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Those firmly on the loosing side are the crew, typically Indians and Philippinos, who now live in perpetual fear. Not seen a news report about them yet.

100% echo your sentiments about the crews, who are too often forgotten in scenarios such as these or piracy. However, I think the impact of seizures is pretty far reaching, from the military cost through to cost of goods.

Well. We're now living officially in the Boris era. Lord ha' mercy.

My newly obtained Irish citizenship very very much appreciated now. Might also buy a small boat and stock it with emergency supplies.

Boris...

Haaaaaaa. Oh shit.

So how many of those who threatened to resign the whip will actually follow through with it?

A client of mine voted for him, campaigned for him and finds him highly sexually attractive and I don't know how to respond apart from finding myself already booked next time they call.

"Do you want a strong and stable government with me, or chaos with Boris Johnson"?

LGBTQ+B (for Boris)?

^^Are all male prostitutes as ethical as you?

Youshouldknowyouareoneetc

... through to cost of goods.

Cost of oil mostly. Luckily, concerns over oil supply have never started any wars so far.

Jared O'Mara seems to have alienated an employee...

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Three people went for a swim to cool down in the Thames yesterday and are now missing. Kingston, Shadwell, Waterloo.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/three-river-thames-swimmers-feared-dead-after-taking-a-dip-in-33c-heatwave-in-separate-incidents-a4196901.html

Any presumed reason? Lack of swimming skills, encountered weird currents, hit something when jumping in... ?

I'm guessing severely underestimating the current.

Yes, the main reason generally given for deaths is that people don't understand how dangerous the currents are in the part of the Thames near Waterloo Bridge. No idea if that's the case at Kingston, too, as I haven't read that many reports about deaths there.

On Shadwell Basin, @kl is best-placed to comment. One problem is often that people feel very hot and jump into surprisingly cold water, which gives them a shock because the heat they feel is only superficial and they're not actually that warm inside. It's in marked contrast to when you've been cycling for hours and get in the sea at Dunwich even when it's freezing--it's an initial shock, but because you're so well warmed-up, it's blissful and quite safe if you don't stay in there for too long.

I'm sure there are other dangers of wild swimming, but I don't know them.

but because you're so well warmed-up

Gonna be honest, just walking from the parking lot to the beach already cooled me down enough that I had no interest in actually getting into the sea anymore... and I did not regret that decision when it started raining a bit later either.

But yeah, 'cold shock' is a good point as well.

See, that's why you need a gravel bike like everyone else, just so you can cycle directly onto the beach. :)

It is worth doing, though. I've done it on an absolutely miserable morning and it was simply a revelation.

See, that's why you need a gravel bike like everyone else, just so you can cycle directly onto the beach.

You better hope my girlfriend doesn't read this comment or she'll get you for putting ideas in my head... I'm not allowed any more bikes.

Yeah, maybe, but does she have enough bikes? :)

(As if you don't already have the idea in your mind to get more bikes.)

Obviously, for Dunwich you not only need a gravel bike but also a pebble bike. Have a helper stationed at the boundary between car park and beach so you can change bikes there.

There's no cold shock in Shadwell right now - I was in at the weekend, and it's about 19 degrees. I swim there all year, and someone without cold water experience would be in trouble with the cold in January, and probably even in early June, but not now.

In this weather, the local kids go down there for a drink, a smoke and a laugh, which often includes jumping in to cool off. It can be a dangerous combination. My guess is that factors are likely to include lack of swimming ability, booze and drugs, the depth and lack of clarity in the water, and panic.

Been there, done that. It's a great excuse because she's exactly the same height I am so while the final setup might not be exactly the same, technically we can ride each other's bikes. But yeah, I've already exhausted that possibility too.

The sad truth is that she's probably right, it's a bit hard to live in a small London place with tons of bikes.

Don't know specifically around Kingston Bridge, but I know that the stretch of river there can run very fast at times, although that's usually exacerbated by heavy rains.

I've rowed there before in an 8 where we were basically making no progress relative to the towpath even though we were going almost flat out