Southside News June 2010

Southside News June 2010

The Newsletter of the South London Branch of the IWA Campaigning for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways

Welcome to the June Edition of Southside News

Now that the political waters have calmed, for the time being, your Committee members are also pausing for breath after their annual involvement in Canalway Cavalcade 2010 at Little Venice during the three days of the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. Although the weather attempted to confound our Sunday programme by simulating January conditions - icy driving rain and squalls - as soon as the rain stopped the crowds came out to enjoy the spectacle. There were more boaters than ever before - 160 boats booked in this year. There were also more stalls than in the past, with the site extending not only onto the Stone Wharf to accommodate the caterers, but onto Warwick Crescent, above the South Towpath, as well. Many people were heard to say what an improvement this arrangement was because congestion along the towpath was reduced. South London Branch staffed the Information Point on the South Towpath and did brisker business than usual, providing directions to the stalls which had virtually hidden them in previous years.

A high point of the weekend was the opening ceremony on Saturday afternoon, at which Jan Prendergast, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Westminster, John Guest of British Waterways, Clive Henderson, IWA National Chairman and Timothy West with his wife Prunella Scales, urged everyone to remember the Save our System Campaign when placing their cross on the election ballot papers. There were also plenty of kids’ activities from pirate outfits to lace plate making, Teddy Bears’ Picnic and a Punch and Judy show. I’m also delighted to report that, thanks to your efforts, the Cavalcade Grand Prize Draw raised nearly £2000 towards waterways causes. Details of the winners and their prizes can be found on page 12. Pictures from this year’s event and items about its history can be found from page 13 onwards. A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this year’s festival.

Alan Eggby is urgently seeking more people to help run the Branch Stand so, if you think you can spare an hour or two to meet the public, entertain kids (and adults!) with the Waterways Game tombola or recruit more members please don’t hold back, give him a call - out in the open air on a sunny day it’s also great fun!

As promised, we’re organising two cruises this year - PS Kingswear Castle from Chatham Historic Dockyard on Saturday 12th June and The Godalming Packet Boat on Sunday 19th September. If you’d like to reserve a place on either of these please see the details on page 6. Alan Smith has also carried out a lot of research into a suitable venue for our Christmas Dinner on Friday 10th December this year - we were very conscious that some of our less able members were finding stairs difficult and may have been discouraged from attending. The menus and firm prices will be available in September but if you’d like to reserve a place now give him a ring.

We’d also like to welcome our new members, whose names appear on page 12, and to extend a warm welcome to James Kennerley, our new London Region Chairman, who has taken over from Roger Squires.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Roger for his unstinting contribution to South London and the Region over many years - thank you Roger.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Southside News, which will also appear on the IWA website. All contributions, comments and observations are welcome - by email, letter or telephone.

Christine Smith Publicity Officer & Newsletter Editor The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the South London Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers Cover: Representative children from Class 4H of Croydon Parish Primary School releasing their trout fry into the River Wandle - see Trout in the Classroom update on page 10.

Photo: C Smith

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Contents

Page

Welcome from the Editor 2 A Message from the Branch Chairman 4 Social Calendar 2010 6 Forthcoming Branch Activities 7 Social Meetings Report 9 Trout in the Classroom - Update 10 Welcome to New South London Branch Members 12 Prizewinners in the Canalway Cavalcade Grand Prize Draw 12 Canalway Cavalcade 2010 in Pictures 13 A Festival Remembered 14 A Cavalcade Predecessor? 16 Boating Near and Far 18 Who’s Who - contact details 19 How to find our social meetings - Croydon map Back cover -3-

A Message from the Branch Chairman At the AGM in March Dorothy Robbie was re-elected to the Committee and resumed her role of Treasurer and Minutes Secretary. With the main fund raising session now with us, we will be out and about with the branch stand see Branch Activities on page 7 for full details. It would be nice to see other branch members helping with the branch stand. The social meetings over the winter have seen an improved attendance. Meetings will continue until June then recommence in September and continue to November with a Christmas Dinner in December. Enjoy the waterways this summer!

