THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY no reason to hack this site and therefore close it for a week.
It really was despicable and prevented literally thousands of boaters from learning of the week’s waterways activities, closures and the like.
For it is non-commercial site, that's why there are no annoying Google adverts after most sentences and crammed in down the sides, and importantly this site is purely independent―and never edits articles to suit any particular concern.
Here is the AI overview:
Nbw is an independent non profit online waterways newspaper dedicated to the UK canal network. Since 2000 it has been an influential publication serving the boating community famous for its motto as ‘telling it like it is’ without taking sides. The platform offers a range of information and features for waterway enthusiasts including:
Real time news. Daily updates on the canal network. Including essential details on navigation closures, water levels and stoppages.
Articles and archives: A searchable database containing over 15,000 articles on waterway history, boat maintenance and local attractions.
Discussions: A hub that highlights hot topics relevant to the boating community.
For a closer look at the latest updates you can check out today’s headlines directly on Nbw.
So that certainly puts it in perspective.
I wonder
I really wonder if our exclusive picture of the caved-in narrowboat by Steph & Dan had anything to do with the hacking. As the pictures were taken by these friend actually at the scene before anyone was aware of it.
But it had had just under 10,000 hits before it was hacked, also being a hot topic on social media and seen the world over.
After all it is not very often you see a narrowboat’s roof and sides caved in by a massive tree trunk measuring three feet across, eh?
Showing its age
The waterways system is certainly showing its age if June’s stoppages are anything to go by―with a total of 52 stoppage during the month―and a new record to boot!
And still showing its age with four stoppages on the 1st of July.
There is no doubt however that this massive downturn in the state of our waterways was due to the decision when British Waterways changed to Canal & River Trust and when those important lengthsmen, who patrolled sections of the waterways seeing that all was okay, were dismissed.
And going with them any knowledge of the maintenance that was needed, so most obviously resulting in a later stoppage and often serious.
But there was worse―much worse―then there was a massive sale of the equipment and tools as the workers were replaced by contractors who knew absolutely nothing of how the system operated. And so these people had to return again and again as their slipshod repairs failed.
But worse was to come, that triggered the lack of money to undertake so many repairs, as the contractors were obviously on a five days week of Monday to Friday, making sure the job lasted the full week, even the most simple ones.
I have often pointed out the stoppage we were held up by on the Leicester Section were the installation of two strips on two gates took an whole five days.
So then came the cost and the resulting lack of money resulting in such as the 52 stoppages last month.
But now there are the trust’s own teams once more attending to the stoppages, so at least they are being done quicker―often the same day!
And it seems the change at the top as brought some common sense into the equation.
Victor Swift―telling tales for 26 years