From gaileymarine.galadriel@btinternet.com Sat May 1 11:24:25 1999 Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 19:05:40 +0200 From: Peter Lawson Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canals@blacksheep.org Subject: The Peregrinations of Galadriel (11) Just below Sonning Lock I felt like a weary desert traveller (Billy Boy?) sighting an oasis. A sheeted bank, a timber cope with rings, a neatly trimmed grass sward, and notices reading: 'The Great House at Sonning Free Mooring (24 Hours maximum)' What a wonderful example to other riparian owners! It was only 15h30, but with Wimbledon on TV and threatening clouds to the West we found it irresistible. I find the burgeoning number of non-free moorings on the Thames rather saddening. The boater can be asked to pay up to GBP7 for 24 hours, not counting marinas such as Bray and Windsor who will charge GBP12 plus another pound if you wish to place your rubbish bag in their bin. Fortunately EA have set aside a number of free mooring areas, but some of these are only 250 feet long so fill up quickly. Spelthorne (?sp) Borough Council also have notices reading 'Mooring Permitted' with no charge. If a tree overhangs the river, who owns its branches? Does the river user at least have the right to tie up to them without being liable to the owner of the bank? We saw two sternwheelers - the Show Boat at Henley and Southern Comfort at Monkey Island. Are these boats actually propelled by the wheels or are they just there for effect? Where is a sternwheeler's rudder - Southern Comfort has split wheels so perhaps does not need one? We 'phoned Teddington Lock to enquire about tides and were told to present ourselves at 17h00. I omitted to advise Brentford but the Teddington lockkeeper assured me that Brentford would be open. We did not go down river at maximum speed and arrived at Brentford at 18h07, ouside the summer 'core' time of 08h00 to 18h00. Fortunately the lockkeeper was still in the vicinity (his house is next to the lock) and cheerfully let us through. The current position (not described in my older Nicholson) is that the lock may be passed through between High Water - 2 hours and HW + 2h. However, if the passage will be outside the core time then the lockkeeper should be notified by noon on the previous day. There is no charge for this service, and I imagine that following this timing will prevent Richmond Lock from coming into play, for which there is a charge of GBP5. Is this per boat, or can it be shared if there is more than one user? Peter & Jill 0403 207042