Gently Down the Stream

        On a walk with a friend one chilly December day, it was recommended that I had to try this thing called punting something that was extremely popular in Oxford in the spring and summer. Being an American I know punting as dropping an American Football and kicking it as far as you can. As you can imagine, I was confused. As the year turned and Spring was on everyone's mind, another good friend of mine told me that I had to go punting with him before I left the country. I decided then to look more into it and see what the hype was about. I visited family in Cambridge for Easter and as we were walking, we saw Cambridge Uni students out pushing boats down the River Cam. This, as one of my family members informed me, was punting. I was intrigued and wanted to give it a shot. 

    Back in Oxford, I began to do my research. Punting is the act of pushing a small boat known as a punt down a river with a long pole usually around 5m (16ft) long. The pole is pushed into the water until it strikes the bottom of the riverbed. The punter then pushes the pole to propel the punt through the water. The pole trails the punt after it is pushed and acts as a rudder to help steer the punt. Now, this may sound confusing and I promise that it is. Punting is also usually accompanied by a mixed drink known as a Pimm's cup. Punting is popular in Oxford and Cambridge primarily, cities made known by their universities. In Oxford, punting is done from inside the punt while in Cambridge the punting is done from the flat part of the punt known as the till. Armed with this information I was ready to hit the dock and give punting a shot.

    I managed to convince Ben to give punting a chance and I found an afternoon that we had off. We jumped on the bus to central Oxford and made our way to the Cherwell Boathouse Punts. After making a £100 deposit to rent the punt, ben and I loaded into a boat and shoved off down the Thames. The hardest part in punting starting off is all of it. Balance plays a large part because you have to make sure that you don't fall into the river and you have to make sure you are able to get a good enough push to be effective. Another difficult part is controlling the boat through only a pole. I am so used to rowing and being able to control a boat with an oar or paddle, it is a serious change to have to push the boat off the riverbed. The final difficult part when punting is that it takes quite a bit of muscle to push a boat through the water. 

    After heading through the river for half an hour, I then handed the pole to Ben and helped guide him through punting. Ben didn't pick it up as quickly, but after a few minutes, he was able to easily propel the craft across the water of the Thames with general ease. Being seated in the punt was a relaxing way to spend time. I could see for sure how the activity had gained popularity in the shallow rivers of the Thames and the Cam. It reminded me of a gondola boat ride through the canals of Venice, but the boat was different. While Ben punted I sat on my seat cushion and took in the nature on and around the river. A family of ducks swam past the punt, hardly seeming to notice us coasting along the water. On the banks, small birds ducked and dove through the branches of the trees and bushes. Other punters passed by; groups of Oxford Uni students I assume. Soft acoustic music played from a speaker that Ben had brought. Everything was peaceful.

    At the end of the hour that we had rented the punt for, we arrived back at the dock and we brought the boat back in and tied it off to the deck. After checking the gear back, we made our way to the drinks stand that was attached to the boathouse and we ordered a couple of Pimms to top off the afternoon. As we walked back towards the bus stop to head back to our flat. Our arms were sore but our spirits were high and at ease. 

-TDB