This has been a really slow and quiet season for me. I’ve managed nine sessions, including the pre-season pool session. On the other hand, I’ve had three new experiences: raft-building, the shore evening and a unit session as run by an outside instructor. Counting the pool session, we had just sixteen sessions this term. Seven … More 2025 season at the boathouse
The last and for me, the second! I made it to the first boat club session and I was supposed to be at the fourth but it got cancelled. That worked for me – it meant we had to use today as our reserve date and Brownies has finished for the summer, so I can … More The last boat club session of 2025
A couple of months back now, County ran an adult watersports day for leaders, unit helpers and anyone else over eighteen who wanted to have the fun that the girls get to have. A week or so before this story opens, the Brownies and Guides had a day each (it’s too far for my Brownies … More County Rangers watersports day
Because we all have lives outside of the boathouse and some of those lives are really busy (I’ve only been to one out of five boat club nights so far), we had an outside instructor in for our unit evening last week. We have what I call “a pet instructor” who runs our pool sessions, … More A unit evening with a Team GB member
The boathouse is going to be kind of quiet for me this year – as evidenced by the fact that we’re two-thirds of the way through May and I’ve only been twice so far – but last week we did our first unit session of the year. Five of my six Rangers are doing their … More The first unit boathouse session of the year
My county has got into the habit over the last few years of running watersports days for the girls. Brownies tend to have a shorter, easier day as an introduction and the Rangers tend to get something more interesting so that your day gets upgraded as you move up through Brownies, Guides and Rangers – … More County adult leaders watersports day
I can’t often get to actual boat club because it’s the same night as Brownies but if we plan it in advance and put it in the programme, the other leaders know when I won’t be there and I like to be there on the first night of the term’s boat club. I get to … More The first boat club session of 2025
This is something of a ritual, to go out canoeing on the river on the first tolerably sunny Sunday that the hire place is open. And then I write about it, even though there’s nothing in particular to say that I didn’t say last year. Look, I like paddling, I like writing, I like writing … More I went canoeing for the first time this year!
It’s time for boat club to get started again already! Last year we only had 5 girls in our boat club. This year we have 9 definites and 3 that we’re still unsure of this stage. Last year, I gave them all codenames from Taylor Swift songs, starting at A and going through the alphabet … More Boat club pre-season pool session 2025
Winter is a really bad time for a summer paddler to try to maintain a paddling blog. I swore back in January that after missing all of December and most of November, I’d get back into it and keep it up until I got back out on the water and had new stuff to blog … More My journey into sea kayaking
Bumblebee Paddles 