Did you play in the river as a kid?

I just replied to @Zonuss post asking if you live near the sea or a river. Its sent me on a bit of a nostalgia trip.
I lived in a small town and a river ran through it. A bridge in the middle of town were old chaps gathered for a chat and actually hung out...much like kids hanging around a bus stop! Lol. The river ran along side the street i lived in and was separated by a grassy bank and low stone wall.
There was a park at the top of the road and thinking back...i spent so much time in that river as a very young child with other kids....all a similar age. Wed spend hours turning rocks looking for fish and eels and making little rafts out of twigs to sail. Throwing things in for the dogs to chase, building damns....and hiding under the bridge to jump out on passers by.
Gosh....how times change! Imagine the thought now of a group of kids mo older than 7 playing unsupervised in a park...in the river!! But..it was quite normal for us! And we all lived to tell the tale!!
Did anyone else spend half there childhood in wellies wading in the water??
Happy days.....

Oh...btw.....i couldnt swim!!!! Lol