Week On Broadsman

[adam]

Thursday 19th October 

Day started off as normal till was time for the kids to finish school. Finishing all the packing of the car whilst they are at school. Pick the 2 kids up from school. Take them home to change and check got everything in the car we need for the week. Left home about 3:30pm. Good journey down the A14 not much traffic even through the road works. Onto A11 nice smooth journey stopping off at burger king for some dinner. Then onto Norwich airport Premier inn were we was staying for the night. Little traffic but not to much. Arrving into the premier inn about 6pm. Chekced in really friendly and helpful staff breakfast booked for next morning. 

[adam]

Friday 20th October

Up around 8am with excited children showered and dressed and off for breakfast in the brewers fayre. Very quiet in the pub not may people up for breakfast yet. Back to the hotel after breakfast. Finish packing clothes into the bags ready to go. Load the car up ready to go when we was ready. Leaving about 10.30am heading off towards Stalham. As we pulled into Wroxham was descided we would stop off and have a wonder around Norfolk broads direct yard and do our food shopping in Roys for the week.  Slow wonder back to the car looked at river wasn't to busy. Loaded shopping into car check how our other member of crew was doing on the train journey. Left Wroxham and got into Stalham about 12pm quick stop in tescos for bread as couldn't get in Roys. Pulled into boat yard about 12:30pm. Into reception to check in a queue paid for the travel cot and high chair we required. Nearly ended up with wrong boat as some one had same name as me on same boat. Got told boat would be ready at 1pm. So off we go to get life jackets and cot and high chair. Back to Kingfisher Quay spoke to guys in arrivals hut and said we could load and second in queue for hand over. Shortly after we finished loading a guy game and gave a quick hand over as we have been on carousel and commodore. Once handed over we set off planning to get as near as possible to Great Yarmouth as wanting to go south tomorrow.  We made it to Stacey arms about half 4 so thought we would stop there as was getting dark and sill a long distance to great Yarmouth. Went and paid the £5 in the cafe. Had a quick look in the shop decided not to buy anything. Back to boat for dinner and chill for the night.

[adam]

Saturday 21st October

Up around 7am to day and low water was really early this morning. Slow cruise down to Great Yarmouth. Quick stop off to pop into Asda for some essentials and descide if we was going to go south due to the high winds forecast over night and tomorrow. Once done Asda we decided we would head for Beccles a nice spot enjoyed on other holidays in the past. Rang the Yach station as the river split for outlon broad turning to book a side on mooring after some discussion was found a space on the main river. 

[adam]

sOnce moored at beccles went to speak to harbour master as our electric cable wouldn't reach so he lent us a extension. Paid our over night fee. Back to boat to hook up electric. Kids off to the park next to the yacht station with there dad, whilst me and the mrs chilled  on the boat with the youngest member of the party. About 4pm we choose to go for dinner at the weatherspoons in the town. We have a quick stop off in the co op for some essentials and bits we didn't really need. Into weatherspoons really busy but manage to find a table to fit us all round. Ordered food that came quickly even though busy. Really nice meal eaten once eaten we decide o order desert well worth it. Once eaten we take a slow walk back to the boat. Back on board to find the tv signal wasn't working so chilled talking early night had by us all.

[YnysMon]

Roy’s out of bread? How shocking! We always make a bee line for their ‘Norfolk Crunch’ loaves sliced to order. Just lovely!

Loving the tale!

Helen

[JennyMorgan]

So long as Roys don't run out of sausage rolls, truly the doggy's doo-dahs, especially cold.

[adam]

they had bread just couldn't find any sliced bread

[JennyMorgan]

20 minutes ago, adam said:

they had bread just couldn't find any sliced bread

Arghhhh, the end is nigh! 

Tis what a bread knife is for! Bread door-steps,  man food!

[adam]

easier to have it sliced with 6 people needing bread and dont always get a bread knife on a hire boat.

