This my final Riverwatch column. After more than seven years and over 300 editions, this wonderful little newspaper is about to close and rather than cling on grimly until the last moment, I’ve decided to bow out gracefully ahead of time.

Two local sailors are to be presented with one of the Royal Yachting Association’s most prestigious awards – the outstanding contribution award to sailing - by HRH the Princess Royal, President of the RYA.

I've often mentioned the activities of the waterways charity Thames21 in this column but I thought it might be helpful to take a closer look at the organisation’s background.

F YOU don’t own a boat, then for many people their only experience of getting out on the Thames is by taking a trip on a passenger launch. The heyday of the Thames passenger launches…