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phodger

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We've travelled down the Thames from King's Lock to Goring (so far). We met very few boats on most of the trip, particularly upstream of Benson. Some of the lock keepers were saying the river was dead, some having only 4 boats per day. What's happening?
 
We intended to bring our newly purchased boat (5 years ago) back up to the Thames but given the marina prices, river licence and lack of river maintenance, manning of locks etc, we stayed on the coast, never looked back.
 
Spent the weekend up at Allington Lock.
Cracking weather and a civilised lunch time tide.
A total of 5 boats came up through the lock.
Two of them cutting it a bit fine to say the least.
Total cost of using lock and overnight mooring with power £ 58.00.
Cost of fuel, alcohol, food and wear and tear.....No Idea. :)
 
Just got back from a week's cruise from Bray to Pangbourne and back and agree the river was surprisingly empty, given the excellent weather. As @harvey38 mentions above, suspect some of it will be due to ever increasing costs driving people away but tacked onto that is the concern over lack of maintenance to river infrastructure. We didn't go any further than Pangbourne due to concerns with Witchurch Lock and several others had issues last week, not least of which was Marsh Lock, which was closed for a couple of days. Its getting to the stage that you don't risk going too far, for fear of getting stuck and having to leave the boat, so you can go back to work on Monday morning.
 
DogsBody said:
Just got back from a week's cruise from Bray to Pangbourne and back and agree the river was surprisingly empty, given the excellent weather. As @harvey38 mentions above, suspect some of it will be due to ever increasing costs driving people away but tacked onto that is the concern over lack of maintenance to river infrastructure. We didn't go any further than Pangbourne due to concerns with Witchurch Lock and several others had issues last week, not least of which was Marsh Lock, which was closed for a couple of days. Its getting to the stage that you don't risk going too far, for fear of getting stuck and having to leave the boat, so you can go back to work on Monday morning.
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Don't blame you. Maybe see you in August
 
DogsBody said:
Not if we see you first! Seriously though, be nice to catch up if we both happen to be in the same area - we should be out on the river early August.
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we are coming 3rd to 21st (sorry the weather might be sh!te - although it was awesome when we went o Ramsgit last week)
 
harvey38 said:
We intended to bring our newly purchased boat (5 years ago) back up to the Thames but given the marina prices, river licence and lack of river maintenance, manning of locks etc, we stayed on the coast, never looked back.
Click to expand...

We too were going to bring our coastal based Aquastar 38 to the upper Thames but the loss of moorings, lock breakdowns etc (one of the reasons we left 5 years ago) seems reportly worse each year.
 
I’ve moved from below Tedd lock to the Lensbury ( where I am a member) thinking I would enjoy the non tidal and lack of lock more.

Mines a day boat and I live ten mins walk away purchased as an escape and a vehicle to hit the odd riverside pub.

Outside of the weather ( yes we have had just over a week of good) I’m just not enjoying it anymore.

Everywhere you look now ( worse than before) sunken boats, literally nowhere to moor, two of the pubs now hire boats from
Their pontoons reducing space, rubbish everywhere , undesirables literally scoping open boats out before you eyes.

Quite frankly it’s a dump, I’m not looking through rose tinted spectacles, I’m seeing something that’s worlds away from pre Covid which seems to have accelerated the decline.

I know below Windsor was nowhere near as nice as upriver but it’s really does make me both angry and sad to see the speed of the decline and where it will lead to.

I always say one more year but I’m seriously considering moving mine on.

Sadly keeping it upriver is not really an option.
 
I had a trip up to Lechlade from Marlow and back during the heatwave weekend. The River was very quiet. As I was using a sleep on board camping launch I will await further dry weather then have a run down to the bottom end. I know it's not in a good state down there but worth an inspection.
 
Time Out said:
I’ve moved from below Tedd lock to the Lensbury ( where I am a member) thinking I would enjoy the non tidal and lack of lock more.

Mines a day boat and I live ten mins walk away purchased as an escape and a vehicle to hit the odd riverside pub.

Outside of the weather ( yes we have had just over a week of good) I’m just not enjoying it anymore.

Everywhere you look now ( worse than before) sunken boats, literally nowhere to moor, two of the pubs now hire boats from
Their pontoons reducing space, rubbish everywhere , undesirables literally scoping open boats out before you eyes.

Quite frankly it’s a dump, I’m not looking through rose tinted spectacles, I’m seeing something that’s worlds away from pre Covid which seems to have accelerated the decline.

I know below Windsor was nowhere near as nice as upriver but it’s really does make me both angry and sad to see the speed of the decline and where it will lead to.

I always say one more year but I’m seriously considering moving mine on.

Sadly keeping it upriver is not really an option.
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Hey,

Whats your experience been like at the Lensbury? I am in Twickenham and looking for moorings somewhere walking-distance-ish from the house? Is the mooring expensive?

Thanks!

Cisco
 
cisco said:
Hey,

Whats your experience been like at the Lensbury? I am in Twickenham and looking for moorings somewhere walking-distance-ish from the house? Is the mooring expensive?

Thanks!

Cisco
Click to expand...
I have a love hate relationship with the Lensbury. I’ve been a member for years. SoHo house it’s not. That said it’s finally getting better with money being spent.

Moorings are nigh on impossible to get with a long waiting list. I got lucky but it’s very difficult to the very secure moorings I left behind at Teddington Harbour. That would be my suggestion, go see Howard and se what he has. It’s below the lock but they are great moorings.
 
I walked today from Bablock Hythe to Oxford. It wasn’t the greatest weather, but not dreadful either. It was a good walk, lots of cuckoos, hares, deer , herons etc etc. and the tow path is mostly in very good condition. When I got down to Binsey there were some eights, with their coaches. But in the whole walk I saw only two boats moving, both narrowboats. The upper Thames is lovely! And some of the pubs are fine. Come on up….
 
Anyone used the little mooring literally just above Iffley lock this year? Rings in the wall. Stopped there in the past and walked up to the Tree Indian restaurant. Thanks
 
Spent a unscheduled weekend on the moorings at Allington Lock.
A nice sunny weekend.
At total of 5 boats transited the lock and may have spotted half a dozen boats at most venturing down stream before returning back up.
The "boats" we are of course talking about are " Cabin Cruisers" the once ubiquitous floating caravans of the 1950/60/70 and perhaps 80s, ranging from 25ft to 60ft.
Nobody is buying these any more and all the present owners of such craft are losing or simply lost the interest in doing the same stuff they have done for the last few decades, especially those on non tidal waters.
Costs. Yea Right. :)
Most/Many are Boomers and in far better situation now financially to run a boat then they ever were when lumbered with a mortgage and family expences.

That same weekend what a contrast on a short trip up stream to Maidstone town centre.
You need to seriously pay attention while weaving between the massed ranks of kayakers, canoers, paddle boarders, club rowers and the odd small hire craft plus inflatables launched from the local EA slip.
The days of waving to a " chap" always a chap, as you pass with his subservient crew wishing they were somewhere else are gone ?
10 cabin cruisers at best vs possibly 50 to 100 other water enthusiasts. ?
Far more likely now to be waving to a young lady in a Skiff, ladies of certain age on paddle boards or 20 kids not long having worked out how to walk following a instructor and having the time of their lives.
Not one of which need a lock. ?
The world has changed.

See you all in August.
 
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