[adam]

Sunday 22nd October

Up around 8am returned cable to harbour master when he opened for the day. Decided we would head back north to day. So off we went around 9am after breakfast. On our way we see on twitter that breydon water is closed due to the high winds and being high tide. So decided we would stop off in Reedham till it re opens. Got o Reedham about 11:30am moored up plenty of space not many boats stopped at Reeham. Quay guy came and helped us set our ropes for the fall in the tide and stop us moving to much in the wind. Nice chat had the assistant said to ring Great Yarmouth Yacht station about 12:30 to check and see when they think breydon would re open. Once rang they said would probably re open once high tide has been. So had lunch and had a walk along the quay with the kids. Around half 2 we see that breydon is re open to all craft. So we ring the yacht station again and check it is and height under the bridges. All fine so off we set off to Great Yarmouth. Nice smooth journey down to breydon. Have to admit we were the ones who got stuck on breydon. Me at the helm and got distracted by the other boat stuck and kids playing games. Rang the coast guard and they sent ems to try and pull us out. Was unsuccessful one of our ropes snapped. So we had to wait for the life boat to come and rescue us. Every one off safely and returned to yacht station met by guys on duty at yacht station really nice chaps. Put all our life jackets into a locker. Off we wonder to brewers fayre for dinner and sit and wait till they bought our boat back in around 8pm. Kids and mrs went into the pub whilst i went and dropped our keys off  to the recovery guy for when he was going to pull us out. Back to pub to be told was going to be hour and half wait for table but another manager found us a table. Had a nice dinner most had the Sunday roast buffet. Around half 7 we moved tables so they could use our old table. Just after 8pm the recovery guy rang and said the boat was back and moored in yacht station. So off we went back to the boat sorted few bits out and off to bed we all went. 

[JennyMorgan]

All's well that ends well. It is actually good to hear from one who has actually been on the Breydon Mud and an admission of guilt so to speak! Even at five miles an hour it is important to keep ones eye's on the river ahead, a lesson learned for us all to take head of. Thanks for telling us, we can all learn from your misadventure. Great thread by the way.

[vanessan]

4 hours ago, adam said:

they had bread just couldn't find any sliced bread

Roy’s will slice a loaf for you if you ask them.

[ranworthbreeze]

Slicing a loaf of bread, far two many blades in the slicers used, I much prefer a doorstep for my toast

An uncut loaf from Roy's would last all week if left in our galley, but not much chance of that however. 

Regards

Alan

[vanessan]

A brave man admitting to getting stuck on Breydon and also for telling us the reason for it. As JM said, it’s all too easy to take your eye off the ball. Glad it all turned out ok and without any drama too by the sounds of it. 

[BroadAmbition]

Respect for fessing up the Breydon incident, it can happen to anyone.

'B.A' has been outside the posts and got away with it by the skin of our teeth and sheer luck.  A experienced helm (One of our Lads Week crew) who has been afloat every year since about 82 took us outside the marked channel as he got confused or just plian and simple wasn't paying attention.  I was in t galley as I mistakenly assumed I could trust him, just goes to prove assumption is the mother of all cock ups.  I came up to wheelhouse had a look round, it seemed to take ages for my eyes / brain to compute that we were outside of the marked channel, in reality eyes / brain just would not believe the information they were receiving.   I didn't know whether to faint or have a canary fit.  As it was,  once said sensors had confirmed my worst nightmare, muscles sprang into action, grab engine control bring to dead slow, swing helm fast and hard over to a direct course back towards marked channel, then commence prayers to Neptune. We got away with it, once back in safe water, me and the helm had a 'discussion'

Can you just imagine if we had got stuck on the putty?  There's one thing for sure, I would not have contacted any emergency services at all.  Being skipper it would have been my responsibility (Fault), and my responsibility to rectify the situation.  The Mudweight would have been chucked as far as I could manage in the direction of the channel and we would have waited it out for high water, then kedge oursens back to the channel.  There would have been the name of the guilty helm taped to the side of 'B.A' for all to see, he would also have been tasked with going onto the mud to have a washdown of 'B.A' below waterline where possible.  I would then (Signal permitting) have notified forumites passing to take photo's as evidence - No use trying to hide it.  'B.A's cloaking system only seems to work when there are rag-n-sticks present.

Oh and BTW - Enjoying reading your holiday tale - TVM

Griff

[Wonderwall]

A day you'll never forget!!!

No harm done which is all that matters . It's easy done , drifting out of the channel. It could happen to anyone for sure . Humans make mistakes , that will never change.

Looking forward to the rest of your tale.

