Broadsword

Cheaper boats are around, if you are happy to keep it small and simple! The more luxury and goodies you want, the more it will cost, obviously. Always worth ringing yards like Maycraft or Martham to see if anything is available at short notice - within reason, they would be happier to hire a boat to someone, for something, rather than to no-one for nothing! I was with James May yesterday and Mayfair might well be free, although I know it is out this weekend - they are not that busy yet.

Day 2 - Saturday.... Cuckoo! What a nice way to wake... The pups don't stir until we do, which is one of the odd aspects of being on the boat - normally, at home, they wake us much sooner. Still we are up early in the morning light and the dawn chorus is superb. We see yellow-hammers, chaffinches, reed and willow warblers, hear the cuckoo(s), geese and ducks and, thankfully, very little engine noise. However, we are still cooking breakfast as most of the cruisers begin to leave - One of the problems living on a little yacht is that you have to approach life one thing at a time. Wander off to showers and loos, come back, boil Kettle, make tea. Frying pan out, cook bacon, eggs etc. Kettle back on for washing up... and so on. All the time, moving about one another in a confined space! We are managing without any electrics. Having bought a Rav power charger for keeping moblies and Kindles alive for the week, we will be interested to see if it lives up to expectations. We have LED lights for the cabin in the late evening - but hardly need to use them and a big rechargeable torch for venturing out. When all is sorted, we prepare to set sail. It is very windy and we need to reef. We look at the reefing arrangements and do what we think is right, but are unhappy with the result and not wanting to hoist sail until we are sure it's ok - are we missing something? Put in a call to previous owner to ask advice and then chug off down the river. We have arrived at South Walsham by the time our call is returned and it is still very windy. We aimed to moor on the bend but had to take two attempts as we were blown off the first time and Mrs. Broadsword doesn't do jumping. Tied up and secure, a call from David assures us that we had reefed correctly, 'Don't worry, it doesn't look right, but it works!' Had a play on the Broad after lunch to test the theory - all good. Came back to moor and then enjoyed watching the moorings fill up, encouraged to see they all took at least two attempts - not just us then! To be fair, we did jump up and take a few ropes! Went for a nice walk up the lane to SW and came back just as the Barn Owls came out to hunt. Watched for over an hour as they scoped the fields behind the moorings. Chinese Water Deer prowling in the marshes and a Harrier in the other direction - stunning! Retired as the sun went down and played Scrabble on the Kindle with Mrs. Broadsword... It would not be kind to tell you the result.

Well, the first extended stay on our new boat 'OBY' has taken place! Our little ship would seem very tiny to some of you - but we bought her so that we could stay aboard more comfortably (!) than on the Prelude... And reasonably comfy she is... Day 1 - Friday - a slow start as we finished packing, Mrs Broadsword revelling in the anticipated extra space, attempting to squeeze the kitchen sink in, but we finally arrived at Potter around Midday. First surprise, looking down from the Bridge was that the boat wasn't visible on her mooring! Momentary panic gives way to relief as I remembered that Harry May was going to fix the wobbly stanchions on the starboard side. James May was at the staithe to confirm that they had indeed nicked the boat and made up for the offence by ferrying us and all of our luggage downriver to Maycraft. We sat and watched as he finished fitting the 'Stornshuns' (his preferred pronunciation!) and finally got away at about 4 p.m.! Had a pleasant little sail in light air down to Thurne and then back to Womack Dyke for our first night aboard. Passed Bob (Bob48) on the river, who was accompanied by a young lady, presumably his daughter? Womack Dyke, or cuckoo land as we now think of it... Lovely and peaceful. I tried to see the cuckoo through my bins, but only heard the little blighter... beautiful, almost non-stop call! Visited our friends at Hunter's Yard and got the code for the showers... Cooked Mrs Broadsword a nice supper of Chicken in White Wine Sauce, with rice and veg... Bottle of Poachers Choice to wash it all down with... Ridiculously early night... Decision 1... Get the bunk cushions sorted, the foam inside is fairly old and flat - and, as I am fairly old and fat, the combination is not a good one!!