Alan Eggby

Working boats in the early morning sunshine on the Grand Union near Rickmansworth, May 2010

Photo: C Smith

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FRESH GRIMSBY FISH DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR EVERY WEEK

Cod, Dover Sole, Haddock, Hake, Lemon Sole, Mackerel, Monkfish, Plaice, Rock, Salmon, Shell fish and Smoked fish To find out when we’re in your area and to place an order please contact: Paul Butts Telephone: 01472 317559 or 07912142539 or email: pbfish.co.uk We also deliver to residential and care homes, hotels & restaurants

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South London’s Social Calendar 2010 Unless otherwise indicated South London Branch Social Events take place at 7:30 for 8:00 pm at: The Primary Room The United Reformed Church Hall Addiscombe Grove Croydon CR0 5LP Admission to the talks and presentations is free to all, members or non-members, although we do request a contribution towards room hire and refreshments.

Wednesday 2nd June

Presentation about ‘The Higher Avon’ by Roger Clay from The Stratford & Warwick Waterways Trust

Saturday 12th June

Paddle Steamer Cruise from Chatham Dockyard, leaving at 11:00 up river to New Hythe and returning down river to Darnet Ness. Estimated return arrival at Chatham at 17:00. Fare for party of 10 or more £20 per person. Bookings to Alan Eggby, Tel: 020 8764 8194 or email: alan_eggby@lineone.net

Wednesday 8th September

Presentation about ‘The Grand Canal of China’ by Liam D’Arcy Brown

Sunday 19th September

Cruise aboard the horse-drawn Godalming Packet Boat.

2 hour cruise departing from Godalming Wharf, GU7 1JL at 2:00 pm. Fares: Adults £7.50, children and seniors £6.50 per person. Cream teas (ordered in advance) £3.00 each.

Bookings with cheque to Alan Smith (address on page 19), Tel: 020 8255 1581 or email: smith.alanj@blueyonder.co.uk

Wednesday 6th October

Talk ‘Highland Cruising’ by David Bowker of The Norbury & South London Transport Club

Wednesday 3rd November

Presentation: ‘A Tale of Two Paddle Steamers’

by Roddy McKee

Friday 10th December

Christmas Dinner at The Goodman’s Field, 87-91 Mansell Street, Tower Hamlets, London E1 8AN. Estimated cost £10 - £15 per person. Ground floor seating arrangements with disabled access and toilet facilities. Menu details and confirmed prices to follow.

Please register your interest with Alan Smith, Tel: 020 8255 1581 or email: smith.alanj@blueyonder.co.uk

For more information about South London’s Social Calendar, please contact Alan Smith, telephone 020 8255 1581 or email smith.alanj@blueyonder.co.uk For updates and information on all IWA events and branches please go to: http://www.waterways.org.uk

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ForthcomingBranch Activities The branch stand is booked into a number of events this summer which are listed below. Any offers of help at these events would be most welcome, please let me or any committee members know if you can provide assistance on any of these dates. A new supply of sale stock has been ordered and will be available at branch meetings for the rest of the year. Christmas cards and 2011 calendars will be available from September.

Sunday 30th May

May Fayre at Well Hall Pleasaunce, Well Hall Road, Eltham. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sunday 6th June

Erith River Festival, Erith Riverside.

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

July - tbc

Teddington River Festival

Saturday 10th/Sunday 11th July

Kingston River Festival, Kingston Riverside. From 10:00 am each day

Saturday 17th/Sunday 18th July

Lambeth Country Show, Brockwell Park. 11:00 am to 7:00 pm

Saturday 28th to Monday 30th August

National Festival & Boatshow, Beale Park nr Pangbourne. From 10:00 am each day

Sunday 5th September

Angel Canal Festival, Regents Canal, City Road Lock. 11:00 am to 7:00 pm

Saturday 11th/Sunday 12th September

Thames Festival, Potters Field Park From 11:00 am each day

Saturday 25th September

Great River Race, Riverside, Ham. 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm

Alan Eggby

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Know somone who wants to sell a boat?

