OXFORD: Punting

Punting in Oxford, c. 1985.
Photo by C. G. Oakley.

Alice and I recently had the pleasure of joining my nephew Chris and some friends on a punting trip on the Cherwell. 

Picking a punt
at Salter's.

We hired a punt for a couple of hours from Salter's at Folly Bridge.

Chris is an experienced punter (at top is a photo he took 30 years ago of a punt outing arranged by the Oxford Vl'Hurg Society) and took us on the outward trip. 

Visit to Trinity boathouse.

We went down the row of college boathouses and stopped in at the Trinity College boathouse.

Jane and Blake view college boathouses.

The Trinity shield looked a bit worn.

Jane and Alice and ducks.

We were assured by the Trinity boatman (who shares his time with four other colleges) that the faded Trinity shield was in the process of being redone in a slightly larger size to match other fields, which were larger.

After the boathouse visit, Blake was given a few tips on punting by Chris. 

Blake then took over the pole and we punted around the Cherwell by Christ Church Meadow.

Unlike the Venetian gondolier, who sculls with an oar using the famous upright on the bow, the Oxford punter pushes along the bottom with a long hollow aluminum (used to be wooden) pole. 

Punting 2016. Selfie by JT Marlin,
with Blake Fleetwood on the pole.

A book on punting shows the eight steps of the technique of punting.

The first four figures are pulling the pole forward in a hand-over-hand movement. 

The second four show the pole going down and back.

Here is a selfie photo of Blake at work pushing me, Chris and our two ladies.

Other boating posts: Head of the Charles . Boat Race Dinners 2015