JennyMorgan

Plus One!

Smoggy, in principle I agree with you but in this case it does involve others. As an angler I might well enjoy landing a nice plump, hard fighting swimmer but deep down I'd feel pretty rotten if I injured one!

Richardsons Marine Services at Stalham. I hear very good reports.

I carry no insurance, as an angler, should I foul hook a swimmer. Best join our Andrew in signing a waiver!!

Buy what you need, not just what you want!

Above Potter Heigham Bridge, Horsey & Somerton in particular.

I've googled Whitlingham drownings: https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=active&source=hp&ei=xdbEWvCPBuGIgAa01734BA&q=Drowning+at+Whitlingham+Broad&oq=Drowning+at+Whitlingham+Broad&gs_l=psy-ab.12..33i160k1l2.4106.18269.0.23171.31.21.0.9.9.0.145.1417.19j1.21.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.30.1602.6..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i22i30k1j33i22i29i30k1.106.XkaovMCLM0c No evidence that the Authority has been prosecuted but I do notice that the H&S executive became involved. As far as the river is concerned the event is described as a wild water event thus surely natural hazards have to be accepted and I'm content that Mel and Co are well aware of that. My problem is the safety issue in regard to mixing incompatible activities on a restricted waterway.

We are going onto the makings of another topic but now any response from the BA is relevant. It strikes me as unfortunate that the Authority has become involved and a greater misfortune that they didn't simply repeat their oft given advice that they don't advocate swimming on the Broads and leave it at that. I'm no legal beagle but as far as I am aware there is no specific provision within the Broads Act for swimming anymore than there is for feeding ducks. I wonder how the Authority can do other than advise. Effectively by allowing itself to become involved the Authority now has to accept some responsibility yet in regard to swimming I do wonder what powers they actually have? Us anglers are barred from hindering boats but no mention about boats hindering swimmers! There is a problem, clearly, but I don't see it as being initiated by the Authority, it's something that has been thrust upon them.

Why has this suddenly become remotely relevant to the discussion? Why on earth would it become a forum squabble? What is even to say that my letter was lifted off this forum rather than from elsewhere? Not that it is anybody's business here but I have shared it with, for information, several good and long time friends and one relevant Facebook group. It has also been shared with the EDP, once again for information and whilst I sent it to the Authority's officer responsible for river safety I have also shared it with Dr Packman, once again for information. Unlike some I don't regard water safety as none of my business believing that it is something that should concern us all. So please, don't start looking for problems that don't exist. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that it should be the basis of a forum squabble nor, unless the BA fail to respond, a BA bashing exercise.

John, anglers fish on during sailing events so why not a swimming one. Some folk can only go fishing at the weekends, why should they forgo that. I don't really see a hazard with lost tackle but I do see one with the tackle in use by anglers. Would you wish to have one of these foul hooking your jacksie? https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=active&hl=en&biw=1600&bih=769&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=KIjEWqz5CI-0gQbXlZGIBw&q=fishing+jerkbaits&oq=fishing+jerkbaits&gs_l=psy-ab.12..0j0i24k1l5.38689.44335.0.50954.10.6.0.4.4.0.89.408.6.6.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.10.445...0i67k1j0i8i30k1.0.ohtHHX432r8#imgrc=C9SU96BOxLf62M:

Other than the final conclusion absolutely spot on. However, you can do something about it, you can express your support or your concerns to both the organisers and the Authority.

Due to a change in circumstances, e.g. another grandson, and promotion within the Disney empire for the son in law, means that she's regretfully for sale. The days of the three of us being able to spend excellent weekends scraping, sanding and wielding a maul and an adze are regretfully over. We've had an excellent twelve years with her. She's in far better condition than when we acquired her, we've had some wonderful times aboard her. She's 110 this year and needs someone to carry on the good work. For the sake of her annual, cosmetic repaint and a new bob stay eye she's ready to go back in and be enjoyed.

A brand new boat would probably be cheaper, and a lot less trouble!

Nah, I'll leave that to others!

Coincidentally their fairly recently acquired 'Broads Reporter', the one who criticised the Authority in a full page article, has recently left the employ of Archant. Speculation anyone?

It maybe that some business actually lose. Will Rowen Craft at Geldeston lose dayboat customers when they are told that they can go no further than Beccles? If anyone is thinking backhanders . . . . . . . . it just doesn't happen, of that I'm sure.

Us anglers in the UK preach and practice 'catch and release' so apart from a few scars from foul hooking there should be no loss of swimmers on our account.

John, there have been several people on the Waveney Swim's website asking whether the river will be closed to boating although I agree that the organisers have not openly made such a request. Without raking through pages of comments I do seem to recollect a comment from Mel that the Authority had said that the river would not be closed, whether that was a result of a request or not was not mentioned. In effect it would take a change in the Broads Act for the river to be closed for this event. What has surprised me is the 'couldn't care less, it's not my business' attitude of some folk, albeit it's their right to think that way. If there is a potential threat to our right to navigate then it could subsequently affect everyone of us. Giving an inch and losing a mile immediately springs to mind. However, in this instance I don't see it happening. The Broads Act requires the Authority to protect the interests of navigation.

Marsh, our disagreements are well known and once again I have to disagree with you and on two counts. You might be prepared to sacrifice three hours of what is your right to navigate but in doing so you might be depriving someone else of their right. Maybe that three hours is important to someone else, remembering the maxim that time and tide wait for no man. On the second count, and perhaps more importantly, once a right is lost it is damnably hard to regain it. If the river is closed for this event then where next?

Nowhere to dump your rubbish in Norfolk, now nowhere to dump in Suffolk! http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/public-toilets-in-southwold-beccles-and-lowestoft-among-those-under-threat-of-closure-or-charging-see-full-list-here-1-5458725 Welcome to the Broads, just don't eat or drink!

Just a thought, especially as competition swimmers seem to be face down for at least two strokes and that they also expel air face down. A long time ago a daughter of mine contracted meningitis, thought by one eminent specialist to have been triggered by weil's disease. https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/david-walliams-suffering-from-weils-disease-after-swim-26776444.html

Speakers Corner was at its height when the Broads Bill was under discussion, and the Authority's upper echelons refused to admit to reading it. It was a darn good forum, it was also a useful tool at a time before the power of the net was fully realised by the powers that be. Without it I suspect that the Broads Bill would have gone through largely unchallenged. It was only by discussion that we came to realise the implications within the growingly obvious obfuscation that was a feature of both the draft Bill and the Bill itself, and a prime cause behind the declining trust in the Authority. Now closed groups on FaceBook are well used by many past users of Speakers Corner!

Possibly, if it has.

In many respects not a comparable event but a few years ago there was a near disaster at Southwold. If nothing else it illustrates that the unexpected can and does happen at the best planned swimming event. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/video-dramatic-rescue-at-southwold-after-100-swimmers-get-into-trouble-1-2211116

That depends on the outcome!! That aside, and in fairness to Mel, that is cutting it mighty fine. The consultee route is a long winded affair.