There are not so many boats passing along the River Thames at Abingdon Lock this summer, and I had to wait fifteen minutes before I saw one go through Abingdon Lock at around 4 pm. The lock keeper said there had been about 70 boats through today, about half the normal number for a summers day.

On the River Thames there are ‘prolonged dry weather restrictions’ at locks upstream and downstream of Abingdon (from St Johns Lock to Osney Lock and from Culham Lock to Goring Lock). Boat movements through these locks are restricted to help conserve water, with one upstream and one downstream passage every 30 minutes. The locks also close overnight from 6pm to 9.30am; so boaters need to plan their journeys accordingly and are also advised to check conditions such as sand bars. These restrictions must put some boaters off.

When a boat arrived it went directly into the lock. The water poured into the lock and the boat rose. The lock keeper gave the crew some information about places to moor and it set off.

The boat was called ‘Tranquility’, one of three long boats from River Holidays at Sutton Courtenay, a local family business which also has a campsite.

So, despite the prolonged dry weather and restrictions, there are boats making their way through Abingdon Lock. You just have to wait a little longer to see one if you are a gongoozler.