JennyMorgan

Dave, you write with much sense but I have seen too many good boats stored afloat , even with good covers, suffer needlessly. Their hulls having become heavy, saturated and soft, their brightwork deteriorated, hull repairs put off. If a hull is entirely sound, not likely in a hundred year old boat where structural work is almost an ongoing winter requirement, then I would agree with you, store afloat. Another issue is that developing requirements for structural work beneath the waterline are not seen for obvious reasons.

The dyke she's now in, as I well know, is prone to Westerly gales, the last place I'd willingly store a small woody afloat during the winter. It would be some tent to survive a good Westerly at that location, the waves fairly hoss up the slipway and the wind blasts across the open, unsheltered Broad. However our mutual friends, Liz and Rob, have a sheltered wet boat shed that's unused, just needs dredging. In my opinion only one place for an old woody during the winter, out of the water and under cover!

Find a suitable half a mast to hang on it. So does not being around this year mean that you were there last year, that we might even have spoken to each other without knowing it? We'll have to develop a funny handshake for forum members.

Don't let on that I mentioned it, please! It is his pride and joy and a long held ambition. Apparently she'd been a in a shed for a couple of years waiting to be sold so I suspect she'd dried out a lot and in that I do sympathise. Our old girl took a long time to take up this year, she's tight now but she took longer than usual. Great summer for sun-tans, not so good for wooden centenarians though!

Marsh, will you be manning the Norfolk Wherry Trust's stand? I have a lump of galvanised iron in which the trunnion of a wherry's mast would have pivoted hanging up in my shed. It is one of a pair that once resided on the tabernacle of Dragon at Oulton Broad. The pair of it is at the Broads Museum at Stalham. Would you, or the Trust, give it an appreciative home? If so I'll bring it to Yarmouth.

One of those boats that attended the Beccles bun-fight is now moored next door to my mooring. Her bilge pump is still blasting off as the 'auto' kicks in every so often! The owner's son has since been heard to mention the dreaded words pears and rot in the same sentence . I wonder if these two boats are one and the same?

Disappointing about the tall ships but for Poppy I suspect that the BA propaganda tent will be there with ample opportunity for asking the willing information volunteers 'amusing' questions! That aside if samba bands & country music have nothing to do with our maritime heritage then so be it, there will be much that has so, Poppy, and other party poopers, walk on past the irrelevant bits and enjoy the day! Re Samba Bands, such might have played on the Wellington Pier during the 20's and 30's, entertaining holiday makers and seafarers alike, perhaps such might be relevant after all. Anyway, an excuse to rest awhile whilst savouring a decent pint or scoffing your fried herring.

Any further news re visitor moorings?

As for that Trixie at Stalham, quite a girl, so I'm told!!

Jean, my wife and I always find easy parking in Cobham, turn left opposite Matalan, just before the old bridge at Yarmouth. Okay, a few hundred yards walk but we've never had a problem yet.

More than once I've had chippies try and pass haddock off as cod, naughty people. I didn't marry a fish monger's daughter for nothing! I also live next to a fish merchant and every now and again he brings round a bass-bag full of prime fish, cod so fresh that it actually tastes creamy! He also supplies the Waveney Inn at Burgh St Peter where we went for a meal on Saturday, that meal was perfect, any fresher and there would have been sea-lice on the cod! In my opinion haddock is a definite second to fresh, near water or longshore caught cod.

The BA were charged with keeping the navigation open, e.g. having such as that chain removed. Alacrity on their part was hardly to the fore on that occasion. The Authority resorted to threats of fines of up to twenty thousand pounds as an alternative deterant, and as I have already said, showed their true colours.

'Tis on this weekend. Hopefully the incredibly useful Hemsby Lifeboat folk will be there with their truly excellent fried herrings. Must have food for all Broads mariners!

The presence of that chain was challenged and subsequently and rightfully removed. The Authority showed its true colours in regard to Horsey.

Not saying no to more the merrier but we already have at least twelve cracking good pictures. Better early rather than late.

As far as the Broads is concerned the Merlin Rocket, for example, is now as rare as Dodo poo so there is a warning there!

If any one is in any doubt about Natural England's & The Broads Authority's preferred 'vision' for various areas of the Broads then please refer to the above!

Why at this time of the year? I suspect that this will cost the National Trust store quite a few pounds.

Like Daniel M I suspect that she'll be 'in ballast' !

Smoggy, you little tinker you! The Yare & the Waveney have long been used by sea-going vessels! Remember that Norwich was for many years a 'sea port'.

Oars or paddles? Canoe club perhaps?

No probs, good plan.

Robin, be only too happy to help. Can catch the train from Oulton Broad up to Brundall so getting there is no problem. Will then be running Griff back to Brundall by car so will have room for two others if they need to get back to their cars, limos or works vans. By the way Brundall to OB is only three and a half hours.

Re Beccles, not personally convinced that it has gone downhill, nor Oulton Broad really. Beccles has had wise money spent on it, no longer are boats moored to crumbling timber and now the yacht station is wider, the banks and moorings are now quality and there is leccy for those who want it. Oulton Broad on the other hand is no better nor worse than it was before WDC/Norse took it over. What has changed in both cases is the mix of boats, at one time hireboats outnumbered private boats, now it's the other way around. I mean no disrespect to either but the harsh reality is that they don't mix well. The Broads have changed, not just the yacht stations. Not to say that things have gone downhill. As for Southwold, I love the place dearly but regarding WDC's proposed tinkering I have no opinion nor am I qualified to comment. Photos of Beccles pre WDC.

Must be the inborn businessman within him, always wanting to make a prophit!