Canal Keeper

I note with interest BW (London) have issued a leaflet on the London Olympic Waterways (aka the Bow Back Rivers.) Available from here

Its quite an interesting step, and not one without surprise. I would have thought it would have been done sooner, but anyhow its here.

The leaflet has just one important picture (that is discounting the small pictures of a man, a kingfisher and Three Mills at the top of the page)of boats with a lock in the background. To the uninitated it might represent a scene on the Bow Back Rivers, but to people in the know, its actually a picture of Old Ford lock on the Regents Canal. I hardly think this qualifies as a 'London Olympic Waterways' image.

Sure there's Old Ford Locks (plural) on the Lee Navigation and almost in the heart of the Olympics site. These and Old Ford lock (non-plural) are quite distinct structures in very separate locations. BWL should have used a picture of Old Ford Locks, or failing that had one instead of the attractive overbridge at the entrance to the Pudding Mill River - or even City Mill Lock now that it is complete with new gates and surroundings.

The 'river' again is in the news - that eponymous waterway people often call a river (but is actually a canal with bits of river in between) is the subject of a BBC investigation tonight (Friday 16th Feb.) See BBC TV website

David Akinsanya has kept a boat on the Lee Navigation for three years and in those years he claims the river (oops navigation sorry David!) has got stinkier. And the main problem? The Lee is a open sewer! Its not surprising really to me I've known it to resemble a cesspit at times - the brown stuff is sometimes all too obvious as it floats southwards in large clumps. I've got some nice pics of these specialised floatilas at the spot where the waterway passes the Markfield recreation grounds.

David says of the Lee - "Basically this waterway is becoming a communal lavatory and I'm living on it!"

I know the London Waterways Commission has discussed the sewage problem on the Lee, especially with reference to a overflow at Old Ford. However, David's findings confirm what some of us suspected - that the sewage is also coming from further up the navigation. And whats more, its getting worser and worser.

At this rate by 2012 we'll be hosting the worlds' greatest stinklympics!