Bunch of cynics... We really enjoyed the birdies this week... SWMBO commented just this morning that she is missing them... Mind you, in our absence our colleagues have finally installed our chickens - so we have a gentle cluck cluck going on most of the time! They were thoughtful - and omitted a rooster...

Did someone say bacon and eggs?

Yes it was Lakhnau... Doesn't look like moving far! Sailed slowly up to Salhouse today and then back to Cockshoot... Heading for Barton tomorrow...

Tiring work this sailing...

It is tough, but someone has to do it...

We are in the dyke... Lovely and peaceful... Early night now!

Well, maybe not all at once, but sitting here at Womack, watching the sun go down - you'd love it...

Got to say Robin, I like the very modest little fingerpost signs... Maybe just a few more needed - I've never really noticed as I made it business to know where I was and can read and follow a very simple map! I mean, the junction from the Ant onto the Bure is hardly Spagghetti Junction...

I have very little sympathy for the 'is this Wroxham then?' brigade, sorry... It really isn't rocket science and, IMHO, it is a reasonable expectation that someone who decides to have a holiday navigating a big boat around the Broads, should give a little thought to, well, navigating! Maps are plentiful, Broadcaster publishes a map, as do some of the yards... Simple attention to your progress on the river and very obvious markers (such as that very big bridge you go under, just before reaching the end of the Ant) should make it clear to any reasonably sensible individual whereabouts they are. My kids could always work out where we were when they were under ten years old... Fairly soon, they could do it without any kind of map Most hirers by far manage to work it out and seem to find their way to the pub fairly easily. Those who have no clue about where they are, are not really trying. How the flip do they get the boat back to their hire yard?

I hate it if I spill my tea! Couldn't agree more Poppy - and it's not as though the river is narrow around there! Sadly, my worst experiences for this kind of annoying, thoughtless boating have been at How Hill - sadly, as we love visiting the place... but I won't moor there in a hurry now.

Heading for our boat on Friday - just looking forward to9 chilling over the weekend and then some good sailing next week...

Sad news Eric, thoughts and prayers with you all and with Peter's family too...

Back in the day, hire cruisers had a b****y great notice at the helm which said 'This boat must not be taken under Potter Heigham Bridge without a Pilot' - Do they no longer have such notices with regard to low bridges? If they do, then surely the only defence against a charge of wilful negligence if you blunder through without the pilot and damage the boat in the process is either; inability to read or blindness... Stupid might also work... Robins point about limited damage because they were going slowly is an interesting one. In my experience the pilots go at a fair old lick which, I am told has the effect of pushing the boat down into the water... I do, of course, write as one of those saily types who can pretty well get under anything, so what do I know?

A few years ago, when sailing with us (and his then girlfriend) my youngest had fun renaming everything using the names of characters from his favourite TV show, The West Wing... So, although no-one else would have had a clue what was going on, we had a lot of fun adjusting the Bartlett, trimming the Josh and releasing the CJ's... All good fun, and we survived!

I think the value of having specific terms (even if they are not the official ones!) is that everyone knows what is being referred to. It's the same with Port and Starboard, as opposed to left and right... it avoids confusion! 'Throw me the rope... no the other rope... the one on the left hand side... as you face the bows I mean... No, the one tied to the thing on the back that um, you tie the rope to, for tying onto other things, on the bank... Too late, you've floated too far away...'

How very sad...

I am busy all weekend, sorry Will try to call in for the quiz, but probably no time to prep one... And you all know how fiendish mine would have to be... Nasty anagrams to annoy Polly and sneaky double value questions with a saily connection

8 done...

I think I spot a spelling mistake...

Oh, yes, I'm definitely trying that one Peter!

I have been a customer since the gentleman concerned was at the Potter Heigham branch (now the reception area of Woods). I don't think he is the proprietor but, although the 'non smiling' comments are not unfair, he actually does know what's what! What always surprises us is just how many staff they seem to have around! Prices are not always cheap, but they do keep quite a good stock of those essential bits and bobs; a wide variety of bits of string and will order in if needed.

7 from 7 for me... Similar assumptions!