No problem with canoes

I HAVE to admit that I have no problem whatsoever with canoes on the canals, it is rowers that bother me writes Vic Creedy.

There must be a rowing club on the Soar around Kegworth, for though the Soar is new to me I met them [rowers] both times going up to Loughborough and returning down and back on to the Trent & Mersey.

Good rate of knots

There were two the first time and both were travelling at a good rate of knots with the flow, right in the middle of the river with the first having headphones on who did not hear my boat and of course had his back to me, but I managed a quick swerve to miss him, though the second one seemed to have a mirror and saw me, so pulled over to one side.

The next day there was another with three people, and I was with the flow and was moving fairly quickly when the boat suddenly appeared around a bend, but again slap bang in the middle of the river, but again managed to miss.  But the problem is that unlike canoeists who take up so little space, these rowers had great oars stuck out from both sides taking up a lot of space.

Another thing about most canoeists is that they pull well into the side when they see a narrowboat approaching, sometimes even stopping at the bank, in which case I show my appreciation by slowing right down as I pass and give them a wave, so give me canoeists any time.

Broad locks

If I may I should like to mention the broad locks on the Trent & Mersey, which we found very difficult. perhaps being more used to narrow locks on the Staffs & Worcs and Shroppie, but a couple needed two of us to move a gate, and the paddles are extremely stiff, so I can now see why so many complaints have appeared about them.