Nick Dennis
WCHA UK
We made it up the Hennerton Backwater and with a bit of nip and tuck David got under the bridge but on the other side the wid caught him and he and the canoe were spinning like a weather vane in a tornado. We hatched a plan.
At the lunch stop on the aged ferry dock opposite the pub we sheltered as the storms came in. We were joined by Dea and Lara who came and joined us in a motor launch. Amy took the launch and her canoe home whilst Dea jumped in the front of Davids canoe and Lara became my bow paddler. Suitably refreshed and in better trim we set off upstream and then entered the River Lodden. Heading upstream against an increasingly strong current we managed to reach the confluence with St Patricks Stream which was to be our turnaround. We flew back with the current and this time David had no issue with the low bridge. A torrential downpour had us all heading for cover.
Back at the Boathouse we were greeted by Delia who uttered those immortal words "Tea and cake everybody?" Well it would have been rude not to...
After tea and having sorted out and dried gear we assembled for supper which Charlotte kindly provided; snorkers with cabbage, mash potatoes and mustard went down with copious amounts of wine, beer , banter all around a roaring log fire. I plucked my banjo, general chat and joviality before bed whilst a couple went for a moonlight paddle about 11pm.
Sunday saw Sam and I up for early breakfast and a quick paddle in each others canoes. The plan for the day was to shoot downstream to Henley Upon times and then get back as Delia had insisted that she was going to cook a Sunday roast dinner for us all so our target time for return was 2pm. Who can resist the offer of a roast lunch!
Day 3 TBC
At the lunch stop on the aged ferry dock opposite the pub we sheltered as the storms came in. We were joined by Dea and Lara who came and joined us in a motor launch. Amy took the launch and her canoe home whilst Dea jumped in the front of Davids canoe and Lara became my bow paddler. Suitably refreshed and in better trim we set off upstream and then entered the River Lodden. Heading upstream against an increasingly strong current we managed to reach the confluence with St Patricks Stream which was to be our turnaround. We flew back with the current and this time David had no issue with the low bridge. A torrential downpour had us all heading for cover.
Back at the Boathouse we were greeted by Delia who uttered those immortal words "Tea and cake everybody?" Well it would have been rude not to...
After tea and having sorted out and dried gear we assembled for supper which Charlotte kindly provided; snorkers with cabbage, mash potatoes and mustard went down with copious amounts of wine, beer , banter all around a roaring log fire. I plucked my banjo, general chat and joviality before bed whilst a couple went for a moonlight paddle about 11pm.
Sunday saw Sam and I up for early breakfast and a quick paddle in each others canoes. The plan for the day was to shoot downstream to Henley Upon times and then get back as Delia had insisted that she was going to cook a Sunday roast dinner for us all so our target time for return was 2pm. Who can resist the offer of a roast lunch!
Day 3 TBC