We will donate ÂŁ100 to the Waterways Recovery Group for every boat we sell, introduced by an IWA supporter.

Four Simple Steps: 1. The boat should be on the Grand Union, in London or on the Lee and Stort 2. You should seek consent from the owner to make the introduction 3. Phone or email Phil with contact details for the owner.

4. When we sell the boat we will donate ÂŁ100 to the IWA on your behalf

Call or email Phil Bassett:

Tel: 07794 005741 Phil@BoatshedGrandUnion.com

www.boatshedgrandunion.com -8-

South London’s Social Meetings Report On 3rd February, Chris Cope gave us an excellent presentation on the Wilts & Berks Canal (postponed from the previous February because of snow). This is the largest restoration scheme in progress and the scale of the work and the achievements towards the aim of reopening were very clearly demonstrated. It was apparent what a professional approach is being employed to overcome the many major obstacles in the way - like Swindon Town Centre, Melksham. Abingdon and Thames Water’s proposed reservoir near Abingdon. The fact that the local authorities are supportive of a scheme which would have been deemed impossible a few years ago, speaks volumes about the effectiveness of the Trust’s campaign. It was pleasing for the branch to make a donation, albeit small, to further the Trust’s aims and we look forward to the time when a trip boat will be operating to publicise the canal and raise much-needed funds.

The AGM on 3rd March was followed by a video by our member, Alan Snowdon, entitled “Kingswear Castle Goes to London”. This was an apt reminder of our trip on this historic vessel last year and the forthcoming trip on 12th June this year.

On 7th April, Ray Orth from the Wendover Arm Trust showed us how much progress has been made on restoring this delightful branch and the problems involved in doing so. Built primarily as a water feeder to the Grand Junction Canal main line, it leaked so badly, despite all efforts to make it watertight, that it was abstracting water from the main line and was therefore closed.

The current solution is lining with Bentonite matting, a sample of which Ray brought with him.

This has proved successful. The amount of money raised by the Trust has been amazing, but the main source of funding, the annual Tring Festival, has not been held this year owing to a change in land ownership, although, frustratingly, the land remains undeveloped. Compared with the Wilts & Berks Canal this is a small scheme, but the amount of work involved is still impressive.

After good attendances at the above meetings it was disappointing to record a very poor turnout for Peter Oates’s talk on 5th May. Although Peter is a stalwart of the Southampton Canal Society, he now lives in Northants., where he is busily restoring the narrow boat “Stanton”.

Peter’s subject was “Hampshire Waterways”, concentrating on the Andover and Southampton & Salisbury Canals, the first of which was a commercial failure and most of the route used for a railway (sound familiar?) and the second was poorly constructed and never completed. We had a comprehensive look at the history of these canals and the route today which, like the Croydon Canal, have left few traces, despite being in mainly rural areas. I can recommend the walk along the Andover Canal from Romsey northwards, the principal surviving portion of these long-lost waterways.

May I finish with a plea that you make every effort to attend our social meetings. Many speakers come long distances. We have to defray expenses and/or make a donation to the restoration project and pay for the hire of the hall. All are welcome, members or non-members.

Alan Smith

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Trout in the Classroom ~ Update The Wandle Trust has been running a project called ‘Trout in the Classroom’ since 2001.

Schools are provided with special tanks which they have to look after from December to March.

The tanks are seeded with trout eggs in January; the eggs hatch and the ‘swim-up fry’ grow ready for release into the river in March.

In a previous edition of Southside News we paid tribute to the life of Tony Davey who died in January 2006. Tony left some money to the IWA and, in consultation with his wife, Jane, we decided to put this money towards funding a tank for a school in Croydon. With matched funding from the branch and from Jane we were able to fully fund a tank for Croydon Parish Church School which Tony and Jane’s children had attended as young children. The first tank was installed by Gideon Reeve, project co-ordinator, in December 2007.

