
Thanks to Steve for the first 2 pictures of a 9lb Pike caught by Keith,

and some surfers caught by a boat.

Steve himself threw in a hook to pull out a bike that got thrown into the river the day before. He must have had a lot of practise as he hooked it and pulled it out at the first attempt. The bike, an Apollo, was left on Wilsham Road by the old canal junction waiting to be reunited with its owner.
4th South Abingdon Play & Activity Day

The 4th annual Oxford Play Association Play & Activity Day was held in Southern Town Park in Abingdon today. In the foreground is the Vineyard Church stall who have been actively promoting young people’s activities in South Abingdon since helping set up the youth club nearly ten years ago. It is still going strong.

The activity day saw drumming, sumo wrestling, zorbo balls, climbing walls, go-karting and lots more.

Among the dozen or so stalls were Inspiring Minds, a community based learning project in South Abingdon, who create educational courses in Maths, English, computing, and cooking, and will soon be setting up a first aid course.

Oxfordshire Libraries were also there with their summer reading project. There is not just one for the children but also one for adults. More of that anon.
The day was sunny, and well attended, and looked good fun. Thanks must go to everybody who made it happen. Apologies that I forgot to use the publicity they sent me. But I did see it promoted at school and on social media.
Swan Upping 2018

Thanks to Steve for sending a text so say the Swan Uppers were leaving Culham Lock. At Abingdon marina some local boat owners told the Swan Uppers there were two swans and seven cygnets nearby.

The Swan Uppers followed their directions, and drew a circle of boats closer and closer round the swans.

They then moved the swans to the nearest garden to ring them, weigh them and give them a health check.

A little later the Swan Uppers arrived at Abingdon Bridge. They did not stop there, but rowed through the bridge in the direction of Abingdon Lock. The crowd, who had been waiting one side of the bridge, moved to the other side to watch them go.

The swan upper returned a few minutes later after this unexpected diversion.

They then brought the boats together and shared out the last of their rum, and raised a glass to ‘The Queen.’

Swan upping is an annual ceremony in England in which mute swans on the River Thames are rounded up, caught, ringed, and then released. It normally finishes at Abingdon Bridge.
What are the little metal capsules sometimes seen in the gutter?

I noticed this shiny little capsule, discarded in a gutter in Abingdon, and often see a lot more of them at a location near where I work, just down the road from an abattoir. The capsules release Nitrous Oxide, or laughing gas, to whip up cream. It is apparently legal to possess them for whipping purposes in England and Wales but it is illegal to sell to anyone under 18 if you think they’re likely to inhale them. They were made illegal with other previously so-called legal highs in May 2016. Maybe the abattoir employees inhale them at lunch time.