I was walking around Nags Head Island when somebody asked whether I had seen the otter. He said one visits there.

What I did see was a sunken boat called Wreckless, with a notice fixed to the cabin that began: ‘NOTICE TO REMOVE SUNK, STRANDED OR ABANDONED VESSEL.’

Beneath Abingdon Bridge the water was swirling – dull brown with carried mud. The river is running higher than yesterday and has spilled over the banks in places.

I was also told this evening that Abingdon Bridge is to close for a few days in March. For some, that will mean finding another way to work at Culham that doesn’t involve driving across the bridge. The structure has already seen long restrictions: first with a lane closed during the Covid shutdown, and later when strengthening work was carried out on one of the arches. This time, I understand, inspection work is planned for the other arches.