Row your Boat....

My friend Rory Dalgliesh treated me to the rare privilege of a trip down the River Ouse. The Romans sailed up this river and built York as a fort, complete with wall and gate. And when they left, the Vikings sailed up the river and made their acquaintance with the locals.

Rory belongs to the Canoeing Club and took out a canoe for the two of us. We set out in the rain, but this English rain is soft, without wind, and not cold. We paddled with the stream (river) and soon were passing through the town of York. The city looks completely different from the water. The flood water mark is visible on the walls of buildings along the river – and Rory told me that one bar stops serving when the water comes over the bar counter.

Past the Archbishop’s Palace (yes it is huge) and past beautiful riverside homes with large manicured lawns and the boat moored at the private dock outside. There was a dinghy race, with sailors vainly seeking wind, river cruise boats with the rich clutching drinks, and river house boats where people live.

We ended in glorious sunshine, at the lock, where the first effects of the sea-tide are felt. Thank you Rory for a great day.

Oh yes – not everyone is as happy as I am with the water.
Please pray for the many, many people along the western side of England who are suffering from too much water. Floods have driven people out of their homes, and thousands are without drinking water.