On Monday 24th September I set off on a 4-day trip by boat up the Oxford Canal from Jericho, with the aim of reaching Banbury and making the journey back. My crew and I were all first-timers and we had several hairy moments as the wash rocked us, we got grounded on the side, and had close encounters with other boats..
It was a great experience to wake up early and see the dawn coming up over the fields, to see herons and kingfishers fly by, to chat with other boaters at the
locks, and to slowly wend our way through the Oxfordshire countryside.
I documented the journey with a series of photographs and film, and I sent text messages which described the local scenery, at each bridge. I am interested in bridges as points of intersection between the 'normal' world (of speed, and rushing about) and the canal world which operates on a different pace and sometimes feels disconnected from the 21st Century. I have pasted a selection of photos here, and am working on a website
where more
photos and video can be downloaded.
For Canal day in Banbury, I created a series of artworks. I edited the interviews with people into sound files, which were then placed on hand held audioguides. You could then take part in a tour and listen to the memories of what the canal area once looked like, with the help of the map image shown above, which combines old and new Banbury.
