In article , Terry Harper
writes
I was warned off the river by my tutor, because of lack of attendance
at the labs.

I only went punting once in my three years - on the famous day that
David Hamilton's Radio One roadshow hit town. It was just too difficult.
Only a few colleges, on the river, had their own punts (for free hire to
students), and I don't recall a lot of commercial hiring then (but it
would have been a very indulgent expense). Only a very few students had
their own punts.

Or by "the river", do you mean competitive rowing?
--
"now, the thing you type on and the window you stare out of are the same thing"