No. 32 Float in a boat

Visitors canoeing at Attingham Park, Shropshire | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Floating in a boat, in a canoe or on top of a paddleboard can be slow and dreamy, while paddling in a kayak or raft can be fast and exhilarating. It's one of our ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ activities.

Find yourself a boat

First you need to find yourself a boat. Your boat can be anything, from a small rubber dinghy to a gigantic sail boat. Don’t worry if you don't own a boat, there are lots of places where you can hire one.

Plenty of the places we look after have canoes, kayaks and rowing boats available to hire. Some even have boat cruises.

Different boats offer different experiences. Canoes are usually deeper than kayaks and have room for storage. You use a single paddle with them. Kayaks are flatter. They glide on top of the water, rather than through it, so are easier to manoeuvre than canoes and often quicker. You use a double-ended paddle with a kayak.

Paddleboarding is a popular water sport now too. This involves kneeling or standing on a thin, inflatable board and balancing carefully as you paddle it slowly across the water's surface. It helps if the water is calm.

You can hire rowing boats at some of the places in our care. These are good for gentle trips on rivers or lakes, where people can talk and admire the scenery. You can take it in turns to pull the oars together in time to move the boat forwards.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can try white water rafting at Fell Foot, in Cumbria. To do this, you sit with other people on top of a big raft and use paddles to steer it down fast-moving river rapids. It's exciting and you should expect to get wet.

Some of the trips we run in bigger boats give you the chance to spot seals or water birds, such as puffins.

Visitors kayaking near Old Harry Rocks, Studland Bay, Dorset | © National Trust Images/Ben Selway

Use your five senses

Once you’ve found a boat to float in, now it’s time to enjoy your senses.

What can you feel?

When you dip your hand into the water, what can you feel? Is the water rushing past or is it slowly lapping against your hand? Does the water feel cold, maybe even icy if it’s wintertime, or is it warm? If you’re in the sea, the water will be salty. Does it feel different to fresh water?

What can you see on your journey?

Carefully peer over the side of the boat, are there fish in the water? Can you see any birds diving? Or perhaps there are birds circling overhead or sitting on the banks. Can you identify any of the birds? Maybe there are also plants you haven’t seen before. Are there lily pads?

Fun fact: The speed of a boat on water is measured in knots. This comes from a time when sailors would unravel a rope of equally-spaced knots to trail behind a ship. The number of knots dropped over an hour would show how fast it was going. — Fun fact | © National Trust Images

Is it quiet where you’re floating?

If so, listen to the paddles or oars in the water as you push through it. Listen to the water itself as it laps and swirls around you. Are there birds chattering? You may want to close your eyes while you listen. Can you describe what you can hear?

Take a deep breath

What can you taste and smell on the air? Is it different to being on land? At sea especially, the air will probably taste different and have a salty flavour to it. Do you like the taste and smell?

Close your eyes

Relax and feel the bobbing motion as you float in the water. Do you like it? Does it remind you of anything else? Can you sense the direction in which you’re heading while your eyes are closed? Do your other senses (such as hearing or feeling) become stronger while your eyes are closed?

Share your ideas with your friends and family – floating in a boat is a special moment to remember.