Broadsword

Thanks Polly... Alison's Dad died after a short illness, just before Christmas... He was a fine man- a quiet simple man of faith who, in over 40 years, never spoke an unkind word to me... Miss him greatly...

So sad to read this post after a few weeks off the forum (also struggling with family bereavement)... Rest in peace Iain...

Well done both of you! We're a few years behind!!

What do you think I have Alison on board for?

Can't wait to teach my grand kids to sail Polly!

I'd take the shop on... but not at the price asked!!

Haha! Well, we sailies need to stick together... perhaps rafted across the river from those moorings, totally blocking the bridge!

Ah, how I remember NFN from my Police days !

Nice idea Poppy, but too darn narrow at Ludham, and too close to the bridge, to risk that!

Hi Peter, after this last week, I will! I have had email contact with JP and found him more than friendly to deal with. We demasted just before the bridge on Wednesday (no problem - although not on designated moorings) - heading up to Barton only to find full moorings on the other side and a huge cruiser tied up on the demasting moorings through the bridge. We had to head right round the bend and tied up on the last few inches of available mooring! Very annoying - we may well have had to motor up to How Hill with mast down! I approached the crew, very politely and they accepted they were very much in the wrong... However, I simply can't believe they didn't know - the signs are very large and clear!! On return, we tied up at the top end of the moorings to lower again, only to watch another cruiser pull in ahead of us on the remainder of the mooring Again, I politely approached and told them 'You must not moor there, even for a short while!!' However, on finally getting back to Potter on Sunday, I observed several yachts moored for well over an hour - probably closer to two - on the moorings next to HW footbridge. They had already come through from the Upper Thurne and were just enjoying a leisurely lunch break... So, Yotties clearly abuse the situation too. I have to say, when I mentioned it to the crews, they were far less obliging than the cruiser crews at Ludham Bridge...

We have also chosen, at times, to demast at St Benets and then motor round, rather than risk the melee!

The serious point in the OP is one that I feel strongly about! If you find yourself coming down from Barton with a tide, hoping to pull in at the bridge to demast, only to find the moorings taken up, it can definitely raise the blood pressure! Twice this year, we have been fortunate to find space available on the other side... Ludham Bridge used to be much kinder to yotties... it is a bit of a pain now...

Still have the quiz somewhere...

I did have a quiz ready last time I was QM but I think numbers didn't show? Can't remember... Have been too busy/away/asleep since

She had done all she could too Polly - I think the poor little scrap was exhausted... We are cheering up now and showering Lizzy with affection! She's a grand little dog - so different to Molly, less cuddly, more livewire! Our walks are ridiculously quick now that old plodder isn't with us, so we are going further!

We had our own sadness today... Our sympathies for your sad loss. We also had the dreaded appointment booked for this morning, but Molly went peacefully in her own time...

So sad to lose our little shipmate Molly in the early hours this morning... we had her from a puppy and have been so blessed to enjoy her company for over 12 sailing years... her own puppy, Lizzy was out on the water with us today and we had a good day, but our hearts ache...

A great day's sailing again, with my brother for company - a non-sailor, but keen to have a go! We sailed in near perfect weather between Ludham, Acle and St. Benets, before heading back to Womack drop Mark off after a fish and chip supper. We had moored at the end of the moorings, with beautiful views all around, until a huge Bridgecraft boat tied up behind us against the reeds, blocking our view! We decided to do the decent thing and surrendered our place, opting for a less cramped position in Hunter's Yard! Sat playing Scrabble in the cockpit until the heavens opened and we dived below to finish the game! This morning was so lovely, we took our time getting back to Potter, via Upton! A great week all round...

Well, poor signal has kept us quiet! Now home after two final day of excellent sailing... left Horning on Friday and sailed back to South Walsham where we moored up for the evening after a around the Broad. Another Pegasus 700 tied up behind us which was nice, and we spent a pleasant evening together. Saturday was a fabulous day, with excellent breezes... sailed down to Acle for ice creams and some lazy sunbathing! Back to Womack for evening as my brother is meeting us there in the morning. Surprisingly quiet, with a lot of space, so we stayed in the dyke and enjoyed a beautiful sunset...

We awesome to a truly beautiful Broads morning, with just birdsong to listen. No-one moving, so a peaceful breakfast in the sun followed by some sailing around Salhouse... Out onto the river, the breeze we know is there only reaches our sails intermittently, which is frustrating, but we slowly make our way back towards Horning, breaking the trip with some livelier sailing on Black Horse Broad, just us and two other raggies moving, with a couple of moored cruisers for us to aim at... Another so stop at The Swan to allow Mrs Broadsword some retail therapy, whilst yours truly enjoyed the mooring antics. A young couple in Buff Tip, from Hunter's, made a lovely job of sailing into the pub mooring, which was nice to see. Very hot now and we are back opposite the Ferry for our late lunch!

Sorry for the typos... Blame spell check!

And on to the flesh pots of Horning... Where we more just beyond the trip boat bit and watched as another yacht squeezed in too... They were very nice about it and helped us get away later. The lure of the deli was to much for Mrs B. Who came away laden with scotch eggs and other goodies for tea. Ice cream in the sun and then the gentlest of sails to a Salhouse. Worth the fee to more on the inside edge of the island, in beautiful solitude, or so we thought... What do you have to do to get peace and quiet? First a big Richos monster left the far mooring to motor over and moor almost on top of us, to fish the river... But why oh why did he have to run his engine for 40 minutes... Had almost decide to send SWMBO to remonstrate, when he turned it off... Just an hour later the Broads Tours monstrosity arrived, well it's racket arrived well ahead of the boat, and did it's circuit of the Broad before frosting to ruin the evenings of everyone from here to Horning... Can't wait for them to come back again... Night all. Grumpy Old Man

So, woke early and would have done anyway as the chaps doing the footpath started the Tonka toys at 8.00! Shook out the reef on the river as we were wind and tide against heading for Horning. So so slow! Eventually ducked into Malthouse for a while... Chokka! Moored in the dinghy dyke for a bit until watching inept mooring became a bore! Back on the river and battled slowly up to the Ferry for lunch... Too many trees on that stretch... Bringing my chainsaw next time

Very nice to see Hakuna Matata and her lovely crew out on the river... They passed us as we were becalmed next to the mill at OBY, not our finest moment!

Gentle sail to Acle this morning, moored up near the NRSC so Oby felt at home... Breeze picked up after lunch, so had a lovely beat back to the Thurne, with a reef in... Two lads in a Hustler trying to sail with no jib and mainsail only half up... Spending most tacks on the reeds. Declined advice from the crew of Lucent, so we decided to leave them to it as well. Storm blew up at Thurne Mouth but I mastered my Nemesis and headed up the Bure to South Walsham. Mrs B. having had enough of the wet stuff abandoned the skipper to his fate, until called on deck to douse the jib and bring down the main... Motored (oh yes!) to Fleet Dyke, where footpath work has made a bit of a muddy mooring... After tidying everything up, retired below for dry clothes and a brew... all! A lousy day on the boat is better than a cracking day at work!