ON THE AVON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7202, 13 September 1901, Page 1

ON THE AVON.

THE COMINa SEASON. By-and-by, when the sun shines more corafcan*ly, and wheav bleak winds give place to balmy breezes, the Avon will present a more animated' appearance' by both j night anidl day. Fitotillas of boats will skim. its surface, and, it may be presumed, lai-ge niumibars of pleasure-setkers wall leave the dmsty city tw seek -the cool shades and vistas of the stream. Al'tihoiigh, the boating season will DOt be officially opemedi until next month, the boatmen are being well patronised already, especially on the upper reaches. T.he two sheds above the Mill Island were busy last week. On Sunday the Antigua Shed, close to the Hospital, was almloat cleared out, having sent forth upon the stream a fleet of about sixty boats and. canoes. Nearly everybody goes up the stream, past the Domsiin/ Gardens, and on in tfbe direction of Fend'alton. From ih© Hospibal up, the Avon is quite as navigable a« it lias beeo for some seasons past. Just opposite the College Grounds, a little special care in regard to ■navigation is required, as h-ere the cunrenit sets in close to 4ihe side, and a bamk has beiero formed in the stream. Some boaters who have gone out lately have found) stthi® too grealt aai' obstacle to be overcome, and ha«ve tuirned' back. Those who pass it, however, have almost a clear run up to Allan's" Mill, beyond, the Femdolton Bridge. This potnt is becoming the popular object of* on cuitiog on> the Avon. A short distance below tihe Hospital Bridge, andi d»wni as far as the Monitreal Street- Bridge, 'the stream is very shallow, but in, the lower reaches, in front of the various boating clubs' sheds, down past Oowlisbaw's Corner, and along the course to the mouth, the depth, of wafer seems to be about the same as last year. The water-weed is not co ptemtiful as it used to be. General activity has not begun to appear at the boating clubs' premises yet. Although the weather yesterday was such as might offer inshiceanent for a "spin," the large doors of the sheds remained closed. The. cutting of the willows has robbed the Canterbury Club's boathouse of a good deal of ita picturesqueness. It now stands out boMIy in the nakedness of its archii-tecture, swOTounded! by sunday stumps of very inartistic appearance. Between five and' six o'clock yesterday afternoon a solitary black swan stood on the skids, looking like the monarch of all it surveyed. But as soon as the sieasom is opened, caps and jerseys will appear on the stream in plenty. At the present time, the Avon receives much of its patronage from visitors, who are wel represented by Mr Mnsgrove's Opera Company. They seem to be delighted! with the little boaibing they are able to obtain. They never allow a fine day to pass without some members of the company taking boats up past the Gardens, amd generally remain on the stream/ for some time.