Wading through current affairs

We had another ex-stream-ly fun and productive outing with Friends of Maidenhead Waterways (FoMW) on Saturday morning. Reed all about it here!

Great to see GoodGymers Clara, Garry, Lisa and Sol as well as lots of familiar and friendly regular waterways volunteers. Even better to goggle at everyone 10 minutes into the session fully kitted out in protective goggles, waders, high vis, and carrying pallets and rakes - always a rake-ishly stylish and entertaining ensemble.

This work party's target area was the White Brook near Battlemead, and GoodGym's mission was to battle weed! We needed to remove enough reeds and debris to create a 2m wide clear channel, allowing the current to flow freely. The water will eventually feed the town centre streams.

I got started a few minutes after the rest of the group, as I was doing my paparazzi bit. By the time I had taken up my post - balanced on a sloping pallet, ankle deep in murky water - the others had already started to make a visible difference to the sea of weeds.

My first few efforts to drag out weeds felt like paddling up-stream - I was getting nowhere. I despaired that my arms must be weedier than everyone else's, and my back more creeky! The weeds would not brook my efforts!

However, with a bit of time, tide, and teamwork, I started to get into the flow and see The Rake's Progress, and it was amazingly satisfying. Over the course of the morning, the team cleared an impressive stretch - all the way from opposite the house where Jack saw the naked person to Sutton Road. It was an excellent work out and incredibly rewarding - we were laughing all the way along the bank!

Meanwhile, Alasdair, Mick and Ted from FoMW were branching out and cutting back overhanging trees. And we must log their excellent work. You wooden believe how quickly they went a-bough-t it. They did a tree-mendous job.

By the end the session, the current was flowing almost as well as Garry's stream of puns (although he would like it noted that the pallet was not to his taste). I felt so gratified by the morning's work that I even celebrated with a little lie down on the bank. It was a bit like being at a mud spa. (Credit to Alasdair for capturing this on camera!)

Thanks to our FoMW leader Ian, who helped us channel our energies in the right direction and refreshed us with coffee and biscuits.

Water-way to spend a Saturday morning!