RIVER TRIP - JUNE 24TH 2004
This year the President, David Wood proposed that instead of our usual Wednesday for our annual trip .on the River we should try a Thursday to, perhaps, encourage those members who had not in past years been able to manage a Wednesday.
What foresight he had !
Wednesday the 23 rd proved to be a day of strong winds and heavy rain but on Thursday the 24 th although there was a light wind it was warm and sunny, our usual weather.
The party of 49 people, members and their partners assembled at Walton-on-Thames at 11.15 am. Most of the party were from Ewell Probus but there were representatives from Burma Star and Epsom Probus.
The WALTON MONARCH arrived early and we soon made our way on board.
This year we had elected to go up-stream and after the first lock at Shepperton lunch was served, well people got up and helped themselves to the Buffet Lunch provided by HOLT'S BAKERY of SHEPPERTON.
Last year we ran out of Danish Pastries, did some body take two? To be sure this year they were served at the tables and surprise surprise there were some over.
There was not much traffic on the River, no doubt due to the bad weather of the previous day, and so we passed through the locks quickly and managed to get as far as STAINES BRIDGE.
Previously we have turned at PENTON HOOK but the stretch from there to STAINES includes many rather grand houses, some of which have been built in recent years. Some members thought it would be a great place to live but when they realised they would miss EWELL PROBUS decided against a move.
Ken Robinson took a number of digital photographs and the best are included below.
We returned to Walton at 3.30 pm. and all agreed we had a successful day and looked forward to next year.
Derek Youell –Acting Social Secretary
Click here to view 20 digital photographs note unless you are on Broadband these take a while to download, so be patient, the second time around these will be stored on your computer so will be faster.
Cruising on the Thames
The Thames is a fantastic place to cruise - seeing the country from the river in your own Probus hired boat is a most satisfying experience. The Thames is used by all types and sizes of boat, but owners must be aware of the challenges and hazards they may face. The river can run very fast, and there is still a considerable amount of commercial traffic, mostly now in the form of trip-boats, some of which travel at high speeds., but not the Probus craft!
Tides and other vessels, as much as the wind, can combine to create an unpleasantly lumpy surface. Consequently, piers and pontoons are often lively. Despite the best efforts of the Thames Conservancy to clean up the river, you still need to keep a very sharp lookout for miscellaneous items, especially on spring tides.