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Boat Trip

LAST UPDATED : 22 December 2008 at 12:58:06

My children who live in London had organised a trip on a canal boat for when I visited last year. It was a lovely relaxing trip, though the boat was fairly tiny, and we were having fun steering it through miles of canals and many locks.

On the second day and surrounded by glorious scenic beauty, I took a step back and fell right into the water. So there I was, dressed in heavy hiking clothes, being dragged to the depths where maybe our old Scottish friend Nessie might be taking a break herself.

As my head bobbed above the surface of surprisingly warmish water, I could see my desperate children thinking only of saving their mother's life.

Unbeknownst to them was the fact that I can swim like a fish - in fact had been swimming daily to build up strength for my adventures with them.

So as my poor son tried to heave me back onto the boat, with my daughter joining in - futile attempt with such a heavy fish to land, I felt my ribs crack and begged them to stop trying to save me - I could swim!

Trying not to laugh, while in such a dilemma, I yelled "get the camera" which my son's girlfriend did and took some marvellous shots of my bedraggled condition.

It was clear that I could not be hauled over the hull of the boat, so thinking quickly, I asked for the rudder to be straightened. I then used it as a step to get up onto the boat then onto terra firma as my relieved children made sure to get lots of photos of their "beached whale" mother.

I soldiered on with the rest of the trip with cracked ribs sedated with panadol, and will always have the funny photos of the day I fell into the drink.

EMAIL : rbyra@ncable.com.au

PHONE : 0350236651

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