JennyMorgan

Jenny Morgan moored at the mouth of the mooring.

The pub mooring:

Ibiza or a dinghy cruise on the Broads? No contest, I loaded the tent and sleeping bags aboard the good ship, Jenny Morgan, a Drascombe Longboat, an open sailing dinghy. The event being the annual Drascombe Association Broads Rally, this year to Hickling Broad where we moored at one of my favourite watering holes, the ever welcoming Pleasure Boat Inn. For myself the event started as my wife, Lyn, and I set off from Oulton Broad on a twenty five mile voyage across the boarder and into the hinterlands of Norfolk. In order to make Gt. Yarmouth and gain a favourable tide going through that fine town I allowed for a three and a half journey and an early start. The wind started near to non existent and largely foul so we elected to set off under power and subsequently completing the journey thus, gorgeous weather but an unhelpful wind. We arrived at Gt Yarmouth Yacht Station to find the tide still ebbing out of the River Bure. The flow was near spent so rather than moor up at the yacht station we motored on, the g.p.s. telling us that we were loosing about a mile an hour of speed due to the adverse tide, obviously this would lessen as we went further up river. We arrived at another much favoured mooring, the pub and restaurant just before Acle Bridge. As ever the welcome was warm, the service professional and efficient, the food better than most Broads outlets. For me it was game pie, excellent although I felt that the gravey, whilst tasting good, needed a touch of thickening. Lyn thoroughly enjoyed her steak & kidney pie, we were both satiated and well pleased. By now the tide had turned and we continued our journey, still under power. My intention was to make Potter Heigham, moor up at the twenty four hour mooring above that wonderfully selective, medieval road bridge, to hoist both masts and all three sails before sailing up onto Hickling Broad. The wind was still on our nose, the mooring was full of boats so, nothing to be gained by stopping, we continued on up to Hickling Broad, mooring up outside the Pleasure Boat Inn. A warming cup of coffee at the pub was first priority, the second being to rig our boat prior to setting up our tent on a camping deck laying across the centre-plate box. We returned later to the pub for an excellent supper, several bevvies and a chance to renew friendships with other drascombe owners. The end of a good trip. The following day, Saturday, following a huge breakfast in the pub, an agenda was decided before setting off for Horsey Mere. The wind was blowing hard across Hicking Broad, close hauled sailing under main alone was both exciting and wet as several times Lyn and I were well doused in spray. Eventually we made our way to the dyke that leads up to Horsey, relief, the wind would now be behind us and several gybes were ahead! Making Horsey in time for an ice cream lunch at the welcoming National Trust kiosk by the wind-mill we sat down in good company, both old and new as we met fellow drascombers for whom this was a first Broads rally. Many of us were surprised at being charged four pounds, it was only two pounds last time, for about an hours mooring at Horsey. However it is a delightful location, the toilets and showers being a welcome facility for those of us camping aboard, perhaps that was four pounds well spent. The return journey along that windy dyke would be a challenge against the wind so we all motored down to Heigham Sound where we turned before the wind, this time most of us took the leisurely option and set only jib and mizzen, sailing briskly across Hickling and back to the Pleasure Boat. The evening revolving around a social get together and yet another excellent meal. That night was windy and several times both Lyn and I were were woken by squalls rattling our rigging and shaking our tent. Nevertheless we survived, finally waking up to a red sky, a sailor's warning and one that was to prove quite true. Ourselves and another Drascombe, Damson, having decided to motor back to Oulton Broad against an increasing wind that was already whipping up the surface of Hickling Broad. Masts down and sails stowed, there are several bridges that we had to go under, we set off planning to arrive at Gt Yarmouth Yacht Station as the tide turned, the tide under us down the River Bure and also as we journeyed across Breydon Water and up the River Waveney to Oulton Broad. Arriving just as the tide turned we turned onto Breydon Water. That red sky in the morning warning coming true as a gale swept along Breydon, wind against both tide and us, the surface a maelstrom of spray and breaking waves! We plodded on, faces glowing with the onslaught of salt water spray and wind, an exciting trip! Phew, we arrived safely at Burgh Castle, just as a Broads sailing cruiser turned onto Breydon, surely not expecting what was to come. I just hope that he didn't have to gybe! The journey continued, still against the wind, without incident and down onto Oulton Broad, the end of yet another wonderful Drascombe Rally. My thanks to the organisers and my fellow drascombe owners who made the sometimes quite long journey to the Broads, trailing their wonderful boats.

