Category Archives: boats

Start of School Year 2014/15

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Class of 2014 - 15
We are nearing the end of the 2014 season for The Abingdon Boat Centre.
Class of 2014 - 15
Another boat is guided back into position at the end of a fun day.

In another couple of week the boats will be stacked on the oil drums for the off season.
Class of 2014 - 15
Schools are back. On Monday, in Oxfordshire, there was an inset day for teachers. There is much to learn as the primary curriculum is having a radical shake up as the UK tries to emulate the world’s highest achieving schools. Details of the curriculum are on The School Run. Some quick headlines … Computing replaces ICT, with a greater focus on programming. Calculators will not be introduced until near the end of KS2, to encourage mental arithmetic. A language will become mandatory in KS2.

By today, Thursday 4th September, all the pupils had gone back for the year 2014/15.

Grounded

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Thanks to Tony and Steve who sent me pictures of different boats grounded opposite Wilsham road.
Grounded
Tony says “Walkers watched as a young man jumped into the Thames and tugged on a rope, trying to pull his boat free after it had beached (on the wrong side of the green buoys) opposite the Ferry Boat House on Wilsham Road. His efforts were in vain.
Grounded
A friendly boat tried to tug the boat free and failed.
Grounded
Some other Good Samaritans clearly knew a thing or two about boats, and tried a different tactic. They pulled the stranded boat’s nose round at right angles to the bank, and she was free! …. and able to resume her journey – on the correct side of the channel this time.”
Grounded
Back in June, Steve sent me a picture of “a cabin cruiser stuck fast on the sand bank opposite Wilsham Road with another just about to tow it off.”

Marina Park – without wellies

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Marina Park
This is the first time that I have been down to the Marina Park for quite some time.
Marina Park
I see on the Marina web site that “Abingdon Marina is the only off river marina with floating pontoons upstream of Reading” and that “we are only 4 days hard cruising from the tidal reaches of the Thames.”
Marina Park
There is a tree down in the park, and the paths are a little slippy. But after much of the winter under water it is now walkable without wellies.

It is one of the locations I usually get pictures of the Head of the River Rowing, which this year is on April 6th. There are 4 divisions with a maximum of 90 boats in each …
Division 1 – 09.30
Division 2 – 11.45
Division 3 – 14.00
Division 4 – 16.15

Dragon Boats 2013

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Dragon Boats 2013
Thanks to Peter for sending me this picture of one of the more colourful teams at today’s Dragon Boats racing.

Dragon Boats 2013
Not everybody gets the paddling quite right on their first run but over time the technique improves and times get better. There were 16 teams this year at the annual Dragon Boat races, and the fastest 4 after the heats went through to the final.
Dragon Boats 2013
The event is run by Abingdon Rotary Vesper. The money they raise helps finance some of their projects, such as Shelter Box – used to bring essential life saving support.

Individual teams also raise money for their own good causes. Kemp and Kemp, who are currently redeveloping 1-3 Ock Street, had a team, and were raising money for The Abingdon Bridge Youth Charity.
Dragon Boats 2013
The Mayor presented the prizes to the winners later in the day, but I got a picture of the Deputy Mayor, there around lunchtime. She had a cork umbrella which was needed as there were showers. There was also a stall selling tea shirts made from bamboo. Neither the cork umbrella or bamboo tea shirts felt at all wooden after clever processing.
Dragon Boats 2013
Dragon Boat racing moved from May to September last year because the River Thames was too high in May. It takes them at least 6 months to apply for things such as licenses so there was not time to plan for May this year either. So it could be always September now.