Sacred Heart School - Narrowboating and Canal Dipping

As I parked the car against the wall of HNA today, 19 June 2003, I wondered what looked different about Spirit.  I then realised I could see the whole boat because she was moored on the towpath side across the canal!

Tim & Jenny had just tied her up as I got out of the car & called across the water. Tim invited me to walk through the business park that abuts HNA & over the road bridge by the "Coy Carp", nee "The Fisheries."

Star & Pisces were already in place below the lock, ready to accommodate the children from The Sacred Heart School in Ruislip. The children were assembling in the large car park of the pub & were then escorted from there to the boats by the towpath. Tim delivered his usual safety speech & the children eagerly clambered aboard for a trip down to Widewater where the winding hole was used to return to Coppermill.

After the "genteel" outings of last week with most passengers drawing their old-age pensions, it came as something of a shock to have a noisy, happy bunch enjoying the liquid road. As always on these occasions the children were given the opportunity to steer the boats and one pupil stood out as a natural. Tim had told me in the past that every so often this would occur & usually it was the most unlikely child that would steer as if they'd been doing it all their lives. This girl was no exception to the rule. She had dismissed the absolutely charming thatched cottage alongside Black Jack's lock as "horrible" & then announced she was going to have a nap, as it was all too boring!!

Yet, 10 mins. later at the tiller she piloted the boat with all the confidence & skill of a veteran! I told some of the kids that, in the days of old, when the boatmen had their children helping out, boys and girls as young as four were steering the boats, standing on boxes if necessary to see the way ahead.

Back at Coppermill, we tied the boats on the towpath side & opposite them, at HNA were another group!    Elaine Stanley, from British Waterways  had had this second group on a nature trail for the morning & had brought them to HNA for a trip in the afternoon. Having disgorged the first bunch of children in order for them to indulge in their nature trail, Tim invited Elaine to bring the pupils around the route I had taken at the beginning of the day. They set off excitedly which left just Harold on the opposite shore and me on the breasted Pisces & Star.

Under Harold's aegis I then proceeded to wind the boats, there must have been all of two feet to spare! At least that's what it felt like! I always thought that there was enough room to do it but wasn't expecting to have to prove it practically on the spot. The strong pull of the weir stream played its part in turning the boats quickly and efficiently. The kids arrived on cue and were loaded aboard, save those who were helping out at the lock. That done, the scene was set for a repeat of the morning's trip. The sun came out with a vengeance and my neck knew its strength as the mercury crept up the tubes.

Consequently, I was more than ready to get outside a couple of pints of Bass in the garden of The Coy Carp at the end of the day.

Incidentally, when the children left at journey's end, my "natural steerer" bade me a soft "Thank you very much.".... and that means a lot.

 

Barry Holland