Where Did The Love Affair Begin?

[PastorsDayOff]

Being that it was a rather cold, wet and windy day, I thought it best to put my planned boat maintenance on hold today, and take a trip out instead; thus my wife (first mate) and I, with the dog in tow, found ourselves heading down to Woodbridge and taking a windswept walk beside the Deben.

 

For me, this is always something very special, not least because I used to live in Woodbridge as a child (a long time ago), and it holds many fond memories of family walks with another dog, along the river wall, and looking at all the boats; but it’s also a special place, because it is there that my love affair with boats first began; where my blood was replaced with water, maybe with the odd dram of whisky these days.

 

Many family boating holidays consolidated this love, as well as many hours of sailing around the Southwest after we finally moved to Devon. Now back in Lowestoft, after many years, this love affair resulted in the buying of our own sailing boat last year; a purchase I in no way regret.

 

But it got me wondering, where did the boating love affair begin with everyone else?

[grendel]

Arthur Ransomes Books for me.

[PastorsDayOff]

I think there may be a lot of people who began that way; they certainly contributed to my love affair.

[keifsmate]

Albacores in the Shetlands too long ago to admit to! then a Heron at Exmouth and Grafham water late 80's, then found the Broads in the 90's. Still got my first boat, a 16ft Mayland on the Broads. Now an Elysian on the Gt Ouse. Oulton Broad got too expensive.

[vanessan]

Wanting to have a ‘different’ holiday. The Coot Club had always fascinated me so I guess Arthur Ransome gets the blame again! That first boating holiday was 36 years ago and I felt quite tearful when we left Brundall to come home. 

[PastorsDayOff]

10 minutes ago, vanessan said:

Wanting to have a ‘different’ holiday. The Coot Club had always fascinated me so I guess Arthur Ransome gets the blame again! That first boating holiday was 36 years ago and I felt quite tearful when we left Brundall to come home. 

It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to buy a boat. I hate giving them back when the holiday is over.

[ChrisB]

A Heron on Pagham Harbour ( in the days when boating and wildfowling were allowed ) Then an Eleven Plus because it was Bermudan rigged. The Heron was a great starter boat because you could row it and motor it. 

[Polly]

Sitting by the canal with my dad watching a working narrow boat with family aboard go by. 

[deebee29]

On a family holiday to Kelling Heath camp site in in North Norfolk, probably 1981 we toured the area by car and pulled in at Ludham Bridge lay-by to watch the boats.

Well that was the start, we just had to give it a go so the following year we hired Broom Navigator 2 and the rest as they say is history 

[PastorsDayOff]

I think that Arthur Ransome books and seeing other people enjoying boats might end up a common theme here.

[Lulu]

My first boating holiday with my parents and brother, im guessing 1969 or 70 when I was a baby. There are pictures of me in the well of a boat with not many teeth. Guess I can replicate that picture in years to come  when Im ancient and they start falling out 

We then swapped every other year between a Broads holiday and a beach holiday in Frinton.  I havent been on a Broads holiday since my early 20s and last year Selsie and I bought a boat and once we have done a bit more work to it, new adventures begin! 

[WherryNice]

For me it all started on Malthouse Broad, aged about 2 or 3, I took a headfirst dive over the side of Dad's clinker dinghy and is one of my earliest memories, boats have just been in my life ever since.....

Oh and the Arthur Ransome books really captured my imagination and no doubt did much to cement the love too...

Edited February 13, 2018 by WherryNice
Added the Arthur Ransome bit

[Gracie]

Sitting at the helm with my dad on a Gold Gem class from Richardson's when I was six. She was a bit of a wreck but I thought she was a palace, that's when I fell in love with boats. Then being allowed to stay up late and fish with one of those little night floats on, on my Dad's lap, catching my first fish and thinking how magical the river was, that's when I fell in love with the Broads

Grace

[PastorsDayOff]

It seems that parents have a big part to play in this. My first boating holiday was when I was five, on the Thames, on what would have been a fairly new Wilds Caribbean. 

[Selsie]

18 minutes ago, Lulu said:

My first boating holiday with my parents and brother, im guessing 1969 or 70 when I was a baby. There are pictures of me in the well of a boat with not many teeth. Guess I can replicate that picture in years to come  when Im ancient and they start falling out 

We then swapped every other year between a Broads holiday and a beach holiday in Frinton.  I havent been on a Broads holiday since my early 20s and last year Selsie and I bought a boat and once we have done a bit more work to it, new adventures begin! 

 Have to say its our second boat in a few months as Lulu decided the first one wasn't big enough, this one is a really lovely craft, for the record, it was Lulu who dragged me into boat ownership (and really glad she did) its our perfect 'Time Out' place.

A bit more work and we will have a wonderful boat, we will be at the meet in May, see you there !! 

[lakesailor]

Growing up on shores of lake windermere and reading all the Ransome books and  spending all weekends and holidays sailing on the lake as a child  and often camping on an island or somewhere on the shore in my own little swallows and amazons adventure  with friends :-)

[Guest]

My boating love began when I was about 3 or 4 and I fell into our local lake. I was helped out by a guy in a rowing boat and as I sat in the boat I thought, I much prefer sitting in here than sinking in there.

[Selsie]

19 minutes ago, lakesailor said:

Growing up on shores of lake windermere and reading all the Ransome books and  spending all weekends and holidays sailing on the lake as a child  and often camping on an island or somewhere on the shore in my own little swallows and amazons adventure  with friends :-)

Lucky bugger lol

[PastorsDayOff]

22 minutes ago, Jayfire said:

My boating love began when I was about 3 or 4 and I fell into our local lake. I was helped out by a guy in a rowing boat and as I sat in the boat I thought, I much prefer sitting in here than sinking in there.

Twice I’ve found myself over the side of a boat, and one of those was not my fault, but was by the hand of a sailing instructor who thought he had a sense of humour proving a point to my fellow students. But I do agree, it’s better to be in rather than sinking!

[Guest]

Just now, PastorsDayOff said:

But I do agree, it’s better to be in rather than sinking!

True.

I am a little concerned people are finding my near drowning experience funny though 

[PastorsDayOff]

You will notice Jayfire that I haven’t reacted to your post or made any kind of judgement, though that may also have something to do with me running out of my daily allowance of reactions. 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, PastorsDayOff said:

You will notice Jayfire that I haven’t reacted to your post or made any kind of judgement

If I leave your last sentence off, I can thank you for not finding my traumatic childhood memory hilarious.

Not like Grace who is still finding my retelling of the story funny 

[Lulu]

Ummm I think I must have pressed the wrong emoticon Jay. It should have been the worried one ....... 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Lulu said:

Ummm I think I must have pressed the wrong emoticon Jay. It should have been the worried one ....... 

I'm only kidding Lulu, don't worry 

[finny]

my love affair with the broads started when my mum said i had to go with dad on a fishing trip at the grand age of 7 .couldnt really be arsed with the fishing but the pub at night was great

finny