Canal Charity Paddle May 2009
WENDY
I had been watching the weather forecasts all week leading up to our BIG DAY, and it wasn't looking good for us. Heavy rain and blustery conditions were not needed if we had lots of in experienced paddlers and wanted to attract the crowds. But someone was looking down on us and the rain stayed away. I was rather pleased with myself for not keeping people waiting, like last year. However due to unloading 2 boats from the trailer and getting people in we set off an hour and a half late. We did not mind as the singing began. I am sure all of Cheshire must of heard us!! It seemed to take ages to reach our first stop Walton Gardens, where we took on more Pool of Life ladies and said goodbye to the cyclists Dr Kuruvilla and friends from the Medical Centre in Woolton. After refreshments we set off to London Bridge. My phone never stopped from family and friends wanting to know where we were, the press were waiting on the canal side making it even longer for us to get our fruit juice and swap the crew around. The singing cranked up a gear to include a new pirate song (which I must say went with Gerald's trousers) but the tune was a bit dodgy or was it Gerald's trousers that were dodgy?
ANNE
The day dawned fair - not brilliant but fantastic compared to the weather that had been forecast a week earlier!! The trusty white mini bus picked up eager paddlers ready for a days outing, and what could be better than a day spent sat in a Dragon Boat leisurely paddling the hours away? Right from the start we realised that singing was to play a major roll in the proceedings that day and Hope seemed full of budding choristers!! Our repertoire was a little limited but what we lacked in variety we made up for in volume! Especially the song that required us to let people know who we were THE MIGHTY POOL OF LIFE!!!! Both boats were evenly matched and the journey towards Lymm ran smoothly and noisily with the crew working up an appetite for lunch, and what a lunch it was. Everyone ate their fill at the Golden Fleece and with energy levels replenished we set of Homeward Bound. The wind now decided that we had an easy time of it so far and tested both the helms and paddlers who needed to dig deep into their reserves to make it to the next stop, but make it we did! The level of paddling from both POL and supporters, many of whom paddled the full distance, was amazing and everyone who took part can be really proud of themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed the day but the highlight of the day was being introduced by Rachel's friend Cat. When we were looking to increase our repertoire of song she came up with what is now known as THE PIRATE SONG!! Marion and I were singing it for days afterwards it goes something like this......
When I was one I'd just begun
The day I went to sea.
I jumped aboard a pirate ship
And the captain said to me
'We'll go this way that way
Forwards backwards over the Irish Sea
With a bottle of rum to fill my tum
And that's the life for me!
When I was two..................................
HEATHER
" I enjoyed the canal paddle it was good practice, hard work but fun especially the singing it kept me in time".
CAROLYN
My memories from the day include meeting some of the people from Genesis Centre, I sat next to a gentleman called Dave who was really nice. The lovely lunch at the pub, the team spirit on the boat, the non stop singing and of course who could forget Gerald's trousers!