Caught in the act: man throws garden waste into canal

We went to St. Aldate's Church in Oxford this morning. The congregation was huge - perhaps three hundred - and young, with many students. The sermon was very good, on 2 Corinthians 11, where Paul talks about how he suffered for the Gospel.

After this we took up Brian's suggestion and went to the Bankok House restaurant in Hythe Bridge Street, very near the canal. The food was good, but I didn't like the way the bill came with a 10% service charge added. There had been nothing to indicate that that would happen.

Our time in Oxford was up. We have enjoyed our two days here, but now came the reverse along the moored boats to Isis Lock. I did have a go at winding in the winding hole, but the 52' limit as marked seems to be accurate. Our extra three feet would not fit. So we descended through Isis Lock onto the Thames backwater where I spun the boat round and came up the lock again, this time facing the right direction. Jan took a photo.

At Kidlington I saw a man empty out his lawnmower grass box into the canal ahead of me. Here is the pile of grass cuttings on the water ...

... and here is the man mowing his lawn. The grass cuttings are still visible on the water on the right.

I suppose he didn't want to clutter his precious garden with a compost bin. Does he chuck all his garden waste in the canal? I didn't feel like a confrontation so I carried on past. Should I have said anything? Or is it no worse than CRT contractors mowing the towpath and allowing or even blowing the cuttings into the canal? And what about the tons of leaves which fall in and rot down? I expect the grass cuttings will do the same, in time.

At Thrupp we stopped at the services for a slow water point. All the visitor moorings were full - we eventually tied up outside Shipton-on-Cherwell Church.

BCF member and Thrupp resident Anne came over for a chat; it was good to see her. Immediately before she arrived I had a minor disaster involving a glass of milk. I managed to tip it all over me and the bench seat cushion. My fleece and shorts are in the shower tray; the cushion cover is soaking in a bowl of water. We'll have to attend to the foam cushion in the morning.