Posted by Joel Silverberg on November 24, 2004 at 11:10:35 from 24.250.20.113 user joels.
In Reply to: Re: Messing about in boats posted by Laurence Monkhouse on November 24, 2004 at 10:46:03:
The well known quote is certainly from Wind in the Willows and not from Arthur Ransome.
My family and I had the pleasure of spending four or five days in Horning this summer (site of Coot Club and The Big Six) where we rented a houseboat (it came with a small dinghy) within walking or rowing distance of Horning Staithe. One afternoon we walked over to the Horning Sailing Club to watch a race on the river of boats somewhat like "Flash" the boat owned and raced by Port and Starboard's Aged Parent and struck up a conversation with a few of the friendly natives gathered at the club. (There is a very handsome foot bridge that arches across the river to the island or peninsula that the Sailing club sits on).
One delightful older gentleman, a member of the club, explained in a charming Norfolk accent, that "lots of folks like to muck around in boats, but we like to boat around in muck."
That saying really made my day, and I expect I'll remember it (and repeat it) the rest of my life. It certainly was appropriate given the marsh-like settings of the Norfolk Broads, and I suspect AR would have enthusiastically agreed with the sentiment.