Those of us that like to take our boats out on the Thames are in lockdown like everyone else. We have recently learnt (15th May) that we may visit our boats at the marina, but the Environment Agency are discouraging cruising by keeping the locks without hydraulic power. Hand wind only.

Godstow lock with an announcement that we should not travel unless we really need.

A walk along the river takes us to Osney Lock where we find that here to we cannot use the lock, but that’s because It is well and truly broken. The note says so.

Osney Lockdown

A further walk downstream brings us to a well marked wreck. Well, not really the kind of wreck you expect to find under the surface. This, is a white van, driven into the Thames for reasons unknown.

Van buoyed upstream of Folly Bridge near to Friars Wharf

Keep on walking downstream

Beyond Folly bridge comes the headquarters of Salters. Here we find some of the fleet tied up with nowhere to go.

Some Salters boats tied up at Christ Church meadow.

These boats would normally be plying up and down the Thames between Oxford and Windsor at this time of year. So sad.