Unlicenced boats and moorings
WE HAVE been out since 17th May, and I can only agree with the article written by Peter Ponting, (CaRT ignoring G&S problems) writes Ian Mason.
From our home mooring near Bishop's Stortford we have travelled down the Lea & Stort to Limehouse then up the Thames to Lechlade, now retracing our steps to go up the Oxford Canal.
No licence displayed
Well there are the usual problems on the Lea with boats mooring on water points and lock landings, plus no visible licence displayed.
I put it to CaRT that its figures are wrong for licence evasion. I say bring back the lengthsmen.
There since last year
Well, on to Teddington [the Thames under Environment Agency control] and the bunch of old boats (30 plus in total) are still on the end of the lock landing for paid moorings and have been there since last year. I was told by the lock keeper that the police have raided them for drugs and they have been asked to move, but they have just put two fingers up and are still there.
If you had a house there the council tax would be in the thousands.
The Thames is very shallow in places as the powers-that-be are not dredging or tree cutting in the upper reaches, I was told that there might be heavy metal in the spoil(?) This is mainly on the river above Oxford.
Stop early
Mooring on the Thames is not so bad as we have devised a cunning plan. We leave our moorings early and stop very early afternoon. As we are retired we only do four to five hours a day and sometimes stay a couple of days in one spot. My wife and I try not to move at week-ends as all the yoghurt pots come out to play.
The weather has been a great deal better as you all probably know, and all in all has been a bit better than last year. Yes there are a lot of boats moored near bridges for extended periods of time that pinch the best places to stay, and quite a few boats that seem to be abandoned.
I will let you know how we get on ditch-crawling on the canals.
Well time for a glass of wine, if any one sees us (Nb Dreamer) give us a wave or say hello .