Hi everyone!

I’m going to tell you a story, a story about my first canoe trip on 4th June 2022.

It’s ok to be afraid

Firstly, let me tell you a quote that inspires me, since I was a young girl growing up, my father would always refer to a quote from a poet, whenever I would overly worry. He used it as a way to calm me down to explain that worry is something that happens in our everyday lives. Although worrying about something for a short time is healthy, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to continually worry, that it damages our health.

Not always easy! It’s a quote that I love as it puts things into perspective. It doesn’t mean that the fear isn’t there, but rather that it acknowledges the fear and accepts it. 😱

Today is the tomorrow, that you worried about yesterday, and all is well - Edgar Guest

The night before

I remember the day like it was yesterday, Cat and Joe (of walkmyworld.com) had come over to visit us from Australia. They were only over for a short time. One night as we were watching '“Alone” an entertaining survival series, we had a heart-to-heart. I opened up about how I was desperate to go canoeing. When I look back now, I don’t think I opened up to them because they are my family. I think I opened up to them because they travel the world for a living, I wanted encouragement for my own adventure.

Of course, by this point, I’d already researched a paddling route that I wanted to do in Cambridge. I knew where I wanted to hire a kayak/canoe 🛶 from, the cost, I knew that the following day was going to be sunny ☀️ and most of all, I knew that the river was shallow, (for some of the journey), not overly shallow, but shallow enough that I would be able to allegedly stand up if I fell in.

Cat got excited, she suggested that we all do the canoe trip together the next day, we agreed and made plans…

Interrupted sleep

I didn’t sleep very well and was tossing and turning all night 🛌. I was so excited, yet very nervous. There was a certain amount of pressure for me because we were going with Cat and Joe. On the other hand, I knew that they had been kayaking before, so I felt somewhat reassured.

The drive to the paddle place

🚘 We drove to Cambridge, which was a short trip around 30 minutes, from where we live. On the journey, it started to pour down with rain 🌧️, typical, I thought, but Cat and Joe were determined that we would still go ahead.

We arrived in the centre of Cambridge and then Tim dropped us off by the paddle place and then went to park the car. Parking can be a bit of a nightmare in Cambridge.

Arriving at the canoe hire

As we got out of the car, the sun came out and I couldn’t believe my luck! I was so nervous, I was sweating, and my heart felt fast, my hands were clammy and my mouth was dry 🌵

I looked at the water and it was a gorgeous light green and very calm. We walked over to the kayaks, they only had closed cockpit kayaks and no sit-on-tops. Originally we were going to get sit-on-tops. Joe mentioned that he didn’t think it would be a good idea for us to go in the closed cockpit kayaks for our first time, so Cat suggested that we take out one canoe for the four of us, which was cheaper.

The cost

Prices are so expensive in Cambridge. It’s a bit of a joke if you want to take a canoe out for 90 minutes, it sets you back £56. Considering that most hire places charge between £25 - £45 for half day hire. This was very expensive 💰💰

Feeling sick

As Tim, Cat and Joe talked by the kiosk, I walked away towards a large tree, I needed a breather. I felt really sick like I was going to throw up. Everybody came over to me and asked if I was okay and I said that I was going to be sick 🤢. We waited for around 15 - 30 minutes and then I agreed to do it. We walked up to the canoe and were kitted out with buoyancy aids, lifejackets, dry bags and then it was time, we walked over to the floating pontoon!

Getting in the canoe

Joe got in the stern first, Tim got in second, Cat then got in the bow, and then there was a space for me in between Cat and Tim, I was terrified.

It took me around 30 minutes to get from the floating pontoon into the canoe. I remember holding onto a pole with my left hand to try and stabilise me, along with getting help from a couple of staff at the hire place. All of a sudden, I was in! Cat asked if I was okay and then Joe told me the best way to rest my legs as I didn’t know how to position myself. Tim put his hand on the small of my back for reassurance.

And we’re off

Joe put his paddle in the water and gently we glided back on the water. I was afraid of falling in, “Oh heck” I shouted along with some other phrases I won’t repeat, which was a bit embarrassing because everyone was watching.

Joe started to do the J stroke and as he did, the canoe started to rock from side to side, there was something unsettling about it. I shouted out “Can we go back, this isn’t for me, I don’t think this is for me”. And Joe said we are in it now, we’re doing it, you're going to be fine”. My hands gripped tightly onto both sides of the canoe and I prayed 🙏

The journey

We were going at a good pace and Tim and Cat started to paddle 🚣. I remember looking at the water, it was pretty, and a shade of green that captivated me, it was mesmerising. I looked to the left and the sun shone down as cows 🐄 were grazing on the river banks and I became connected with the nature around me.

I started to enjoy it! I told everyone how nervous I was because I didn’t want them to feel too relaxed and then tip us in. I was very aware that with confidence we could lose our concentration. We headed under a bridge, which was exciting.

As we paddled upstream, my body started to settle into the rock of the canoe and I liked it! A lot! Still frightened but it brought about a sense of peace. By that point, I’d grown more confident in Joe’s ability to steer the canoe and felt a little safer. I took the wooden paddle in my hands and pushed it towards the water, it was a gratifying experience. I looked up and saw a green-shaded area covered in trees, it was magical 🪄

We had a chat about going canoeing with just Tim and I, I wasn’t sure about going with just me and Tim, because Tim is a strong swimmer and very confident in the water. I was cautious that he might not fully understand what I go through when I go on the water and wouldn’t be as careful with me in the canoe, Joe and Cat disagreed.

Tim kept reassuring me and saying that we should go out on our own, he reminded me that we would have to go out on our own if I ever wanted to keep doing it because Joe and Cat were going back on their travels. It was unrealistic to wait for them each time I want to go out on the water because of the time I would have to wait. Not to mention that hiring a four-person canoe isn’t common.

My body ached a bit because I wasn’t used to sitting in this position for this period of time. We kept an eye on the clock 🕰️ , because if you go over your hire time, then every 15 minutes, they charge quite a lot of money.

Heading back

We turned around and headed back, as we approached the hire place, I felt unexpectedly sad.

I wanted to carry on, who would’ve thought that when we first started? I got out relatively easily and Tim, Cat and Joe, all commented on how well I had done. I was so happy.

Looking forward

From there, Tim and I started to plan our next canoe trip and discussed the possibility of buying a GoPro 🤳, so we could record our memories.

That was it! I was hooked! Every time I looked at my phone to read an article or watch a YouTube video, I would start to send them to Tim and talk about them with him. Tim knew at that point that I’d grabbed hold of a passion that I wasn’t going to let go of, and he started to get excited about the adventures we could have.

Dreams

In case you’re wondering this trip was from Scudamore’s to Grantchester, we didn’t make it all the way to the end in the time that we had and the situation we were in.

I now had dreams, I wanted to fulfil, and one of them was to go back in our own canoe and paddle from our starting point to Grantchester.

Since the time of my first canoe trip on 4th June 2022, UK Canoeing was born and on the 8th April 2023, in our own canoe, Tim and I went back to conquer the canoe journey from the south of Cambridge to Grantchester, enjoy the film below 🎬🍿

It’s Time: My First Canoe Trip