Afloat down memory lane

Member Tony Spicer, 87, and his wife Bridget recently took a trip down memory lane on a Chichester canal boat trip during a summer visit to Rustington Centre of Wellbeing.

What made the trip so special for Tony is that he and Bridget were narrowboat owners for 25 years until Tony had to give up boating when he started to experience visual impairment in 1997. Tony reflects:

“Boating was a big part of our lives until I lost my sight. We took it up in 1973 and had four boats over 25 years. We have toured the canal network across the Midlands and Wales, although in later years we mainly did weekend trips.  Our boat May Be was moored at the Coventry Canal Society Wyken Slough Basin near Coventry, on the Oxford canal.

"One of our most memorable trips I remember was going across Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, near Llangollen.  It’s the highest and longest aqueduct in the UK and crossing it was something so strange and brilliant. On one side of the canal there was a metal rail, and on the other side, it was sheer drop [of up to 126 feet]. It was a little bit terrifying”.

The Chichester canal trip brought back all those happy memories for Tony and Bridget. Both admit it was a tough decision to give up their last narrowboat, May Be, with Tony “hating the decision to sell”. Both miss the social side of boating most, and were delighted to be back on the water again. Tony shared:

“It is a lovely experience, particularly for people that haven’t been on a narrow boat before. I found the trip very relaxing, and it brought back memories for me.

"I enjoyed talking to the crew, and they were very good.  They even offered the tiller to me, but I decided to be cautious because looking straight ahead is a bit of a problem for me”

Bridget added: “It has been lovely, but I will admit, I have seen a lot of ducks over the years. They are still the same!”

Tony and Bridget met in the early 1960’s outside Stratford-upon-Avon at a transport café. They have been married 59 years September this year and will be celebrating at the Llandudno Centre of Wellbeing.  Tony became register blind and a member of Blind Veterans UK in 2022, introduced though Warwickshire Vision Support.