I woke up to find the sun streaming in through my bedroom windows it was 06.15 in the morning. I’d googled the parking spot the previous evening and it helpfully (not) suggested a journey time of anything between 1.45 – 2.20 from deepest Kent. I left just after 7am & arrived just before 9. Dave & Chris arrived just after 10!
We got on the water about 10.30. It really was a stunning day.
Dave had sent through the risk assessment for the day.
As we navigated our way around rowers initially & punts eventually. We went under loads of bridges and there were 2 portages, although the second was where we stopped for lunch. There were also lots of swans, one cheeky swan tried to help themselves to Chris’s lunch box! There was a huge difference between the punts which had punters as opposed to the punts who were just hired out to randomers i.e. Hen parties & stag dos, and they were in the majority.
On our way back we got to a certain point only to be bellowed at, from a bridge, that the river was closed for a race!!! Is that even a thing? The first person we spoke to said it could be up to 30 mins, the second said it was more likely to be 45 minutes! I suggested that we go before the race started as clearly not all the boats were at the start line. The person running the race asked how fast we could paddle? To which I replied ‘FAST’! So, we were permitted to go.
We got back to our launch point exactly 3hrs 32mins and 33 seconds from when we set off having covered 8.75km on the sunniest & warmest day of the year so far. I’ve got the sun burn to prove it. According to Dave the sun always shines when he organises a paddle.
Write up by Cathy M.