Five Croydon schools took part in the Trout Release at Morden Hall Park on the afternoon of 25th March this year: Croydon Parish, Kingsley Primary, Al Khair, West Thornton and Woodside Primary Schools but there were no representatives available from the Council on this occasion. Theo Pike (Chairman of Trustees), Gideon Reeve, Erica and Roger, with other volunteers from the Wandle Trust, were organising the event with support from the National Trust, The Environment Agency and sponsors Thames Water.

Gideon Reeve started by talking to the children about the project, explaining that the adult trout had been caught in the River Itchen in January and stripped of their eggs. 150 eggs were to be distributed to each of the 19 participating schools in the Wandle Valley area but, because of delays caused by the bad weather, the eggs had started to develop into alevin (baby fish) already by the time they were delivered. He went on to say that, as a result of the efforts of the local schools with the help of the Wandle Trust, trout which had been released into the Wandle on previous occasions had started to breed themselves. (From the time the fry are released to spawning takes 2 to 3 years). He thanked the representatives from IWA South London for their contribution to the project and for attending on the day.

Teachers accompanying Class 4H from South London Branch’s School, Croydon Parish

Children from Class 4H of Croydon Parish Primary School with Jane Davey and teachers Cheryl Hudson, Mr Cook and Mrs Brown at Morden Hall Park

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Primary, were Cheryl Hudson, Mr Cook and Mrs Brown, who shepherded the children around Jane Davey to thank her personally and to have their photo taken with her. Then it was time for two of the children from each class to don waders and life jackets and take their buckets of fry to the river, which caused great excitement. They were ably assisted by Wandle Trust Volunteers and National Trust Rangers. Lesley Pryde, Mrs Pryde, Christine and Alan Smith accompanied Jane and it was most enjoyable, in spite of the rain. Cheryl Hudson is very enthusiastic about the project. So much so, that she has coached a dance team in a performance all about it and they entered their piece ‘Salmo Trutta’ for the Let Your Feet Dance Competition. The children have gone through from their heat to the final which will be some time in July (date has yet to be confirmed). The following is an extract from the programme: “The dance has been inspired by the project Class 4H have been doing in partnership with the Wandle Trust. We have been rearing and caring for Brown Trout in our classroom which we will be setting free in the River Wandle on the 25th March.

We have learnt all about the life cycle of these fish as well as the other creatures and animals that inhabit the River Wandle. Our dance draws on classical ballet and contemporary dance genres as well as incorporating some moves influenced by the modern Hip Hop scene.

The children have all worked really hard with Mrs Hudson in their PE lessons to choreograph the piece inputting many of their own ideas and are looking forward to sharing their choreography with you during the evening. The title of the piece is Salmo Trutta (Latin for Brown Trout).”

The children were also asked to perform their dance about the life cycle of the trout at the Groundworks Wandle Valley Conference in April, whose website (http://www.london.groundwork. org.uk/news--events/news/2010/it%E2%80%99s-a-wandleful-world.aspx) reported as follows: ‘One of the highlights of the day was the electrifying Trout Dance, a performance from Croydon Parish Church School’s year 4. This drew attention to the importance of conservation of wild trout in the river and plans to rejuvenate its habitat to support sustainable populations as trout can only thrive in clean, well-oxygenated rivers and lakes. Proud teacher Mrs Hudson commented “Our school is in The Wandle Valley so we have done a lot of work on it, and this project has been a focal point in the classroom.”’

