Could this be the future of commuting?
Sale woman Kirsty Devlin thinks so after taking up kayaking to keep fit.
Kirsty, who works for coding school Manchester Codes, delighted her followers on Twitter yesterday with a photo of her floating on the Bridgewater Canal.
Though Kirsty hasn't yet rowed all the way to the city centre, she's taken it for a good spin around her local area.
With social distancing measures likely to be in place for many months to come, public transport may be out of the question for many.
The lockdown has also led to many people discovering new hobbies and ways to stay active.
Since May 13, the government added outdoor water sports to the list of permitted activities the public can undertake during lockdown.
Kirsty rented her kayak from a small business outside the King's Ransom pub, close to Grapefruit Coffee shop and Sale tram stop.
Grip Adventure has been promoting its boats as social distancing-friendly and a great way to get some exercise in the fresh air.
Kirsty said: "He's not got much of a presence online so you have to kind of walk past and see his A-board to know that you can rent a canoe.
"The place is really busy, I've seen loads of families getting out on the water in the last few weeks.
"The guy who owns it also has a bit of a team-building space and is teaching people from disadvantaged backgrounds about canoeing, how to build them and maintain them."
Kirsty usually uses the Metrolink to get to her workplace in the Northern Quarter, or cycles.
She said: "I'm hoping to get fit enough to row into Manchester, though it might take hours!
"It might not work from as far out as Sale but I really think if you lived closer to town or to your work place you could do it.
"There's no storage though, we need canoe hubs like we have cycle hubs. What if people did take to this? Where would they actually put their boats?
"Maybe inflatable canoes will become a thing, will this be the new electric scooter?
"I've always wanted to get a kayak though. People keep asking me if I bought it in that weird middle aisle in Aldi.
"You just go out without your phone, spend time in nature, and get fit.
"I can't recommend it enough, it's so much fun."
Kayaks and canoes can be rented from Grip Adventure outside the King's Ransom pub in Sale. Prices start from £10 for an hour's hire.
