Carpenter or Joiner?

To join a canal society or not...

May 2011

I tend to see my boating as a solitary endeavour.

Don't get me wrong, I like nothing more than getting together with my boaty mates, Its just that I have never been into joining social groups. The Capt Snr was the same and so is my brother, so I guess its in my nature.

This brings a problem when it comes to canal societies. They do worthy work and should be supported, but I cant find it in my myself to actually participate. I have therefore tended to shun approaches to join but now I find myself a member of not one, not two but three societies. Where am I going wrong?

The first was a bit of an accident. I spent a bit too ling showing a bit too much interest in the Lichfield and Hatherton Restoration Trust stand at the National at Wolverhampton, and I tried to give them a donation. Somehow this morphed into membership and because I suspect they knew of my aversion to society memberships, conspired to make me the 2,000th member and in so doing conferred honorary life membership on my shoulders. No getting away from that one then.

The next one was The Huddersfield Canal Society and this is one straight from the heart. I traversed the Huddersfield Narrow a couple of years back and lost my heart to this amazing waterway. It deserves support and taking out membership was the least I could do. I think I rather surprised Bob Gough in the society offices when I charged in one afternoon and demanded membership.

Ok - so thats two. What about number three? This one was sneaky and below the belt. I seem to have joined the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society by virtue of entering the BCN Marathon Challenge. I have always kept a close eye on their activities via their on line newsletter, the Boundary Post and now I am on their e-mailing list and getting all sorts on interesting stuff. Oh dear, I always knew my love affair with the BCN would lead me to the doors of Titford Pumphouse. 

Thats it. Three is enough - no more.

But what about the IWA, they do good work too....