Libby Bradshaw and Christine Smith

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4H dancing their Trout Dance at the Groundworks Wandle Valley Conference. http://picasaweb.google.com/GroundworkLondon/ItSAWandlefulWorld?feat=email# 5465862552233408338

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Welcome to New South London Branch Members South London Branch extends a very warm welcome to the following new members: Mr B M Andrews Mr T Batiste Mr M Cogher Mr C Fry Mrs J A Furlonger Mr R Garrett Mr S Gorell Mr S Graham Mr S P Haywood & Ms M Haynes Mr K Horner Mr D S Jack Ms L Laycock Mr J Manktelow Mr R & Mrs M Metcalf

Mr R Nosek & Miss S Cook Mr M Renshaw Mrs L Roberts Mr B Stevenson-Baker Mr G L Steventon Mrs A Unseld Mr D S & Mrs N D Welsh Mr R Whelan Mr J Whitehead Mr A P Williams Ms S Widden Mr S & Mrs S Wood Mrs E C Young-Sandy

You should by now have received your welcome packs but if you need more information about any aspect of the branch, our socials, activities or work with young people’s organisations please don’t hesitate to contact one of the committtee whose details appear on page 19.

We look forward to seeing you at our next Social Meeting on 2nd June.

Canalway Cavalcade Grand Prize Draw Winners 1st Prize

Canal Holiday courtesy of The Wyvern Shipping Co. Ltd.

Mrs P Wellings

2nd Prize

RYA Helmsman’s Course courtesy of Canal Experience

Ms K McGirr

3rd Prize

Waterways World annual subscription courtesy of WWW

L Whiting

4th Prize

NarrowBoat annual subscription courtesy of WWW

D Hughes

5th Prize

‘London’s Waterways’ by Derek Pratt, donated by D Robbie C Buck

6th Prize

A bottle of Broker’s Gin

J Shotton

7th Prize

A Regents Canal cruise, donated by L Bradshaw

Ms H Ward

A huge thank you to all our sponsors, donors and ticket purchasers who helped raise nearly £2000 towards IWA waterways campaigns and causes.

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Canalway Cavalcade 2010 in Pictures

Clockwise from top left: Timothy West at the official Opening Ceremony; boats in The Pool; President & Butty Kildare in the Paddington Arm.

Photos: C Smith & S Honeysett

A Festival Remembered The following article was first published in the February 2010 edition of The Paddington Waterways & Maida Vale Society Newsletter It’s 9:30 am and there’s an air of expectancy. The light mist has given way to a watery sunlight – even the weather seems to share the sense of promise. The Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) camp is empty - only the water urns steam gently in the silence. But in the background, volunteers from all parts of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) are swarming all over the site - it’s ‘all hands on deck’ for the final preparations – toilet cleaning, erecting fencing and marquees, checking the wiring, public address systems – all the things the punters don’t know or think about – until they go wrong. The Westminster City Council Environmental Health Officer is carrying out his inspections of the food stalls and suppliers on the Stone Wharf. IWA Commercial Manager, Jerry Saunders, is bustling along the South Towpath, clipboard in hand, chatting to his stallholders as he goes.

The Pool is full, boats breasted up tightly, sterns towards the South Towpath; the Paddington Arm is nose to tail and, beyond the Horse and Warwick Avenue Bridges on the Grand Union and Regent’s Canals, there are boats, 2 and 3 abreast, as far as the eye can see.

Some boaters are on deck, armed with mops, dispensing with imaginary specks from their immaculately painted craft, while others tie brightly coloured bunting aloft, which vies for the eye with the decorated buckets, brooms and Buckby cans on the roofs.

This then is the prelude to Canalway Cavalcade 2009 at Little Venice. It would be hard to imagine how different the scene was 24 hours earlier – few boats, no stalls, no banners. This iconic festival, in the heart of a London tourist area has taken months of preparation by its volunteer organisers and has risen, quietly and efficiently, as if out of nowhere.

Now in its twenty seventh year, Canalway Cavalcade 2010 (1st – 3rd May) is well under way. VIPs have all been contacted and, as we go to press, we are hoping Timothy West, the waterways loving actor and his wife, Prunella Scales, will join the Lord Mayor of Westminster and the great and good from the IWA, British Waterways (BW) and other sponsors and organisations, on the Horse Bridge for the opening ceremony.