[JohnK]

We wakeboard on Breydon (well I say we, I drive the boat).
When recovering a boarder you kill the engine as they’re getting on close to the prop.
With no drive you’re very soon out of the channel in some conditions.
It makes me very nervous, I hate being without power. I miss my jet drive


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[adam]

yes something we will never forget. Had to call the emergency services due to having a 1 year old and 2 kids on board so was safest option

[adam]

Monday 23rd October

Decided we would stay in Yarmouth for few hours so kids could go to the sea front and the arcades. Rang Richardson around 9am to request new rope and tell them we were all fine and going to continue on our holiday. Kids went off to arcade with there dad whilst me and the mrs waited on the boat for the engineer to turn up with the rope. Engineer turned up just after 10 quickly replaced the rope for us. So me and mrs go and join the kids in the arcades taxi company were brilliant really quick turn up. Quick go in arcades and return to boat by about 11.30am. Decided earlier in the day we would go to Wroxham to day. So off we set to Wroxham shortly before lunch time. Nice cruise up to Wroxham rivers getting more busy as we reached acle but not a lot on the rivers. Continued into Horning with no room to moor all the pubs busy and the public moorings. Quick visit into the broad just outside Horning cant think of its name. Some real nice houses within. Back on main river lots of day boats on the river. Salhouse broad looked busy as we passed and even on the island looked busy. Cruised into Wroxham to find Barnes very busy so on to faircraft lynnes yard was even busier in there with no room to moor so back to barnes. Managed to squeeze into last space just big enough for us. Moored up put £1 into electric meter and hooked up with our electric cable. Chilled on boa for awhile helped a young family moor in front of us that were struggling to get in. Around 4pm we wonder off to the shops and get some fish and chip . Roys wasn't to busy to day. Back to the boat with our fish and chips nice meal had by all and all enjoyed it. Chilled on the boat then to bed around 10pm. 

[Broads01]

I'm enjoying your tale Adam. The Broad just upstream of Horning is Hoveton Little Broad, also called Black Horse Broad. 

[adam]

Tuesday 24th October

Got woke around 8am by Barnes demanding we moved as needed the space we was moored for there boats. Went into reception to pay for a pump out and got on the move about 8:45am. Decided we wanted to go under the bridge to day if enough clearance. Bridge pilot didn't start till around 9am so we cruised up to Wroxham broad and rang to find out he was operating and would have enough clearance to fit under. So quick turn around and back to Wroxham. Moored up next to the bridge as we finished off tying up he cam through the bridge and hopping onto our boat after helping the others away from the mooring. Through the bridge with a little bit to spare. He stern on moored us into the moorings just after the bridge. Quick trip to the shops and back on the boat and slow cruise down to Colishall. Moored on the village green around lunch time. Had lunch and kids played football on the green. Left there around 10m as booked a mooring at the new inn at 15:30. Moored back up in the stern on mooring before the bridge and called the pilot. He came along and took us back under the bridge. He hopped off across the day boats and off we went to barnes to fill with water quickly. Filled up and off we went rang the new inn saying we was running late so all be fine. Arrived around 4pm moored up on far side and hooked up with electric cable. Kids went off for a wonder with there dad whilst me and mrs and baby stayed on the boat chilling. Got off about 5pm and played in arcades for a while. Wondered into the pub around 6pm to see if we could sit at our table that was booked for 6:15 Lady at the bar said were our table was and gave us some menus so off we went and sat down. Chose what what we wanted and went to order. Food came pretty quickly as was still quiet in the pub. Food was really nice as before. Chilled out before decding we would have desert. Deseert eaten and headed back to the boat to watch tv and chill before bed. 

[SwanR]

We really enjoyed lunch at the New Inn recently - it's somewhere I would always stop off if I happen to be passing through Horning around lunchtime and there are free spaces.

As for Barnes asking you to leave at 8am, Ferry Marina were doing the same. They allowed boats from other yards to moor there even on Friday night knowing their own boats are due back in on Saturday morning. We heard them let all three skippers know when they moored up that they could stay but would have to be gone by 8. Only one of them adhered to that. The other two were up but hanging around and still there after 8.30. We saw Ferry's own boats arrive back and struggle to find anywhere to go. So I think it's decent of yards that allow it but people should expect to be gone quite early the next day.

Great that you were able to get down to Coltishall ... we still haven't managed to time our trips so that we can get through Wroxham Bridge! Must plan better next time around. :)

[adam]

end of day they didnt even tell us night before they needed the space next ay so no warning thats what annoyed me

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, SwanR said:

 

Great that you were able to get down to Coltishall ... we still haven't managed to time our trips so that we can get through Wroxham Bridge!

You really should, the journey to Coltishall is fantastic. The village itself is good too

[Broads01]

1 hour ago, Jayfire said:

You really should, the journey to Coltishall is fantastic. The village itself is good too

100% agree. Plus mooring in Wroxham below the bridge has become so difficult, going through the bridge is the most practical option in many ways.