JennyMorgan

Agree with DNKS. Re that Harrier crash:

Green Jack is here: http://www.green-jack.com/page_id3/

John, what I am, in a roundabout sort of way, trying to say is that perhaps the CAA, as reported by the EDP is right. Some years ago Oulton Broad gala day included an air display. My wife, myself and little children were moored up well away from the flight path and enjoying the display when, to our horror, a light aircraft veered off course and headed straight towards us. No exaggeration but we could see the look on the pilot's face and he clearly looked as if he thought he was going to hit us, such was the eye contact. Thank goodness he managed to drop his aircraft into the water before he hit us, nevertheless he ended up only feet away and directly in line with us, indeed I could easily have touched the aircraft with my boathook. No way could he have cleared our mast, no way could I have cast off and started the engine. Would we have deserved to have been injured, even killed? We were moored well outside the display area and accepted that accidents do happen, but we never expect it to very nearly happen to us. We were really incredibly lucky. Mind you, I did make a few quid out of the photographs!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_air_show_accidents_and_incidents

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/vintage_aircraft_displays_to_be_limited_after_shoreham_disaster_1_4206834

Found this blog, abbreviated to remove adverts: . . . . . . . . . . . . of a very nice 37′ single screw motor cruiser whom had the misfortune to be photographed with a mobile phone camera at 4 + mph ? in a 4 mph speed limit. How you can possibly register the speed of a vessel on a mobile phone camera from the bank is beyond us but in the event ! The Broads Authority decided to proceed to court with this case on the basis that the client was travelling at around 8 mph, despite the fact that the only evidence available were photographs taken with a mobile phone camera from the shore Due to lack of magistrates amongst other factors this case went to court three times and at the end our client was found not-guilty on two out of three counts, but apparently ? there was sufficient evidence to support a case of travelling in excess of 4 mph The fine for this major offence was some £ 200.00 however the legal costs involved were between £20-30K, with the Broads Authority share of costs being paid by you – All boat owners and waterway users on the Norfolk Broads. The Broads Authority were not prepared to see sense and ‘mediate’ and insisted on going to court with expensive Barristers and Lawyers The purpose of this blog it to make all boat owners aware that the current penalty for exceeding the speed limit on the Norfolk Broads & Rivers is nothing simple like a £60 fine plus 3 points, but is MEANS TESTED Consequently you could possibly face a fine of several thousand pounds £££££££ . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Got to say that I think keepnets are as unacceptable in match fishing as they are in leisure fishing. As far as the fish is concerned whether an angler is fishing just for pleasure or taking part in a match is irrelevant, a keepnet is still a keepnet.

To say that I don't understand some folk would be an understatement! Was at the sailing club at Oulton Broad supping and watching the racing when one of Herbert Wood's finest came down the right hand shore in the recommended manner. Problem being that it was low water and the hirer had no reason to suspect that the water is as shallow as it is alongside the Park. Sure enough he came to a sudden stop as he hit bottom. Amazingly, and unbelievably, he didn't try and reverse off, quite the opposite in fact, he opened up in an effort to go forward, simply pushing himself further onto the obstruction. Because he was trying to avoid the racing fleet a club officer called up a rescue boat to haul the hireboat away from the obstruction, which duly happened, after a bit of a struggle. Blow me, within seconds of being towed off backwards the hireboat opens up and promptly heads off in the same direction and back onto the putty. Yes, there was a loud cheer from the watching ghouls but how silly can a man be? After being pulled off for the second time the rescue boat pulled the bow round so the hireboat was facing open water and safety. At about the same time a private boat, a twin screw coastal type, approached the racing fleet. Could so easily have throttled back & let the line of boats go ahead of him, or turned slightly to his left and easily passed astern of the sailing boats, but no, opens up both engines, not far off being on the plane, and barges through between two boats. Ill mannered at least, pig ignorant more like and thoroughly unsporting. Can only guess that it was pointless and unnecessary 'river rage'.

Not many summers where we don't hear or read of airshow related accidents somewhere in the world and all too often in Britain. Not so long ago we had a Harrier crash into the sea at Lowestoft, thankfully no one died, but an accident nevertheless. It went into the sea very near to a crowded pier, probably only seconds away in aircraft terms. Is it really worth it? Not so long ago that a Red Arrow pilot died.