The stalls and boats have been booked in, their allocated slots measured and re-measured to ensure they fit – and all regulations are complied with. Liaison with all the interested parties and sponsors continues right up to the wire. In February the press releases will be published and in April local residents will receive a reminder about the coming of the festival with a specially printed leaflet. That’s what’s so distinctive about Cavalcade, as it’s affectionately known by its fans - it’s not only a boaters’ gathering, a trade show, a parade – the whole community joins together with the inland waterways fraternity to party and have fun.

Now part of the Festivals Division of IWA Enterprises, Cavalcade has become so important that, like the cork popping from a champagne bottle, it heralds the start of the waterways festival year. But it wasn’t always like this and I can’t improve on the following article about Cavalcade, written for the 2000 Brochure by the late Dr Mike Stevens, who was pivotal for many years in its organisation: “COMING OF AGE This year we celebrate the eighteenth annual Canalway Cavalcade. In May 1983 the Inland Waterways Association organised a National Waterways Fortnight during which each Branch and Region of the Association was asked to provide a range of activities to promote public awareness of the waterways.

Here in London, a campaign to get London’s canal towpaths reopened to the public had recently been completed and we wanted to mark this with a celebration of the re-created Canalway. So Canalway Cavalcade was invented as one of the activities for the Fortnight arranged by what was then IWA’s London Branch. That first event involved a gathering of boats here in the Pool of Little Venice. The central feature was the arrival by boat of all the Mayors of the Boroughs through which London’s canals pass. They had

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been brought from their home boroughs in two boats, one from the east and one from the west, timed to arrive at Little Venice for the opening ceremony of the event.

That first Canalway Cavalcade was felt a success and it was decided to repeat it. It is now well- established as an annual event. A few years later it was decided to fix the date at the May Day Bank Holiday to gain all the advantages a three-day weekend would offer.

The event has grown steadily. In the early years all the participating boats would fit into the Pool, so there can’t have been more than about 70 or 80 of them. In recent years, with anything up to 150 boats taking part, the event has spread an ever-increasing distance along the Delamere Terrace moorings to the west of the Pool.

We have always welcomed a good variety of boats. Privately-owned narrowboats have, not surprisingly, dominated the scene, but we have also welcomed many cruisers (more so in the early years - are cruiser owners on the canal a decreasing minority?) and the occasional barge. There are various community boat projects in and around London which provide access to the waterways for young people, the disabled or other community groups. These projects have always been particularly welcome at Canalway Cavalcade, either with their boats or with fund-raising stalls. The event’s profits have been donated to such projects and to the restoration of derelict waterways.

Historic narrowboats have always made a good display at our event. In the last few years we have welcomed some which still work for their living – in some cases they have come loaded en route to a commercial destination. We ourselves have used water transport to bring some of our equipment to the site, often in historic craft, and this year is no exception. Last year, for the first time, our rubbish clearance service was also provided by water, thanks to Messrs. Wood, Hall & Heward, who will be fulfilling the same function this year.

Boats come to Canalway Cavalcade from all parts. The majority come from in and around London and from the Grand Union Canal, but ‘around’ covers a pretty wide range! Quite a few boats come from the Rivers Lee and Stort in Essex and Hertfordshire and we always have a contingent from the River Wey in Surrey and some from the Kennet & Avon Canal in Berkshire. Last year we were visited by a modern working boat, Stokie, from the Kennet & Avon, then based near Bath. More distant places from which boats have come in past years include Birmingham, Runcorn (Cheshire), Gnosall (Staffordshire) and Sowerby Bridge (Yorkshire).

Our trade show has also grown and flourished. Many of our traders come back year after year and really seem to enjoy the event.

Musical and dramatic entertainments have always been part of the event. The pageant of decorated boats on the Saturday afternoon has always been accompanied by Trad Jazz but the illuminated boats on the Sunday [evening] have enjoyed a variety of musical accompaniments over the years. Folk musicians and Morris Dancers have taken part each year, as well as a variety of other musicians. The Fulham Brass Band have been regulars in recent years and we have had the pleasure in the past of listening to a steel band, a string group and a saxophone quartet. Daystar Theatre has been with us from our early years and has more recently been joined here by Keeper’s Lock. We are pleased that the puppet-theatre barge, May Brent, is here at this time of year and puts on special performances for Canalway Cavalcade. We are also very fortunate in having the London Waterbus Company and Jason’s Trip based here and running public boat trips which link into our event.

