Yeah, I know. We’re nearly halfway through June and I’m only just starting the 2026 boat club season. Well, the date we had in our diary was for the middle of April and the weather wasn’t cooperative. Neither was it for the next week – normally we only have enough water in our bay every … More My first boat club session of 2026
Boat club restarts this week and so this blog comes back to life! To be honest, I was going to abandon it – let the domain expire, stop writing it altogether. I can’t keep it up over the winter despite my best attempts because I don’t paddle in the winter and this entire blog (and … More We’re back on for 2026!
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!
Bumblebee Paddles 