According the The Austrahttp://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,24993101-7582,00.htmllian, Lord Heseltine of Haymarket is saying that the recession means his firm will be treading water for a while. I thought treading water was what you did in shark infested waters to keep yourself afloat before you drowned or got eaten.
If it was me, I'd swim for the shore.