That was too ******* close.....

[Gavin E]

Moored up on the stretch where the river Thame joins the Thames just below days lock. As I'm sure you are aware it was a tad warm, and my wife decided she fancied a trip out in the dinghy to a shallow spot for a cooling paddle and a swim.
We returned an hour later to find our cruiser on the other side of the river, attached to a narrowboat holding position midstream. The bank was burned out and fire brigade in attendance. The flames had been close enough to burn through our mooring lines, with the other line released by another narrow boat owner on the bank who managed to pull the mooring pin and push us out into the river without getting burned himself.
We lost a couple of bits of canvas that got scorched/burnt, but what the hell. Everything else fine and I'm sure you can all appreciate how grateful we were to all who helped. Beer passed hands as a tiny tiny token of thanks.
It could have been caused by a bottle in the grass, but more likely by the group of teenage oiks chanting 'oops we started a fire' a hundred yards upstream.
I managed to keep my wife off of them long enough to sort ourselves out and head off before she got arrested.
Sadly not our first run in with the younger generation this summer, having witnessed another group of idiots climbing all over unattended boats in windsor, jumping from canvas roofs and chucking brooms etc into the river just for a laugh...
Be careful out there everyone.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Always been a scrote problem up there. I think they come from Berinsfield.

Good that it all went okay. I'm surprised to see so many people with barbecues. Crazy !

 

[The Glassman]

+1 here. We were moored there a few years ago and a group of 'lads' on the opposite side of the mouth of the Thame started throwing mud at the boat. B****red-off before I got over there.
And on another (Saturday) evening we were just finishing dinner when a few vans turned up in the adjacent field. Soon became obvious that a 'rave' was about to start. We b****red-off this time - and went to Shillingford Bridge just as it got dark.
B*****rds!!!
!5 to 20 years ago, it was Abingdon which was the big problem area - especially at the Lido mooring (which is nowadays knee deep in goose crap). We came across a lady Police Sergeant (remember them?) in town one evening and mentioned the constant problems at the moorings. "yes", said she, "we'd rather they were down there than in town causing mayhem" Responses were unprintable!
Abingdon now a really nice place to visit - but take wellies if you have to moor on the Lido....?

 

[Elrond]

The Council have built a new fence behind the line of trees along the river side at the lido park side. This is primarily as a safety feature to keep children away from the river, however the council also hopes it will stop the geese using that stretch of grass. There may be a flaw in using a 120cm high fence to keep out birds!! Also groups of teenagers at Abingdon on the opposite side of the river with usual climbing on boats, intimidating behaviour and abusive language, many boaters moved on or did not stop over the weekend.

 

[nfluester]

Wow saw the blackened ground when we went pass today assumed someone had a bbq that got out of control ?

To the point about Abingdon we are on the moorings with the new fence and all quiet the rumour is that civilians are not venturing to the river side of the fence so fingers crossed ?

 

[ProDave]

I hope you will all think better of narrowboats after this incident.

 

[Gavin E]

I hope you will all think better of narrowboats after this incident.

I can honestly say my opinion on narrowboats won't change at all....