Canalway Cavalcade is three different things all at once. It is a rally for the boaters, marking for many of them the start of their summer boating. It is a neighbourhood party and a major tourist event with many visitors from all parts of London and an increasing international presence. Last year we were even asked why we hadn’t sent a press release to the Los Angeles Times!

Over the years we have had good reasons to be grateful to many organisations that have supported us financially or with goods or services.”

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Christine Smith

A Cavalcade Predecessor?

Little Venice May 1973.

Does the location look familiar? This is the Pool at Little Venice during the 1973 Boat Afloat Show, organised by the British Waterways Board and opened by Lady Westmorland. In 1970 BWB decided to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Regent’s Canal by having a show in Little Venice. It proved to be such a success that the exhibitors suggested it should become an annual event. Throughout the eleven days of the show there was a wide range of entertainments and spectacles, including water skiing and wake surfing. At regular intervals boats were demonstrated under sail or power, and some quite dramatic boat handling was evident from exhibitors who put their sailing cruisers through their paces in the gusty conditions.

Among the 74 exhibitors Palmer and Parker Marine’s Devon built ocean-going Atlantic clipper yacht Blue Otter looked particularly fine under full sail in the confined waters of Little Venice. As a demonstration of her suitability for all kinds of cruising areas, she had arrived at the Show by water via the Regent’s Canal and in 1972 made a journey up the Grand Union Canal beyond Stoke Bruerne.

A major competition with really attractive prizes was just one of the lures that brought the public to the Show. All you had to do was guess how long the Surfblazer water scooter would run on a cupful of fuel. The test run was made on the final Saturday and Katy Waterman of Park Place Villas, London W2, with a correct estimate of 2 minutes 1 second was the lucky winner of a Thomson Holiday for two in Tunisia.

DIY enthusiasts from the sail training centre of Raven’s Ait on the Thames at Surbiton, Surrey, completely built a Mirror sailing dinghy from a kit during the Show and this was the prize in a raffle.

Among the many boats on show, several attracted particular interest, having been very recently introduced. One of these, the Aquatent, shown by Aqua Camping Limited of Swanage, Dorset,

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is ideal for inland waterway use both in Britain and abroad. Packed into its road towing form, this ingenious powered cruiser is just 5ft wide by 3ft 6ins high. On the water it becomes a 4-5 berth camping craft 20ft long on a 6ft 10in beam, with the hull supported in a pair of inflatable floats. Production was running at the rate of one a day at that time. Four definite orders for the £575 cruiser were taken during the show, with many firm enquiries from Broads and canals hire craft operators.

There was also extensive television coverage - in fact the show dominated the BBC’s Nationwide programme for 45 minutes. There were also units from Southern TV, British Movietone News and Italian TV, making a programme intended to encourage tourists from Italy to visit London and Little Venice during the summer.

Were you there? What can you recall of the event? Write in and tell us about your experiences and describe how Cavalcade’s predecessor compares with more recent events at Little Venice.

Christine Smith Photographs and extracted text reproduced from ‘Waterways News’ July 1973 with the kind permission of British Waterways, London. A shorter version of this article was first printed in the Canalway Cavalcade 2010 brochure

Atlantic Clipper Blue Otter

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Boating Near and Far Your Editor/Publicity Officer and Social Secretary have only had a couple of outings on the canals so far this year - helping to crew the Belfast (no, not that one!) from Apsley, Herts. down the Grand Union main line and along the Paddington arm to Little Venice, as we did last year. This year we also took her back. Belfast is an ex-Grand Union Carrying Co. narrowboat, built in 1936 and rescued from a watery grave on the Wendover Arm and converted into a Community Boat by the Dacorum Narrow Boat Project. Her function in London is to provide sleeping accommodation and a kitchen for the WRG camp on the Stone Wharf, for setting up, running and clearing up before, during and after Canalway Cavalcade over the May Day bank holiday weekend.

