The Rowan, on the Oxford Canal

This is one of the more austerely finished of the boats one sees along the canal that runs just west of Oxford, athwart Port Meadow (see photo below). This, the Rowan (as you can just see painted on the cabin side at the stern) is parked just below the bridge that runs over the canal at Wolvercote along Godstow Lane. Many of the other boats one sees further along the canal are inhabited, and look it, adorned with all the colorful detritus and practical make-shiftery one often sees surrounding the lives of somewhat unconventional folk. We hear tell that it's nearly impossible to get permission to live in one, so we think many of their denizens just try not to make too much noise about it. (For similar reasons, I felt compelled not to be the shutterbug as I passed by the ones that were clearly homes - and sweet ones, I'd say.) I'd like to buy a few of these craft and turn them into Shimer's regular dorms and classrooms. No one else seems to think this very feasible. Here's another shot of the canal further down, just beyond the smallest drawbridge I've ever seen.