All shagged out after a long squawk – our one-day VHF radio course at Bisham Abbey Sailing and Navigation – it was time for Roy and me to resume our new lives of leisure with a celebratory cruise. Where should we go? Henley-on-Thames again, we decided.
A light wind was behind us, as was the summer’s final Bank holiday weekend, so conditions on the river were perfect. Few other boats were out there, but several groups of summer-happy kids were swimming, camping, barbecuing and generally having a jolly time. Sonning and Shiplake locks comfortably negotiated, we found a convenient mooring very close to town, just 300 metres from the bridge.
And then it happened, for the very first time: someone recognised the name Karanja and came to say hello. Bob Bleakley had sailed with BI*, albeit seven years before Roy’s time; he came alongside in his tender to introduce himself and his other half, Marta.
Though I forgot to take a photo of the couple, I managed to lift one from the website of the Henley Standard, featuring “Captain Bob” (as he’s locally known) in December 2015 at his local, the Angel on the Bridge – you can see it in the feature photo at the top of this post. Apparently, he spontaneously volunteered in a photo-shoot to promote a festive brew called “Oh Be Joyful”. (Looking anything but joyful, it must be said.) As to the rumour put forth by this no-doubt scurrilous rag, that Bob demanded to be paid for his efforts in Côtes du Rhône, I couldn’t possibly comment.
Bob’s family owns one of Henley’s gorgeous waterfront properties. In the photo below of five in a row, it’s the one on the right, with their motor cruiser Accolade moored in front of it.
* BI stands for The British India Steam Navigation Co., and Karanja was a passenger cargo vessel that plied the Indian Ocean with stops at Bombay, Karachi, the Seychelles, Mombasa, Dar Es Salaam, Beira, Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) and Durban. (For more, you can click on “Who We Are” at the top of the page.)
Review: Café le Raj (www.cafeleraj.co.uk)
One of at least three Indian restaurants on Reading Street, Henley-on-Thames, we picked this one at Number 17 in spite of its uber-bright blue-toned lighting, because we glimpsed a couple of tables of Indian diners tucking in – always a promising sign!
The obligatory popadoms, with plenty of yummy accompaniments, served fine as a starter. Then we tried two dishes that were new to us: Nawabi Khana (7.95), pieces of chicken breast stuffed with mince meat and potatoes; and a Fish Bhaja Curry (8.95) made with chunks of fresh salmon in a “special sauce”. Both were outstanding, with fresh and subtle flavours that make me want to go back for more. One small quibble: though both the pilau rice and the paratha (2.25 each) were hot and plentiful, the paratha was oddly stodgy. I’d try the naan next time.
And yes, there will be a next time – next weekend is Piper Boats’ annual rally, where Piper owners bring their Dutch barges to the stretch of the River Thames near Temple Island, to swap stories and (no doubt) drink quite a lot of wine together.
A few days after that, we’ll be concluding our current sojourn in England, closing up Karanja for her winter at Thames & Kennet marina, and heading off to France for a ten-day driving holiday. You’ll have to read all about that in the spectacular French I’ve acquired recently. (Only joking.)
