A decision has been made.

Sunday 27th April

Today we decided on Plan D(a).

As we pulled into the Tesco mooring last evening a gentleman (for he was such) gave us a hand hauling Jannock into the side. He’d brought his tateau (an invented word, descriptive) and bicycle across from the encampment on t’other side, tied up to a tree and was ready to take a rope. I admired his ‘captains’ hat, it looked perfectly normal (that’s a relative concept where boats and hired gin palaces abound) from the front but he’d adapted the crown to allow his abundant dreadlocks to fall free from the back. He was pleased that his millinery skills were appreciated. Then we came to musical skills; his ensemble ought to be named the “should be banned”. At about 9pm the drum practice started – there were no identifiable drums, little rhythm and no timing. It was just a case of bash what you can find and try to keep together. The old plastic tube and flip-flop combo sounds better. Perhaps their drums had been washed away by the winter floods, the encampment looked like a swamp. They have less to lose, but then so much more when I think about it.

We spotted a Cormorant surface with a fish which was about twice as big as it’s head. It went down with a deft flick and then it continued fishing by immediately diving under again.

The last time we were here on the Tesco mooring there was a dreadful problem with rubbish left around the bins outside the store. No more – the solution seems to have been to remove all of the litter bins. Makes sense, of sorts.

So, plan D(a); after much interwebbery it became clear that getting onto the K&A isn’t going to happen for a few days. We even saw the newspaper report of the boat stuck across County lock last Friday evening. The ‘steering’ committee took about 3 seconds to decide that Jannock will stay on the Thames for a while longer. The Red boards may start coming down today as the flow is decreasing above Goring but a little more rain could soon have them up again. CaRT seem to think the flow down the Kennet should reduce during this week. Safety (and insurance companies) first and all that.

Brenda