I’ve never been there before but 2012 was the 13th year of the Crick Boat Show. I went with my husband and two young daughters so we left our boat and just went up for the day in the car. We picked Sunday for our visit and looked forward to watching her Majesty’s Royal Pageant on the big screen. Sadly it rained the whole time we were there, but we managed to make the best of it.

The organisers were well prepared for rain. Proper walkways were laid down along all the main routes so that they didn’t turn into a splodgy quagmire. A good amount of the trader’s stalls on display were in large marquees and there were plenty of newly built boats on show, to step inside and look around. Some were on hard standing and some were moored in the marina.

We were obliged to spend a significant amount of time in the children’s area where our girls enjoyed the swing boats, merry-go-round, face painting and the Punch and Judy show. However, they also enjoyed looking around the show boats, with my four year old requesting to please look around “just one more”, after we’d already had a nose around several.

Although I love to browse the canal-ware traditionally painted with roses and castles my husband treated me to something even better, that I’ve wanted for years. I didn’t know what it was called until now: it is a Brolley Mate! Not only will it fix your umbrella or sun parasol firmly to your tiller, keeping you protected in all weathers but it will also hold a rotary washing line: laundry day will never be the same!

We also managed to catch a live band, eat burgers and donuts, pore over magazines and books in the Waterways World marquee and browse boats for sale on the Boatshed Grand Union stand. (If you didn’t see us there browse our boats for sale on the website in the comfort of your own home!)

We left with our clothes damp through and our boots all muddy, but with a proud sense of satisfaction that we’d braved the great British weather and made the best of a wet day out.

I hope her Majesty didn’t get as soggy as we did on her big day out on the Thames.

Read Neil's story from the Crick Boatshow.

Peggy Melmoth
www.narrowboatwife.com

You may also like:
Living on a Boat: The Boatshed Guide / Who Works on the Waterways in 2012? / Canal Diary 2012 / A slideshow of our boat of the moment. / Blog Archive

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