Polly

De daaa de da de da de daaaaa.......... Or something like that. I loathed that show.

The one whose necklines plunge as her confidence rises. ☺️

We saw Vincent and Flavias Tango show, that was awesome! Tonight's Strictly was really creative, I think the professionals excelled in choreography.

My thinking is that Craig Slawson already has a wonderful database of boats on the Broads. Maybe working with him to add a couple of fields to it identifying boats of a.historical or b. developmental significance might be the way to go? Then a search would bring up a list, and anyone wishing to take further action/interest can do so more easily. Brilliant would be historical, but not developmental as she had Emerald as her elder sister, now lost.

Keep us posted Liz

Agree, not a patch on Earls Court, no atmosphere.

A whole turkey might take until New Year maybe a turkey crown would get done by Christmas ! I think Mirage, Simon and Sonia have done Christmas afloat. Brilliant is ashore so no go there, I have toyed with the notion of hiring, but family come first and they do come. So we will be staying ashore.

Hooooooray!!!!!

I am not sure, I saw a sign lit up saying 'pay by midnight', I took out an account on advice from here, so didn't have to do it myself.

Looks likely

Fascinating Aida strikes again.

Log on to Dart charge.gov and pay before midnight. We went through on Saturday pm and they were charging, shame I didn't wait a few hours and get a free trip.

A happy and peaceful Christmas to you all, with an equally happy and peaceful New Year to follow.

Whatever happens, it needs to happen now as the time to sort out the interested parties will take up all of the 'off season' at the very least.

Marshman, the BA is picking up Ranworth. I think it is within their remit to maintain the navigation, and moorings, so why not rubbish collection from moorings too? Actually. I think that local councils have probably come to this view themselves in their cost cutting exercise. I don't say they are right in this or that the BA is to blame, but I do think that the future pattern will have to be one of BA contracting collections and meeting the cost from the tolls or getting tourist dependent businesses to 'sponsor' collection points.

It is a key piece of tourist infrastructure, ridiculous and very very shortsighted make this decision! I guess the boatyards can take care of reciprocal rubbish removal for hirers in the same way they provide moorings for each other, but the privateers are really going to struggle.

Our dinghy is called Whimp in memory of a cat who was as tough as old boots, and knew we were teasing when we called him that. There is a black cat on the mainsail. Not funny but it does make people smile. I think Brilliant is awesomely well named, which is why the change of her name to 'Gannet' at one point is puzzling, good thing she got back to her 'proper' original name.

Llangollen Canal! Wonderful trip.

I looked into a visitor toll on the Grand Union, and was very much surprised at how much dearer it was than BA tolls. As for the extra mileage available... Is it really? You take your boat off the mooring for a day out, the choice is out of two directions up the pound one way, or go the other. You can only get so far in the time available, there is more variety on the Broads in its shorter mileage.

My favourite was a friend falling in extreme slow motion off the bow of his boat at St Benets, no names no pack drill. . Phill fell in at Ranworth Island, I have never seen Alfie look so happy. I capsized a well-dodgy dinghy on Wroxham Broad which sank like a stone, not trusting it at all, I jumped clear as it began to go-good thing too. Wearing a life jacket is a no-brainer I think, then you probably will be able to look back and laugh.

I look at reviews and admit to being reluctant to leave mine if the experience is less than good. It really is too easy to lambast a business for what may have been a one-off poor occurrence. Another problem can be malicious postings, very damaging, potentially. I do think the first place to complain is the manager's desk, then, maybe, just maybe, post a review.

But oop North is beyond Watford Gap! AND I don't speak Yorkshire.

Brilliant, I am so pleased you got this lovely boat.

They had a coypu or a capybara, I think both maybe, at Twycross Zoo, daft as a brush, loved having its nose scratched.

Fantastic looking boat Barry, well done indeed!