The reason we missed the AGM was that we were sampling some more exotic waterways.

When I tell you we saw caymans, iguanas and lizards on the banks, monkeys and sloths in the forest and all manner of birdlife from humming birds and macaws to vultures and ospreys, you might guess we were not in the UK, and you would be right - we were in Central America.

In March we had a tour of Costa Rica, then a cruise from Costa Rica to Panama along the Pacific coast, then through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean coast of Panama. The holiday included some superb river trips, on one of which we reached the Nicaraguan border. We will put a show together for inclusion in next year’s social meetings programme.

Alan Smith

nb Belfast negotiates Black Jack’s Lock on the Grand Union Canal near Harefield, with Alan operating the locks and Robin Bishop steering, en route to Little Venice. May 2010.

Photo: C Smith

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IWA SOUTH LONDON BRANCH OFFICERS & REPRESENTATIVES 2010-2011 BRANCH CHAIRMAN & SALES OFFICER Alan Eggby (Elected 2009 - 2012) 137 Strathyre Avenue, London, SW16 4RH. Tel: 0208 764 8194. e-mail: alan_eggby@lineone.net DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Libby Bradshaw (Elected 2009 - 2012) Ground floor flat, 61 West Side, Wandsworth Common, London, SW18 2ED. Tel + fax: 0208 874 2787 e-mail: libby.bradshaw@boltblue.com or libby.bradshaw@ursa.me.uk BRANCH SECRETARY Lesley Pryde (Elected 2008 – 2011) 2 Hepworth Road, Streatham, London, SW16 5DQ Tel: 0208 679 9866 Mob: 07787 372408. e-mail: cookielesley@tinyworld.co.uk or lesleypryde@hotmail.com

BRANCH TREASURER & MINUTES SECRETARY Dorothy Robbie (Elected 2010-2013) 23 Porcupine Close, Mottingham, London, SE9 3AE Tel: 0208 857 6367. e-mail: Dorothy.Robbie@ineedbroadband.co.uk

SOCIAL MEETINGS SECRETARY & CROYDON CANAL CAMPAIGN CO-ORDINATOR Alan J.Smith (Elected 2008-2011) 41 Jubilee Avenue, Whitton, Twickenham, Middlesex. TW2 6JA

Tel: 0208 255 1581 Mobile: 07774 890750 e-mail: smith.alanj@blueyonder.co.uk or chrisalasjubilee@googlemail.com PUBLICITY OFFICER & NEWSLETTER EDITOR Christine L Smith (Elected 2008-2011) 41 Jubilee Avenue, Whitton, Twickenham, Middlesex. TW2 6JA

Tel: 0208 255 1581 Mob: 07774 890750 e-mail: christine.smith@blueyonder.co.uk or chrisalasjubilee@googlemail.com COMMITTEE MEMBER Mike Simmons (Elected 2009 - 2012) Tideway Adventurers Narrowboat project Denham Yacht station, 100 Acres Sanderson Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 1NB Tel: Mob: 07875 841423 or 07930 352388. e-mail: admin@tidewaynarrowboats.com MEMBERSHIP OFFICER (Non Committee) Jane Davey 30 Siddons Road, Croydon CRO 4JR Tel: (020) 8680 2213 EX-OFFICIO AS REGION CHAIRMAN James Kennerley e-mail: jameskennerley145@btinternet.com REPRESENTATIVES Contact for Planning & Navigation Committee Contact with Wandle valley developments Contact with Deptford Creek developments

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Eric Garland Libby Bradshaw Eric Garland

IWA South London Branch Social Meetings are held at: The United Reformed Church Hall Addiscombe Grove Croydon CR0 5LP

The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342.

Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453 Web: www.waterways.org.uk Printed by Leighton Printing, 15 Palmer Place, London N7 8DH.