Slough Festival proper

You have to come to this event if it occurs next year just for the sheer......."whats the point" value.

I now know why folk down at the moorings had a glint in their eyes when they asked."is it your first visit to the Slough festival"


To say the facilities offered to visiting boats to a "Canal Festival" are a little basic is the understatement of the year. I can fully understand shallow waters and needing a plank to get ashore as its one of those things boaters have to make do with, but, the moorings being fully obliterated by reeds and nettles is another thing entirely.....This is Herbie's view on it.

The only section of towpath cleared for the event were reserved for the trip boat and the 4 fishermen giving fishing lessons.


Compare here the area given to fishermen and that given to boats.

BOATS


FISHING



Which stretch do think the organisers wish to promote more?

Our boat is very well hidden from view....which is probably a good thing but, I keep expecting Humphrey Bogart to emerge from the reeds towing a boat ala The African Queen.


To compound the sheer laugh ability of the event, That evening, Neil kath and ourselves set up and began our BBQ about half 6.... at quarter past 7, 2 chaps from the IWA walked past us, looked at the boat names and then came back towards us....one of the boaters stood with us said, "you may not have been able to read the boat name due to the vegetation but if you want to know, its..............." These chaps then stopped and suffered a barrage of gripes from us, that even just 2 blokes with decent strimmers wouldve opened these moorings up a treat....it wouldnt've been difficult to arrange.

They were then joined by a chap in a coat who turns out to be the band leader of a Jazz sextet that had been booked for the boaters entertainment in the beer tent for the evening!!!!!!!!

This was the first we had heard of this, even after visiting the IWA organisers tent to pay our £10 participant fee and boat registration.

It appeared that the band were due to start playing at 8pm but so far nobody had turned up....to make matters worse...the beer tent was closed......and they were sitting in the tent in total darkness as the bloke with the genny had gone home......at this point I was struggling to see my cooking meats on the barbi through tears in my eyes brought on by laughing due to the sheer rediculous situation.

Mr Band leader was threatening the IWA chaps that they were going home but we and the crews of the other 8 brave visiting boats assured him that we would be there by 8pm or just after.

I skimped on cooking the lamb properly as I now felt obliged to attend the gig....which..if we had known about it in the first place we wouldve been up and ready on time, but Neil very kindly said the Lamb was just right.....mind you, it was very dark by now so the lamb couldve been burnt to a crisp.

Following a quick dismantle of the food cooking/eating area we recharged our glasses with the excellent beer kath had provided and we made our way to the ex-beer tent where the six members of the Jazz band were playing assisted only with the aid of a few 'night light' candles and a Gas lamp. They were bloody marvelous, my favourite being the trombone player for dexterity and range on his 'Bone'

We and the band lasted an Hour before the cold, isolation and lack of sustenance overcame us. We bid our goodnights and returned to the boats by torchlight. Neil is suffering from the remains of a nasty viral cough and im not sure the night air did him any good, so I hope they get some warm air during their holiday this coming week and keep well indoors during the evenings.

I seem to have got rather carried away and missed out on the actual festival.

It just feels odd. There were plenty of cars parked in the field but the actual site itself seemed very empty... 1 burger bar. 1 icecream van and a stall selling samosas were the only catering available......im sorry....im laughing now about it.




I think the biggest problem is that its such a large site yet they have so little going on except ferret racing and pony rides......then a few charity stalls, a Ghost train and some mini steam and diesel engines.

One amusing point for me was.....we were queing for our Samosas and kath got chatting to a lady wearing a BWB Canal Action sweatshirt. Kath asked, " what exactly is Canal Action"

The lady proudly stated that she was the volunteer Lengths person for the Slough Arm...although, she no longer walks the towpath as she feels intimidated!!!!!!!!!!!! PMSL
Why should England tremble

In line with current BW policy she went on to explain how much important wark was being done to assist towpath users to encourage their access to the canal......No mention at all of boats and their access.....how embarrassing is it when even the trip boats have to stop in order to clear their Props 2 boat lengths from their starting point?

It seems to me that Canals are not for boats anymore

The steam and Diesel engines were the best bit for me...chugging away and being tended lovingly by their owners while their respective families sat in deckchairs in the background with faces as long as nextweek......




The only ex unconverted working boat to visit the site was FMC LUPIN
I love the Motorbike combination on the deck.

They however, were reduced to having to moor nowhere near the festival site. So much for canal history.

I suppose they could just about see the other boats from their location even if I did take this pic on zoom.

Im sorry if this post seem like a rant cause I didnt want it to be. I just feel that our home is the Slough Arm and we should support this event whenever possible, its just that its such a half hearted, Fred Karno's affair. Little or no organisation, a token gesture of a festival Plaque for visiting boats with a band for the night thrown in provided that you have a mind reader with you to know that they will be there.

The local Big name company...ICI had obviously been approached for their assistance and their contribution?.......The Dulux dog who will allegedly be making an appearance tomorrow. Its actually got laura so rilled up about it that she is threatening that she is going to try and get on the organisation side next year...if there is a next year.

My favourite bit so far......Listening to Neil play his bagpipes and then two young asian lads coming up to chat with us and asking if Neil is my dad....ROTFOL.....we are both grandads although he does have a few years on me.....Like I said to him......he mustve had a hard life or im looking pretty good :)