the river

the milesian philosphopher Heraclitis once said

no man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.

whether the second part of the quotation is true each man or woman must decide for themselves, but as far as the first part goes and if the river thames speaks for all rivers, then the changing of the seasons, the weather and the natural course of river life mean that our river landscape is an ever-changing picture.

though we often look at the river as the one 'constant' that defined the area, its course changes subtly daily, affected by the wind and rain, debris and the use of the river by craft and wildlife, and by man-made means of control.

you can take a picture of one part of the river once day, lit by sunshine, glittering with tiny lights, and yet the next, in wind and rain, it can appear a mire of brown.

in early morning in summer, with the mist rising, it can give the appearance of glass, flat and smooth, but by the mid-morning the surface is rippled with the activities of boats and birds, lively and vibrant