Just take a turn round the bollard and make fast back onboard, makes casting off a doddle.

So that's where the Broads went wrong then

Well, I'm going there this evening. If I'm not here tomorrow then perhaps Marsh will have talked it up!

Awwww, tut tut, mustn't exaggerate, there are one or two unsavoury orifices where exuding culture is an unlikely occurence! However I have to agree with both the sentiment and the advice.

There was a time when a trip to the Broads meant visiting Norwich for the Market, the shoe shops, the Castle & the Cathedral, folk would probably have visited Oulton Broad too, enjoying the speedboats and a day on the beach at Lowestoft. Great Yarmouth for the Circus & Pleasure Beach and a bag of soggy chips on their market, a visit to Potter & Lathams, Wroxham & Roys. A trip to Pettitts of Reedham might be included, to see 'birds and animals being mounted' as their posters proudly proclaimed during the 1960s. Wroxham, Yarmouth, Oulton Broad and Norwich being the main ports of call. Regretfully, as JohnB has pointed out, the difference has diminished, nevertheless I still think that Norwich is worth a visit, you don't have to visit the any-city-lookalike malls and shopping center, indeed they are best avoided in my opinion, even by us locals.

One of my daughters has DJ'd down there, Maurice, she also has a 'doorman's licence. Believe me, John, it is true, regrettably. Norwich is a fine city, a good place to eat & drink, the Cathedral area a delight, but the city is let down by the nocturnal yob culture that pervades the POW area. Not just a Norwich thing, I'm sure, but severely in contrast to the city as a whole.

I like Norwich, it's not all grot but there is a harsh reality, Norwich Yacht Station is accessed by Prince of Wales Road. Simple solution though, don't go there on Saturdays.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/what_i_saw_down_there_was_unbelievable_jeremy_kyle_on_his_visit_to_norwich_s_prince_of_wales_road_1_4702378

So long as there is somewhere for the lads to put their helmets and lifejackets as well.

Not a double garage door by chance? Gosh, what stamina, hanging all those coats up!

Gracie, just how many coat hooks do you have on the back of your door?

Re that flooding: http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/environment/horning_villagers_draw_up_plans_to_tackle_flood_problem_1_2007236

There's no satisfying our Gracie!

So very true!

Put it to Julia, hopefully an open minded, forward thinking person. Trouble might be that the NSBA has a membership fee based on the applicant club's membership number.

It does appear to me that there are two basic but distinctly different requirements for berth holders. Group ones just wants to be left alone, somewhere to moor up between voyages, no frills nor fancies, just a secure mooring. Group two isn't much into voyaging, infact rarely does so, and not only wants somewhere to moor whilst going nowhere but also all the plus-plus comforts of home and a chance to panda to grasping, avaricious marina owners. All in jest, don't you know!

Jonzo, my meaning was that the NSBA consists of boating clubs rather than internet forums thus the NBN might need to be a practical club within the NSBA's remit and understanding.

The NSBA is open to membership by relevant clubs and associations, would/could the NBN be regarded as such? Perhaps we could be the NBNYC for the mods, or NBNBC for us minions?

Boating for the masses, yachting for the few, perhaps wrong but it was the thinking of the day.

Never!

Swilling chip? Ah ha, chip swilling, as widely practised on Gt Yarmouth Market, often by ladies with three story muffin tops and blokes with chasm like builder's bums and carrying Sports Direct shopping bags.

Sixty quid a week, but just how many weeks per year use does your boat get? Twenty weeks, if you are lucky, effectively more than £120.00 per week. Add to that the cost of keeping her on the water, that is eye watering!