups, the opportunity of a break, a chat, and some welcome refreshments, was much-appreciated.

Then for both teams back for more.

Team Long Pond headed off to work further downstream.

Completing the work about as far as Fullbridge.

And Team Langford Cut worked in a location they had identified when working on the opposite bank but which was a real 'cut through the jungle' experience to access.

Before

And after

(it's always worth keeping an eye on the wildlife in this unique environment!).

A farewell to coracle-man Steve who stayed to do even more work on the water (or what water there was) in the Cut and a meet up between the two teams to remove Team Long Pond's final cargo.

Back to Fullbridge to drop off our remaining volunteer and then the long haul down the Long Pond to Buster's mooring at Heybridge. A thorough tidy-up leaving Buster in good shape. We're leaving the temporary cover so that others are also safer when using Buster.

Thanks to our amazing volunteers without whom none of the work would be possible.

Preparation for work parties starts well before the time the group meets. For work parties along the Long Pond this generally means that a couple of volunteers will need to meet at Heybridge. This is the view from the lock at 7 am! (Thankfully, not a rain cloud in sight.)

Flasks filled with boiling water for the mid-session refreshments, tools selected, oil level on the outboard checked and it was time to leave promptly at 8 am, to be sure of getting to Beeleigh for a 9 am start.

The sun rose behind us as we made our way up the Long Pond.

Unsurprisingly there was plenty of water flowing over the weirs, and over the lock, at Beeleigh.

Which is why the decision had been made to base this work party below the Beeleigh Flood Gates - which were doing a fairly effective job of keeping the flood waters back. But what wasn't held back were our lovely volunteers who had been prepared to give up their Saturday-morning lie-in.

We were fortunate to have sufficient volunteers to have two groups. One group to work on the Langford Cut (which we haven't weedbusted for a while and which we knew needed attention) and another on the Long Pond which we have been progressively successful working on over a number of work parties.

Team Langford Cut

Four volunteers in this team who set off knowing what a difficult prospect they faced.

Working in the Langford Cut involves pushing through dense and prickly vegetation to get to smelly mud margin at the edge of the Cut which has submerged branches randomly along it.

But that didn't stop our volunteers getting down to business, first from the relative security of the sewer pipe!

An impressive start!

Already the brand new, never been in water before (except for a puddle in the car park!) coracle was giving value for money. No one liked to ask if the full-body flotation suit was due to a lack of confidence in the coracle, or the willingness to push it to the limit! We are sure that it was the latter - although the experience of being in the coracle was described as 'lively'!

Despite it being a foul place to work that was not going to deter our brilliant volunteers.

Just occasionally we have a bit of luck and everything goes according to plan. This raft of pennywort covered the Cut from bank to bank.

Gently gently catchy monkey - in it came as one raft.

Until eventually the areas was clear of all pennywort.

Team Long Pond

This team's task wasn't exactly a walk in the park (or on the golf course) either! Not only were they tasked with removing floating pennywort, they also had to cut back the overhanging brambles which dip into the water and trap pennywort.

Impressive progress was made down the Long Pond.

Regular off-loading was needed.

Then back for more.

Eventually time to join the other group and offload.

And then enjoy a bit of a chat and some welcome refreshments.

After a break, back for more with Team Long Pond making impressive progress downstream along one bank.

Eventually getting down as far as Chapman's Bridge

Before returning up the other bank.

And returning to Beeleigh

Meanwhile, two members of Team Langford Cut took on the other bank with a 'spotter' on the original bank.

This was brave! (working from on top of a branch sticking out into the Cut.)

What would we do without the flexibility and access offered by a coracle that can get to places that couldn't otherwise be accessed (and in today's case, with no possibility of sharp underwater branches puncturing the thin oilcloth which, in the past, have necessitated Steve needing to make a very speedy rush for the bank!)?

A great morning's work! Our volunteers had again made a huge impact. Time for most to go.

And time for the crew on Buster to catch a few small patches of pennywort that remained near the Flood Gates, then back to Heybridge with just a bit of opportunistic pennywort-collecting (grab it without stopping as we go past) on the way.

Tools packed away. Buster cleaned. Time for them to head home too.