Return of the prodigal son

normskib

normskib

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The last remaining slumboat has plonked itself out side John Lewis in Kingston making sure no other boater gets a look in for months! But no doubt when this floating slag heap does eventually move it will join the rest of the armada that’s Ensconced it’s self in Cranberry Gardens Ready to return To their spiritual home
In Petersham . Just what is it with Kingston and the EA they Either couldn’t care less or turn a blind eye to the ever increasing number of usual suspects that seem to be flocking to the official and private moorings it would be so nice just to get a look in now and again. Fed up what me !!!
 
They're the prime moorings for us Christmas shoppers who are lucky enough to own a boat and avoid the horrendous queues for the car park. I passed him the other day. He was on deck standing with a bowl of food, eating mouth open in an exaggerated manner with his bicycle helmet on, he looked like an escapee from an asylum. Perhaps it's part of his new plot to claim permanent river residence:ambivalence:
As his fleet is cut off from the only pump out for months while Molesey lock is refurbished, why the hell cant someone from the EA or the council demand to know where his sewage is going? I'm very unhappy about being downstream of him.

A response from the local MP for Molesey and the ever useless Michael Gove regarding the doss houses here:
http://www.friendsofhurstpark.org.uk
 
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A sharp knife and a torch would ensure he soon ends up downstream from you, and you can soon sort out a bit of retribution with regard to the sewage... :encouragement:
 
Not very scientific I know but.....
I was down that way on Sunday with the dog and he does like a swim.He has been very sick for 3days afterwards,vets,anti sickness jab,48 hrs starving him,now on chicken and rice etc etc..Now he isn't a shrinking violet,50 kg of river dog....brought up on eating goose poo and drinking the water....in fact if you offered him Evian or a puddle he'd take the puddle every time.:)
As he was fine Sunday morning the vet can only surmise that it was something he caught from the river water.

Below Trotman and all the other liveaboards there are kids canoeing,rowing,sailing,people enjoying the river.
I understand Trotman can run rings around the EA as far as licensing,moving about is concerned but sewage....it ain't rocket science what's happening is it?
And please don't mention their lack of funding....as Actionmat has mentioned it wouldn't be difficult to prove now would it.
 
I recently wrote to the Thames Harbour Master, Mr Barry Russell, on two principle points;
Unmanned locks
Live aboard slum boats

One of the points mentioned on the latter was illegal discharge of sewage.
I received a VERY full reply which essentially said they had no resources and were buried in bureaucracy. My synopsis!
The one point not addressed was illegal discharge of sewage.

Frankly I think we are wasting our time.
EA is buried in bureaucracy. The local councils are not interested because if they intervene, the rehousing potentially becomes their problem.
As for Gove ......... He has screwed up every department he has been involved with. Perhaps he should take a cabin at £40 a night on Mr Trotman's delightful riverside residence and ask to see his various certificates .. fire, health and safety, etc.

It is a travesty and becoming worse by the day.
 
Actionmat said:
They're the prime moorings for us Christmas shoppers who are lucky enough to own a boat and avoid the horrendous queues for the car park. I passed him the other day. He was on deck standing with a bowl of food, eating mouth open in an exaggerated manner with his bicycle helmet on, he looked like an escapee from an asylum. Perhaps it's part of his new plot to claim permanent river residence:ambivalence:
As his fleet is cut off from the only pump out for months while Molesey lock is refurbished, why the hell cant someone from the EA or the council demand to know where his sewage is going? I'm very unhappy about being downstream of him.

A response from the local MP for Molesey and the ever useless Michael Gove regarding the doss houses here:
http://www.friendsofhurstpark.org.uk
Click to expand...

It sounds horrible 'down there' and the thought of that persons turds, and his lodgers, bobbing along the river is dreadful.
 
Wait by the river long enough and the bodies of your enemies will come floating by....
Sun Tzu.


Patience Grasshopper. :)
 
These issues are “front and centre” at many meetings with the EA and there is clearly much going on behind the scenes that cannot be publicly discussed for both legal and operational reasons.
It is frustrating that nothing seems to be done and to presume that the authorities are impotent but we are also living in a very different world to the one that existed at the time of the 1932 Thames Conservancy act. Like it or not, the EA and local authorities are required to act within the law and are having to try and deal with a new breed of river user adept at exploiting every loophole they can find to flout the regulations.
 
Mirror Painter said:
Useless contribution from pretend 'tough guy'.
Click to expand...

Not at all. Simply adding humour into what is currently a lost cause. If the EA are not prepared to do anything, and it looks like you had no 'useful' contribution either, then what do you suggest can be realistically done apart from telling us it sounds horrible what with the turds and all? :ambivalence:
 
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+1 B1.

Those of you who attended RUG8 2 years ago may recall that the previous Waterways Manager stated that the EA will only investigate major pollution incidents, not minor discharges of sewage from boats; the EA simply does not have the staff resource to deal with this matter. An EA technical officer told me that the odd bit of sewage adds to the ecology of the water and the solids get emulsified when they go over a weir. There are 50+ types of bacteria in the Thames that can make you sick, many of these originate from fecal deposits by animals, wildfowl and fish, not to mention the treated effluent put back in the river from waterworks. Hence the advice to wash your hands each time you get them wet and before you eat anything.
 
Old Crusty said:
+1 B1.

Those of you who attended RUG8 2 years ago may recall that the previous Waterways Manager stated that the EA will only investigate major pollution incidents, not minor discharges of sewage from boats; the EA simply does not have the staff resource to deal with this matter. An EA technical officer told me that the odd bit of sewage adds to the ecology of the water and the solids get emulsified when they go over a weir. There are 50+ types of bacteria in the Thames that can make you sick, many of these originate from fecal deposits by animals, wildfowl and fish, not to mention the treated effluent put back in the river from waterworks. Hence the advice to wash your hands each time you get them wet and before you eat anything.
Click to expand...

Oh - I might as well resurrect my pumpout kit instead of making a trek to the nearest EA unit which is inevitably broken anyway...
 
Thanks for the up to date info Old Crusty......
Means we can all dispense with the need for pump outs and get rid of holding tanks......room for more crap then :encouragement:
 
Old Crusty said:
+1 B1.
Those of you who attended RUG8 2 years ago may recall that the previous Waterways Manager stated that the EA will only investigate major pollution incidents, not minor discharges of sewage from boats; the EA simply does not have the staff resource to deal with this matter. An EA technical officer told me that the odd bit of sewage adds to the ecology of the water and the solids get emulsified when they go over a weir. There are 50+ types of bacteria in the Thames that can make you sick, many of these originate from fecal deposits by animals, wildfowl and fish, not to mention the treated effluent put back in the river from waterworks. Hence the advice to wash your hands each time you get them wet and before you eat anything.
Click to expand...
Something definitely not right here, don't you think?
I remember the RUG8 meeting you mention very clearly and many there were shocked by the admission that a pollution incident had to be quite severe before any action would be taken. I also understand the burden of proof is high and it is unlikely that anyone will be prosecuted for discharging into the river unless actually caught in the act.
However, the bylaws do exist and can still be enforced when circumstances allow. As others have said, it can't be rocket science to direct significant attention to live aboard craft that appear to have no access to pump out facilities. One wonders why the public health authorities can't take a greater interest - oh, silly me, they're short of cash and resources too !

The massive fine imposed on Thames Water recently for polluting he Thames could have been better directed to the river budget instead of going into Treasury coffers - £20million would provide a huge incentive to improve enforcement resources !
 
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