Learning to Row A Boat

A Sunday day out from New Brighton with my family, playing French cricket on the field above the mere, I watched the rowing boats. In 1958 I went a ride there on my bike one day. I wanted a row on the boat. The gentleman in charge said it was a shilling (5p), I could not afford that. He told me to come back on a Saturday morning and I could row all I wanted to for sixpence (2 1/2p), so I did. The kind man showed me the basics of rowing and off I went. I dropped many an oar and caught many a crab but after a few weeks I got the hang of it. Needless to say the water took over my life and I joined the Royal Navy. Couldn't row their boats though - too big!