It was the Splash!

ALL that activity with the canoes on the Soar at Leicester on Sunday has been explained to us.

Richard Thorpe, County Narrowboating Advisor of Leicestershire Scouts tells us that when we were passing the Leicester Outdoor Pursuit Centre we were encountering an annual event held by Leicestershire Scouts called Splash, explaining:

All manner of activities

"There were 177 young people along with many leaders participating in all manner of activities. These are the users of our waterways for the future whether it be in kayaks, stand up paddle boards, sailing dinghies, narrowboats or any other craft.

"We must encourage them to use our waterways to ensure the future of them. Please do not be so disparaging of them in your reports on narrowboatworld - they were there enjoying being on the water and would only have held you up for a few minutes. For many years narrowboating was one of the activities on offer but with the demise of the Northeaster community boat through funding loss we are no longer able to offer it."

(We did not realise we had been disparaging, and Jan at the tiller at the time would have been in no hurry—Editor.)