{"id":386,"date":"2015-12-31T05:19:35","date_gmt":"2015-12-31T05:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=386"},"modified":"2017-12-06T18:25:24","modified_gmt":"2017-12-06T18:25:24","slug":"about-this-book","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/about-this-book\/","title":{"rendered":"About this book"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-carousel-extra='{\"blog_id\":1,\"permalink\":\"http:\\\/\\\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\\\/wordpress\\\/about-this-book\\\/\"}' id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-386 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?fit=1500%2C1125\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-66\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?w=1500 1500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?resize=768%2C576 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?resize=1024%2C768 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?resize=960%2C720 960w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?resize=260%2C195 260w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-attachment-id=\"66\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/about-this-book\/bridge-9w\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?fit=1500%2C1125\" data-orig-size=\"1500,1125\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Bridge-9W\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Bridge 9W on the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Bridge 9W on the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?fit=300%2C225\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Bridge-9W.jpg?fit=800%2C600\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-66'>\n\t\t\t\tBridge 9W on the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"first-paragraph\"><span class=\"dropcap\">I<\/span>n many ways <span class=\"emphasis\">Narrowboating for Beginners<\/span> is a book that doesn\u2019t really need to exist. After all, my husband and I and our friends took our first narrowboat trip without the benefit of such a book and lived to tell the tale. In fact most beginners show up for their first narrowboat trip without any idea what to expect.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">Of course I had done some homework beforehand. I\u2019d visited numerous canal-related websites, watched several YouTube videos about the canals and narrowboats, downloaded brochures from many boat hires, and read LTC Rolt\u2019s <span class=\"emphasis\">Narrow Boat<\/span> and the <span class=\"emphasis\">Boaters Handbook<\/span>, but none of that helped when I took the tiller that first day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">I was frankly terrified. I did get us out of the marina but I was so upset by the experience that I happily gave up the tiller to my husband and didn\u2019t drive the boat for another two days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">After that humiliation, I decided that perhaps I\u2019d be better at turning locks, but even though I consider myself mechanically inclined, I was often doing stupid things like trying to open lock gates before the pound had filled or trying to fill the pound with a downhill paddle still open.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">By the fourth or fifth lock, however, it started making sense and even steering the boat got easier, after my husband\u2019s suggestion of pointing the tiller at the thing you don\u2019t want to hit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">After a time, we were all decent at steering and turning a lock, but turning the boat around was still an all hands on deck emergency and reversing the boat was impossible. And many times we realized something very important only after it was too late to do any good. For instance, we found that our boat hire had kindly provided a <span class=\"emphasis\">Pearson\u2019s Canal Companion<\/span> for us and if we\u2019d only read it, we would have known there was a water point, a winding hole or a very good pub around the next bend. Another example was our last mooring when someone showed us the canalman\u2019s hitch, which would have saved us from all the times we\u2019d tied our lines into Gordian knots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">So even though narrowboating isn\u2019t rocket science, there are still some little tricks and advice that I can offer by way of this book that should improve your first time on a narrowboat. Some things are pretty important, like keeping clear of the cill, some are trivial, like bring your own washcloth, and some will just make you say, \u201cOh, well that explains it,\u201d like the fact it\u2019s called a balance beam because it counterbalances the weight of the gate (it\u2019ll make sense later on).<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">This book is primarily intended for Americans contemplating their first narrowboat vacation, but that doesn\u2019t mean someone in the UK won\u2019t find it useful (a UK edition where color is spelled <span class=\"emphasis\">colour<\/span> may be forthcoming). Americans contemplating a canal trip assume that everyone in the UK has traveled a canal but on our trips, we kept encountering Britons who confessed it was their first trip. There are even people who live alongside a canal who have never been on a boat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">This book is not intended for people contemplating living aboard a narrowboat because there are already many good books on that subject. And this book doesn\u2019t address pleasure boats, canoes, kayak or barges\u2014just narrowboats. It is also intended for people traveling on canals and not navigable rivers. While much remains the same, there are special considerations when taking a narrowboat onto tidal or fast-moving waters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">This book is also not intended for people who plan to take out a narrowboat alone, although much of the information will still be pertinent. It\u2019s challenging to single-handedly turn a lock or moor, but it can be done.<\/p>\n<p class=\"aside\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"430\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/locks-bridges-and-tunnels\/caution-icon\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?fit=500%2C861\" data-orig-size=\"500,861\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"caution-icon\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?fit=174%2C300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?fit=500%2C861\" class=\"icon alignleft wp-image-430 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?resize=174%2C300\" alt=\"caution-icon\" width=\"174\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?resize=174%2C300 174w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?resize=151%2C260 151w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?w=500 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 174px) 100vw, 174px\" \/>Most people are glad of a little help, but solo boaties can be prickly. They take pride in their boating skills and some may prefer to do it on their own. Always ask before lending a hand.