So many sunken boats!

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Recently I’ve been sad to see so many sunken boats along the rivers around here. I passed six just on my way home down the river, which is only a couple of miles’ stretch. Some have probably had a mishap when the river levels changed. The height of water can change quite a lot, and quite fast. If a boat rises with the river, but then drifts/is pushed sideways by the current over the bank, and then the water level falls again, it can get hung up and then tilt over into the water if no-one is around to push it off. Others are burnt out, whether that was the result of an accident or possibly arson, I don’t know. One or two, like this one, seem to be abandoned, maybe stolen? A few just seem to be decrepit, maybe the owners couldn’t afford repairs. They are a hazard to other boat traffic and potentially cause pollution too – and in many cases they were actually someone’s home which has come to a sad end. It's a shame to see them like this. All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2026.