Pool of Life News 2008
Canal Charity Paddle May 2008
Saturday May 10th 2008
6:00 am start, blue skies and a song in my heart. Car boot full of leaflets and pink items from balloons to ribbons. First pick up 7:00 am, full car by 7:30 am and off up the motorway towards the Running Horses, Bells Lane, for breakfast and to meet the girls.
Arrived on schedule but no sign of our Chairperson, Wendy - finally arrived ¾ hour late after taking a detour around Southport.
Everyone looking good in pink, raring to go, paddles high, where’s the boat? Dave was also late - Bob did say tell Dave 7:30 and he will get there for 8:30! “Hope” arrived just as we finished breakfast, all hands on deck to carry “Hope” to the water. With a mighty strong crew we lifted “Hope” gently into the canal and placed her gently on the water, sitting pretty with her pink ribbons, feathers and balloons. She sat proud at the water’s edge, waiting for her precious crew ’Pool of Life’.
There was a queue of cars on the bridge. Annie with her pink bucket - £20 for a kiss, no £20 if she didn’t give him a kiss….. we got the money!
Hundreds of photos later we loaded the boat, balanced and paddles buried, Dave at the helm we were off, a little bit late but who cares, we were away at last. We were paddling happily down the canal with songs in our hearts, and a small band of merry men in the O1’s. Also the photographer running alongside taking pictures by the dozen. First bridge, more photos from up above, a little bit of a pose with a couple of double pause action shots we were away - 2 miles to the first stop off.
Approaching the first swing bridge there was no sign of Wendy’s dad, Kate on drum gets her mobile out and tries to find out where he is. What? He is in a field somewhere further down the canal - this was our first hiccup! Next thing the dragon’s head comes off, the drum comes off and we are lying on our backs doing a limbo under the bridge, scary, WHAT ARE WE DOING!! We are through and out the other side nearly yanking the steering arm off. Head and drum, and drummer back on and we were off. Thelma’s son was pedalling his bike alongside - well he did start off on his bike – but finished up running – and now there was a pink lady on his bike with a pink bucket. ’Go girl’, with quite a few others following on foot - the pink bucket brigade had 3 miles to go.
Lots of well-wishers on the way, fishermen (not very happy fishermen), waves and claps and even a salute from a gentleman and his dog. Long boats and narrow boats along the way, fields of gold, ducklings and even a couple of rats - the sun shone down on us - what a beautiful day. ’Pool of Life’ had reached the first part of their canal journey - 3 miles completed - what an achievement for the new recruits - cheers from the canal bank. There was tea, coffee and cold drinks provided by the Ship Inn all ready and waiting for a thirsty crew. Watered in and watered out with some fresh crew we were off for our longest paddle - 6 miles - and then lunch. Yippee!
Encouragement all the way from Dave and Barbara - one on the bank and one on the water. Sit up and breathe, slow the rate, lift those inboard arms high, push off the foot. All helping us to stretch out and reach and go stronger and faster. Again, along the canal well-wishers and lots of wild life keeping us going every step of the way. Songs to be sung “If your happy and you know it kick of your foot”, “We all paddle in a pink dragon boat “ , “Is this the way to Amarillo?” and many more I can’t remember. Unscheduled emergency wee stop - Sonia gets out of the boat, with some difficulty up the grassy bank, gone for at least 10 minutes. What is she doing? Comes running back with a £20 note donation - cheers from everyone - worth the 10 minute stop! Did we see Gerald in a Pink wig or was it Lilly Savage?! Bob was with him in his little number. His street cred took a nose dive, bring on the girls.
Paddling around the bend with the Crabtree Swing Bridge in sight, we all hoped Wendy’s dad had arrived - didn’t fancy a limbo again. The bridge starts to open with cheers and claps from families and friends - lunch awaits. Nine miles of our journey completed - what an achievement - PINK GIRL POWER.
Lunch and more photographs then back in the boat with our leader at the helm -3:00 pm and we are not half way yet “HELP“!
Another emergency stop but not for a wee, Wendy was helming, say no more! Flash backs from Peterborough - if you know what I mean. The helm was replaced as soon as possible for Super Bob to take us to the turn around point of our journey at Parbold. Quick crew change and we were off again back the way we came. Did you ever have that feeling that you had been here before! A passerby told us what a beautiful sight we were on the water - all in pink - a change from the long dark narrow boats moored alongside the canal.
We shouted hellos to all the residents along the canal and waved to all the children and fishermen - one happy fisherman wanted to throw maggots at us to see if we would jump out of the boat or something to that effect.
It was 5:00 pm when we got back to the Slipway Pub where we had had lunch. We still had 9 miles to go, feeling tired we wearily paddled through the swing bridge singing as we went to help us along. We needed fresh paddlers at the Heaton’s Bridge stop - not many helpers coming forward as the next stretch was 4.8 miles. At last we were all in the boat again! Then we were off with Barbara on her bike at our side shouting encouragement along the way. Then, far in the distance, towards the setting sun the Lone Ranger, sorry I mean Dave, appeared - keeping our spirits high and helping us on our last couple of miles of our inspirational journey, shouting sit up, breathe, rotate, lift those arms up. We again passed well-wishers who we had seen earlier that morning shouting, “well done” and cheering - we were on the home stretch. With Dave spurring us on we had to do it! What was the time? 8:00 pm – it took us 10 hours (including stops) but we did it - what an inspiring day! We can do anything - what next - watch this space!
‘POOL OF LIFE GIRL POWER’.
GT X
PS Who forgot the paddles?
Answers on a postcard to……..
Clue – he’s got a dodgy left eye and his arm in a sling!!
In the immoral words of Del Boy – “What a plonker!!”