Our first paddle on the Broads

As I explained on Friday, we had ordered our canoe back in June, hoping to then have plenty of the summer on the water. Not realising that it was going to take so long, we are not wasting any opportunities to this morning headed down to Stalham Staithe where the book says had an area to park free, and easy access to the water. We squeezed ourselves into our buoyancy aids, and got I to the water.

Jon was at the back, steering, and then Henry in the middle and me at the front. I was a bit hesitant at first, as it wobbled a bit and I couldn't turn round without feeling Iike I was going to topple us over, but once we got into our stride, and were out of the small marina area where many big boats were moored, it was very peaceful. The water was smooth and we kept to the right, that's the rule of the waterways. The waterway was full of water lilies and other pretty water plants. As we paddled up stream, a few holiday boats passed us, causing a bit of a wave which wobbled us. I just held on tight and let the boys paddle! But generally it was very quiet. We spotted a heron sitting on top of a wooden hut, set back from the main water.

We turned and paddled back, and once at the marina smoothly climbed out, lifting the canoe out of the water. We had a drink at the Riverside pub/Hotel, sitting outside in the sun, before refixing the canoe to the roof of Jon's car and driving home. I'm not sure I could have lifted the canoe without Henry's help.

We seem to have pottered about doing a bit of this, a bit of that. Cooked a roast, Jon took out 2 frames from his hive and put in 4 new ones, and we all did a bit of garden tidying.

Now I plan to finish my patchwork and put it on my sofa!