Not so long ago I watched an ungainly convoy of sports cruisers on the Beccles river, everyone going crabwise as the helmsmen compensated for the wind. I agree with Alan, sport cruisers were never designed for the Broads. A wherry would be my first choice, only I can't afford it!

Come South of Gt Yarmouth, far less bridge aggro. Other than Geldeston, St Olaves, Haddiscoe & Beccles those down South open, generally, to let folk though! There is even an alternative route if you want to avoid St Olaves, all very considerate, but far less entertaining for bridge watchers.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so too, may I suggest, is image! Probably more than a few sportsboat owners who wouldn't be seen dead on a sailing boat, and, dare I say it, quite a few WAFI owners who wouldn't be seen dead on a sports cruiser! Funny old world, different folk liking different things/boats!

One from yesterday that emphasises the extent to which the more extreme racing cruisers, now that's a real Broads oxymoron for you, that did brave the elements had to reef. Raisena & Storm, for example, stayed on their moorings. Even with this reduction in sali there were occasions when even that was not enough! Don't know what to day will bring, weather wise everything is a bit flat at the moment. Note the different widths of transom, some hundred years between these two boats, how ideas change!

Maidie, over a hundred years old!

Some were more reefed that others. Bucking the trend of having a long one number 52 has a short one!

Oulton Regatta Week started today, in something of a high wind. Reefs all round!

Was on a river once when a ball of lightning hovered along the river before hitting the water and discharging nearby with an ear shattering crack! On another occasion a wherry yacht was out at night on Oulton Broad when a thunderstorm and squall hit the Broad. Quite dramatic images of her huge wash and flashes of surrounding lightening but she sailed on, unscarred, a spectacle that we were lucky to have witnessed. Have never heard of a Broads boat being struck by lightning though. Would I want eighty feet plus of carbon mast and carbon reinforced sails aloft whilst out in the middle of a Broad during a storm? No, I'd rather be in the bar!

I must have chosen the right five or six hours to be out and either on or by the water, lucky me. Richard has had health problems for several years now but nevertheless he's kept working. As I haven't heard otherwise I'm assuming that he still has his cooking business at a nearby pub. Hopefully for Richard that is still up and going but it would mean that. especially at this time of the year, he is exceptionally busy and probably not up to major forum problems. I hope that Richard is okay but the last few weeks of August do tend to be busy, not least in catering.

Gracie, you would have been welcome, shoes and all! Nothing that could be planned for, it just happened, as such things tend to do.

Now I am confused!

Not just the camera and lens, more a seeing eye and natural feel for composition.

Things, like corporation buses and big bills, always come along in threes. Nothing special in this case but nevertheless I think worthy of comment. I have had kingfishers sit on my fishing rod and on the edge of a moored Canadian canoe but in this case I was quietly sailing along Oulton Dyke when a cheeky chappy alighted on a rope at the front of my boat, hitching a ride over several hundred yards before disappearing in a flash of vivid colour. I didn't dare move, enjoying the company of this little fellow. Second event, never seen anything like it before, involved baby harnsers. There is a small heronry near my home and we have been watching it all summer, enjoying the spectacle of several would be sepulchre like parents standing in the tree tops. As the sun set yesterday the young came out to play, buzzing around the tree tops, rising and falling on the breeze, lifting off and settling gracefully back on their nests. There is something primeval about herons, not lost on the miniature young, absolute replicas of their parents. At one point we counted seven airborne youngsters but we were also aware of several others in the nests. We wondered if any of the passing boats realised what we were watching. The third event happened as we were furling the sails. We watched the lowering moon turning from gold, to orange and to a deepening red as it settled behind the reeds. eventually disappearing beneath the marshes, unhindered by mist or clouds. The setting moon seemingly dropping faster than a setting sun. An evening of quite some beauty, a privilege to have witnessed.

Or even a mega long carbon mast! Clive Richo certainly has a big'un on Rasina, dwarfing everything else on Oulton Broad!

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/uk-news/2015/08/20/hot-and-humid-air-brings-spanish-plume-to-uk-2/ It could hit Norwich, the newspaper says so.

Personally I haven't missed it.