JennyMorgan

Tom, Slutterns Dyke at Oulton Broad was last dredged back in 2013 if my memory serves me well. If nothing else it now needs a weed & reed cutter being now too narrow to use oars. We went round it in a dory today and had to clear the prop of weed several times. Trudi Wakelin was well aware of the problems which apparently, in part, date back to the last time it was dredged. You guys might know it better as Sluttons Dyke. Steve the local Ranger is also aware of the problems as well as the attractions of this charming back water that dates back at least to the creation of the Lowestoft to Norwich Navigation.

The 'bowline', the 'clove hitch' and the 'get knotted'?

Ideally behind your back and in a cold shower with the kids or the wife yelling in your ear and the floor at 90 degrees!

That will upset Norwich, a city that has claimed that it is the only city within a national park, albeit a non national park. Next time that any of you are slumming it whilst scoffing soggy chips on Gt Yarmouth's iconic market place, remember that that bastion of good taste and chav ideals is idyllically situated alongside the River Yare thus could claim to be within a national park, only that would be something of an oxymoron, as well as the obvious!

Welcome to both new members.

Thank you, Tom, very useful.

Not very charitable!

Sanitised it?

There's a convenient & popular 'cottage' in the car park behind the Pleasure Boat at Hickling!!

Use a separate ruler to measure the 10cm ruler printed on the dinghy. The ruler on the dinghy should not exceed 10cm. Get to 12cm & it might go 'POP'!!

Oulton Broad has a really excellent, council owned, free slipway right next to a large (charged) public carpark where trailers are welcome.

Plenty of marina space on Lake Lothing. Moor there then the 'boys' can blast away down to Southwold. Build at Cobham then they can blast away down to Lowestoft, errr, perhaps not! Good facilities for the 'toys' at Lowestoft but perhaps it's more of a go from place rather than a go to one.

The wash of half a dozen strong gaggle of playful boys toys at speed won't compare to even half of a half decent gale on Breydon!

There is at the moment no speed limit on Breydon which means that the Brundall Navy et al are quite entitled to give it the big one, as they do quite legally. However other BA bylaws quite sensibly kick in, such as not speeding in a way that is detrimental to other users. Should people behave then I see no reason to extend the speedlimit to Breydon, must let the boys have somewhere to play with their toys and Breydon is ideal!!

My understanding is that when Breydon was taken over by the BA they also took on the remaining lower reaches of the Bure.

Or they dodge the teddies as they exit the pram on their way to being recycled!

Note the fish pie recipe: http://www.world-of-fish.co.uk/specials.asp?month=02

Years ago, when I worked on the South Coast, we would catch mackerel, fish that would then be split and dry fried or smoked on an ABU Smoker, minutes after catching . The smoked mackerel, like ultra fresh smoked whiting, made superb eating. Cod, on the other hand, seems better after resting for 12 hours or so.

For those of you who travel along the A12 between Kessingland and Pakefield on their way to the Broads it is well worth a 100m (approx) detour to World of Fish, well worth a visit. 'Tis where the locals in the know go! http://www.world-of-fish.co.uk/

Join the club, lot's of wisdom therein!

I don't know why but the very thought of fish pie makes me heave, just as does the thought of curried fish! Unadorned fried or baked, in other words not messed around with, prime fresh fish just can't be bettered, in my opinion. As a kid I used to help an uncle out for pocket money on Lowestoft fish market. Prime fish went to fish restaurants and fish mongers, what was known as broken fish, still fresh but not so presentable, went to the fish & chip shops where it was covered in batter, even more broken, less than prime, and perhaps getting on a bit went into fish cakes, fish pies and the like whilst the left overs either went into fish paste, nearby co-op food factory, or the glue wagon (offal). Funny how childhood memories linger!

Conservation rangers. Rangers have become dual purpose but the downside appears to be that some rangers are being put in a boat whilst their expertise is in other disciplines, if you get my drift.

Looks like it, but which one?

Just one small point, and it's a fact, less than half of the rangers are navigation rangers, just thought that you'd like to know!

More than a little dissent along the river bank, we can't all be wrong.