John Griff column: The serious business of messing about on the river

On the face of it, we’re set fair for a great British summer. So what about our use of that precious commodity, the family holiday? Years ago, I spent a couple of idyllic weeks afloat on narrowboats with my parents, exploring the Welsh canals. Then, I was in my teens, but far from being bored by the regulated pace of life at a maximum 6 miles per hour, I found myself fully engaged steering the boat, watching out for traffic, negotiating oncoming locks and being generally active. They were, simply, some of the best holidays we ever had.

Last friday I spirited up my teenage self again as Lois and I, together with a couple of good friends, took a cruiser out from a boatyard at Penton Hook Marina between Chertsey and Staines on the River Thames. Ahead of us lay a long weekend of cruising up and down one of England’s most famous inland waterways – and, as luck would have it, during one of the hottest weekends.

At just over 12 metres (40 feet) long and 4 metres (13 feet) wide, Caprice 7 looked enormous as she lay quietly in her berth. Loading her with our belongings, provisions and puppy Ella, I wondered if, in my enthusiasm to make the booking and assume the role of Captain (a contractual title, not a statement of maritime capability), I might have bitten off more than I could chew. But the reception team of Jenny and Zsofia from hire company Le Boat (www.leboat.co.uk) could not have been more encouraging. Their ’Dream Team’ handler colleagues, Eddie and Darius outlined the controls of the boat, showed us where everything went and what to do to keep her pointing in the direction that we wanted to go. Before I knew it, we’d started the engine, slipped our moorings and under Dream Team instruction, started to make our way through the maze of boats making up the huge marina. Minutes later and after receiving a few massively helpful tips, we dropped our friendly instructors at a nearby jetty, headed towards the Thames and aimed straight at our first physical hurdle – the enormous Penton Hook Lock. Along its non-tidal stretch, the Thames has just under 50 locks which lift and lower boats from level to level as the river flows towards the sea. Locks are where you prove your level of crew competency (often in front of a live audience of intrigued onlookers) and we very quickly learned that the slower you do things, the better your chances of coming through unscathed, with your own and everyone else’s boats intact. Penton Hook is a biggie, but we got through it undamaged.

Boaters tend to be two things I think:

1. Wary of people in hire boats.

2. Extremely helpful towards people in hire boats.

You can understand their vested interest in helping to avoid collisions, but I hugely appreciated the goodwill which was extended towards us throughout. If ever we got ourselves crossed up at a lock (and we did, on several occasions!) there was always either a professional lock-keeper or fellow boater on hand to offer assistance. Everyone waved to each other constantly too, which added to the overall experience. If that same waterborne positivity of spirit could be replicated on land, we’d all be a lot better off.

Locks negotiated, we spent time admiring the homes and gardens of those living adjacent to the river, other boats, and the wildlife which inhabited the same space. Being afloat often felt like being deep in the countryside, whereas in reality, we were probably no more than a few hundred yards from a road or railway line. We passed boatyards and marinas, Runnymede and the field where Magna Carta was signed, the Kennedy and RAF memorials, Windsor Castle and Eton School, Shepperton and Bray studios (announced this week as being bought by Amazon), and umpteen adjacent pubs and restaurants. Having something to observe was a constant and the sense of ‘getting away from it all’ was palpable. We also spent time looking for somewhere to moor up for the night. Although you can pre-book certain locations, there is plenty to be said for finding your own spot along the riverbank where its allowed, hammering home a couple of mooring pins and tying up to them before getting the wine out. Just don't leave it too late to do so...

The accommodation on Caprice 7 was generous, with 2 ensuite cabins for couples and saloon seating which converted to become an additional double berth. As such, she could comfortably sleep 6. Stored hot water came from cold water passed through a heat exchanger while the engine was running, so we had plenty for washing, showering and use in the galley. Away from a marina or mooring with an electrical hookup we had to be a little creative – effectively we were on 12 volt power throughout so the microwave was redundant. Tea and coffee came from a kettle on the bottled gas powered stove, but it would have been the same on a campsite or caravan park. We adapted fine, but it’s something to consider when packing provisions. We didn’t have a TV but this wasn't a problem – iPads and phones kept us in touch with anything we wanted to know about, including the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics. How on earth DID they manage to fly the Olympic flag upside down?

Our Thames long weekend ended at lunchtime on Monday – all too soon for me. Wanting to prove that we’d learned something, we brought Caprice 7 back to Le Boat's basin very slowly and stern first without bumping the side of the jetty. Boating offers an active experience for those involved. Ideal for families, it’s not a cheap holiday unless you can divide the costs between multiple people. As an introduction to holidays afloat or a taster to future boating abroad, I’d highly recommend it - whatever the weather. I’m still no Captain, but my adult self has re-engaged with my teenage self – and we'd both like more please. How about along the line of the Nene?