When the sun came out in Berlin, people started climbing into the canals in their inflatable boats. When I rode my bike over Elsenbrücke, I even saw them floating along the Spree in their dinghies, with a bag of beers and a fishing hat. One evening, I saw a lone paddle boarder in the middle of that wide river.

It is the done thing, I learned. The Excursion 5 Schlauchboot is available for less than €200 and can be fitted with a little electric motor, or a floating beer cooler that you tow along behind you. By June, I was jealous. Not long after, we came into possession of a two-seater inflatable touring kayak. It was a sportier number than the floating paddling pools we saw drifting up and down.

Carrying its weight in the heat wasn’t pleasant. Inflating it took more sweat. Finding a spot on the canal bank to launch it was sketchy. Climbing down into it without bathing in canal water was tough. I hadn’t paddled anything for a decade.

Sarah and I climbed in together, and pushed off from the edge and dipped our paddles into the water. After just a couple of strokes, we were gliding. The sun came down through the trees along every edge of the water. It was perfect.