5 Days without my phone, however have I coped?

The moment my phone slipped out of my hand and into the River Wensum, I stared into the murky water in a state of suspended disbelief and horror.

Days of heavy rain had turned the water a deep, muddy brown, so I couldn’t even watch it sink to the bottom in a final farewell.

For nearly three years, it had not left my side. The battery still lasted for hours, and the apps still worked perfectly. It did everything I needed it for.

Not anymore.

The few times we have been canoeing on the river, I always carried my phone in a special waterproof case around my neck. Paranoid, it might slip from my grasp. However, on Saturday, I forgot the case. No, actually, I didn’t bother with it because we headed out on a little electric day boat, and I assumed my phone would be safer on this. Aha, lesson learned: never assume.

The idea was to do some filming of the river and enjoy the wildlife. My boyfriend suggested I use his phone, but I refused. I am always nervous to use his phone as he doesn’t have it protected in a tough case, like mine does. Did. Not that a tough case gives any protection if the phone ends up sinking to the bottom of a muddy chalk river.

The last time I dropped a phone in water was at Holkham, on the north Norfolk coast. It slipped…