<\/p>\n<p class=\"basic-paragraph\">Finally, this book is not meant as an alternative to reading <span class=\"emphasis\">The Boater\u2019s Handbook<\/span> published by the Canal &amp; River Trust (or the guides published by another appropriate waterway authority). Much of that information is repeated here, but consider the handbook to be definitive.<\/p>\n<div class=\"worksheet\">\n<h2 id=\"sigil_toc_id_145\">About these symbols<\/h2>\n<p class=\"aside\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"435\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/locks-bridges-and-tunnels\/tip-icon\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tip-icon.png?fit=500%2C611\" data-orig-size=\"500,611\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"tip-icon\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tip-icon.png?fit=245%2C300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tip-icon.png?fit=500%2C611\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-435 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tip-icon.png?resize=245%2C300\" alt=\"tip-icon\" width=\"245\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tip-icon.png?resize=245%2C300 245w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tip-icon.png?resize=213%2C260 213w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/tip-icon.png?w=500 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/>This is a tip icon, indicating some little idea that will make your narrowboat trip more enjoyable, like remembering to pack a flashlight for your walk back to the boat after a nice meal and drinks at a pub.<\/p>\n<p class=\"aside\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"168\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/note-icon\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/note-icon.png?fit=500%2C438\" data-orig-size=\"500,438\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"note-icon\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/note-icon.png?fit=300%2C263\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/note-icon.png?fit=500%2C438\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-168 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/note-icon.png?resize=300%2C263\" alt=\"note-icon\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/note-icon.png?resize=300%2C263 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/note-icon.png?resize=260%2C228 260w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/note-icon.png?w=500 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>This is a note icon, indicating some information that\u2019s interesting, like the fact that LTC Rolt and Robert Aickman established the Inland Waterways Association in 1946.<\/p>\n<p class=\"aside\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"430\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/locks-bridges-and-tunnels\/caution-icon\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?fit=500%2C861\" data-orig-size=\"500,861\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"caution-icon\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?fit=174%2C300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?fit=500%2C861\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-430 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?resize=174%2C300\" alt=\"caution-icon\" width=\"174\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?resize=174%2C300 174w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?resize=151%2C260 151w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/caution-icon.png?w=500 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 174px) 100vw, 174px\" \/>This is a caution icon, indicating advice like don\u2019t drive your boat so fast that it leaves a wake, don\u2019t wear Crocs on a slippery boat and don\u2019t back up while standing next to the edge of the lock pound.<\/p>\n<p class=\"aside\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"402\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/about-this-book\/danger-icon\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/danger-icon.png?fit=400%2C246\" data-orig-size=\"400,246\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"danger-icon\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/danger-icon.png?fit=300%2C185\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/danger-icon.png?fit=400%2C246\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-402\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/danger-icon.png?resize=300%2C185\" alt=\"danger-icon\" width=\"300\" height=\"185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/danger-icon.png?resize=300%2C185 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/danger-icon.png?resize=260%2C160 260w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/danger-icon.png?w=400 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>This is the danger icon, with advice like don\u2019t let your kids run along the top of a boat while it\u2019s in a lock, something I\u2019ve actually seen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"aside\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"450\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/about-this-book\/relax-icon\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/relax-icon.png?fit=500%2C323\" data-orig-size=\"500,323\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"relax-icon\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/relax-icon.png?fit=300%2C194\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/relax-icon.png?fit=500%2C323\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-450\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/relax-icon.png?resize=300%2C194\" alt=\"relax-icon\" width=\"300\" height=\"194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/relax-icon.png?resize=300%2C194 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/relax-icon.png?resize=260%2C168 260w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/relax-icon.png?w=500 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>This is the relax icon, reminding you that you really should enjoy your trip rather than try to go as many miles in a day as you can.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In many ways Narrowboating for Beginners is a book that doesn\u2019t really need to exist. After all, my husband and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-386","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-narrowboating-for-beginners"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P74kO9-6e","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=386"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/386\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2111,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/386\/revisions\/2111"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}