"Messing About on the River"

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From where I sit, prodding at this keyboard with one finger, I can look out across the Thames and up the hill on the opposite side. That is Winter Hill and is in Berkshire.

Up on top of this hill is Cookham Dean. On the eastern approach to the hill, is Cookham Rise and finally, down at river level is Cookham Village where I once lived.

Years ago it was quite a round trip to either Marlow bridge or Cookham bridge to get across to Winter Hill. Today we have a footbridge added to the side of the old Great Western Railway Bridge.

Saturday found me crossing here on the way to ‘suss out’ the goings on at Cookham Regatta. As I crossed I managed to catch the ‘ Magna-Carta’, a floating hotel, on it’s way upstream from London to Henley. A week on here will put you back a ‘pretty penny’ but for some reason seems to be priced in American dollars!

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Here’s a holiday for you Jan?

I have walked the tow path to Cookham many, many times over the last forty odd years and gazed at the expensive mansions back on the Buckinghamshire side.

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A favourite of mine - the Thames Slipper launch.

This regatta thing was all a bit of fun really,

mainly larking about in rafts, canoes and things called ‘Dragon Boats’.

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I have to admit I was not greatly enthused,

so I sought out the beer tent,

and then went in search of some old friends.

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I met up also with two friend from my ‘working’ days, Chris with one of his old Wolseley‘s and Howard who had brought along a couple of his vintage motorbikes.

There was a very good turn out of vintage vehicles considering it was called a Regatta.

The one that really caught my eye - and camera - was this huge American automobile!

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Complete with an American style snack.

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Later in the afternoon was the usual ‘Duck Race’.

£5 a ticket - £100 First prize.

Loads of yellow plastic ducks thrown in the river at the start.

First past the post takes the money.

A slight snag this year.

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A narrow-boat decides to do a run through and sets the ducks all amok!

No, they didn’t have a re-start.

And if you had spare £20, you could ‘splash out’ on a nicely carved wooden one.

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To finish, another of my favourite Thames boats - a wooden skiff.

I have rowed many miles up and down the river in one of these.

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