Well the rain seems to have eased off however red boards are still displayed throughout the length of the Thames.
I attended a PLA public meeting on 11th February. It appears that the PLA are in the process of introducing a board warning system like that on the Upper Thames. They were at pains to point out that the boards will be advisory, however the rowing clubs in particular were concerned that it would curtail their activities as their insurance would not cover them if members ventured out in adverse conditions. Representatives from the PLA and RNLI pointed out that 17 incidents, all involving rowers, had occurred since November, and that the clubs could not not ignore this. Most of these incidents appear to have been as a result of inexperienced crews not allowing sufficient space to turn in the fast flowing river, causing themselves to be washed on pontoons or other vessels.
The meeting ended with tribute being paid to Richard Everitt, the outgoing Chief Executive of the PLA, who was praised for the calm and inclusive way that he had chaired the public meetings throughout his tenure.
Finally, the 15th March sees our first event of the year, drinks in the Snug, followed by supper at the newly opened Thames Restaurant. I hope that you are able to come along and look forward to seeing you then. We would like to give the restaurant an idea of numbers, so if you plan to come along, please let Steve know. stevetatham@hotmail.com
Best wishes
