JennyMorgan

I note that the victims are, respectively, 50 and 60.

In reality I think that our forum has handled this tragedy pretty well.

It was a man and a woman: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-norfolk-36448326

Re 'silly billy', I'm politeness personified, and not only that, our .popular City correspondent is one of ours, bless 'im. However, you are quite right. We weren't always as wise as we might be in our formative years! Add to your above scenario boats coming down on the tide and the problems magnify quite alarmingly. As kids, when the wind and tide were in our favour, we would hang over the side of the bridges and drop onto boats drifting backwards under us. We used to earn quite a few ten bob notes from rescued and relieved holiday makers back in the late '50's when Yarmouth was often crammed and engines were no more than just adequate. There used to be some real bloodbaths when conditions were right, sorry, wrong!

Ticks and Horlicks, the very thought of it . . . . . . . . . . .

You need to choose your friends more wisely, or is it a case of choosing more wise friends? P.S. We tried it once, didn't get far up river before we started going backwards! Regretfully we had to moor up and wait for the tide, in the nearby boozer, how convenient was that?!

What sort of silly billy would even attempt it?!? Makes a mockery of the speed-limit regulations! Both boats must have been going full blast through the water.

I know, the blessed ink rubs off inside my cut down long-johns! I suspect that the EDP has syndicated the story, the Mail has sensationalised it and then blow me down our not so beloved EDP picks up on the Mail's comments and adds them to its own. Two negatives don't always make a positive.

Referring to a previous tragedy in the area, even to hint at it at this moment in time is crass journalism of the very worst kind. How low can the EDP sink? Not much further in my opinion.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/wroxham_deaths_police_try_to_identify_two_bodies_found_on_broads_boat_1_4571294

More news here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3634083/Death-Broads-Police-called-two-people-dog-dead-boat-Norfolk.html Two different boats???

A toll payers association was formed a few years ago, didn't last long though, for various reasons, but the NSBA did react and wake up so some good did come out of its short life.

Vaughan, I think that you might be right although in this day and age hire boats come in all shapes and sizes so we really don't know. Photo of the boat here, perhaps someone does recognise her.

Perhaps we shouldn't be speculating at this moment in time. My thoughts are with those personally affected by this tragic event.

Oulton Broad does have only one toilet pumpout and I suspect that that is likely to disappear in the not too distant future. The yards and allied businesses did wisely build the infrastructure but today that co-operation appears to have been lost. So, back to Oulton Broad, such as the Yacht Station could provide those services, at a price. Hire boats could carry books of vouchers with which to 'pay' whilst private boats could pay cash. Seems reasonable to me.

Tony, public toilets are also being closed That aside most boats pay for toilet emptying which includes disposal. Your argument is sound but it also adds weight to suggestions that the industry itself, thus its customers, should pay. Some in the local holiday industry are hugely wealthy by any standards, why should their businesses be subsidised by the masses?

That Potter chippy, I don't mind mixing with the proles but its orf my list of must visit destinations for now, urggghh! http://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/en-GB/731236/Potter-Fish-Bar-Potter-Heigham

That's a start Stuart but I already pay for rubbish disposal via my local council tax. To load a charge onto the toll would mean that I would be paying twice, not an idea that I could support. Perhaps hire yards should add a fiver a week to the hire charge and marinas add a hundred to the marina's annual charge. Not fool proof I admit but other than coin operated dustbins I really can't see any other option.

Probably CGI, bit like the spiders in the Harry Potter films.

Nobody, yet, has mentioned the rubbish that us anglers generate Well, this one, if he has any waste, he then takes it home afterwards. If I can find sufficient energy to carry food & drink packaging, complete with contents, to the bank then those contents should generate sufficient energy to allow me to carry the empties back home with me. I would like to think that the same applies to other anglers, and others who use the river banks for their recreation. As one who lives here I accept that when I visit London that London will dispose of my rubbish. In theory Londoners should expect a reciprocal arrangements when they visit the Broads. However, there is a question of scale and balance. A great many private boat owners bring their food and drink with them, bought from their home shops. So where does that get us? Personally I would like to see it as being a paid for service although some will inevitably avoid that cost simply by dumping their rubbish. No easy answer but pushing the cost of disposing of visitor's rubbish onto the locals is not really fair. A visitor toll perhaps? I shall now retire gracefully

If nothing else the EDP article more than adequately highlights the need and importance of the rating system and the food hygiene regime. Adequate is just that, encouraging businesses to aim higher is no bad thing. Hotels have had star ratings for many years, why not food outlets?

Q, I like that!! I'm firmly convinced that canny planning staff carry jars of the critters around with them.

I gave up newspapers years ago when I realised that good books cost less at charity shops. That aside EDP24 in particular does seem to be home to particularly lazy journalism, hardly an inducement to buy the EDP itself.

Hylander, could you please provide a link to that screenshot? It is strange that two relevant sites are showing such wide variation. It would be good to be able to compare dates and details.

The locals got webbed fingers up there, along with their toes!