Page published 20 December 2008
I was raised in darkest Surrey and have fond memories of boats from early childhood. A favourite trip sometimes taken on summer Sundays would be to hire a boat on the River Wey at Godalming. Normally this would be a punt, but sometimes a skiff and I especially remember the first time my brother Mike and I were given a canoe to paddle.
Evidence that I didn't always do my fair share?
Here we see Michael, my younger brother (by 18 months), paddling frenziedly. The family album has a note written in my schoolboy hand, saying "I don't like this one it gives the wrong impression!"
Even more exciting was the longer car journey to Henley on Thames. There it was always a punt that was hired and the local backwaters explored. Few photographs of me remain from those days, because I tended to be behind the camera not in front of it.
