grendel

starter battery as it is the one on a 50W solar panel (both batteries are also charged when on shore power), so the solar is a backup should the shore power run out of credit, or get unplugged. as its a monocrystaline solar panel, I have seen it start charging at 5.30am on a dull day, which was exactly why I got that one, also when moored up and not on shore power I see the starter battery at 14.1 volts- ie float charging.

even scarier is when you see the news that status quo are just departing for their 2024 tour and that they have been performing for as long as I have been alive

well when you change the selector switch over from start batteries to domestics, the engine does drop 200rpm

not got hot water either on this engine- I do charge the batteries

I dont claim a split, as I dont have a heater, however if they apply one without asking, i dont complain.

it is my belief that we should report incidents such as this to the broads authority, the more evidence of groundings / touching bottom, we provide them, the less they can argue that the channel is clear and to depth. especially mid channel.

if they are going to crash into you, you can guarantee they will miss any fender in place (the law of murphey)

Boulters was £1.45 last week. This was only a few pence cheaper than the 3 jet garages en route on the A12

have you passed this document to BRAG, as I am sure they would be interested

I have to say that while I was wandering to the wet shed to see if Griff was still there, I did notice that a Richardsons mechanic was working on the engine of one of their boats (from the fact he was running at a fast idle when I passed on the way down, and on tickover as I walked back to Water rail, he could well have been warming the engine to do an Oil exchange. so yes, Richardsons do work on the boat engines between hires.

back home, i had a good run, making it back in 3 hours, I had ended up with more wet clothes than dry as to see properly I have the screen half open, even so I had spent more time cleaning my glasses than wearing them on the run back to beccles, which made getting past the sailies interesting. all in all a great 10 days on the water, I would have been heading back later today anyway, and this saved me having to add an extra days parking (you can book 10 days at beccles fen through pay4bay (car park 0007) for boating

most cheap action cams nowadays can connect to a phone via bluetooth, i have several of those cameras purchased from lidls for about £30 each

Back at beccles and I am not even considering getting the car and loading it, the forecast says the rain will stop in an hour or so, so I will wait until then, I got so wet I had to change,

After a lazy morning watching sailing boats come close by, and after a good breakfast, I was debating with myself what to do / where to go next, not wanting to drop the canopy in this weather dictated I wasn't going under beccles bridge, and as my parking expires about 9.30 pm tonight, I have decided on a slow meander back to base, by when hopefully thr rain will have stopped, and then a leisurely pack up and drive home this evening, this will give me extra time at home before I need to head out to Coventry for work later this week.

Well the best laid plans and all that, I left GY at 6.30, the end of slack, the flow was still going but not as strong. Successfully negotiated Breydon, then planned a stop to get some breakfast, herringfleet seemed a good bet, meaning I would be under St olaves bridge. When I got there it was rammed full.,ok Somerleyton then, also rammed, with some of the saileys moored 3 abreast. I wondered about Oulton dyke, but decided to avoid that, eventually arrived at the 'easter island mooring, and, it wasn't occupied, so over 3 hours since my departure, I have finally moored to cook my breakfast.

Awoke to the pitter patter of rain on the roof, the weather forecast expects this to last all day. I'm looking out of the window at the water rushing past, I will get going as soon as it shows signs of slowing, as it's low tide right now, with over 10', and I can manage to get under at anything above 8' with the canopy still up.

It was grass clippings, not weed.

Nice short grass, strangely enough there were grass cuttings drifting in the river from stracey all the way to runham.

After a full English breakfast aboard BA this morning, I finally set off for the trip down to great Yarmouth, I had planned to arrive at the end of slack, but was running over an hour behind, still there was only about 1.5 mph current running when I got to the yacht station, I executed a nifty about turn in the width of the river outside the offices and ended up in a slot near the electric post, handed over a bow rope and took the stern myself to tie up, once moored up I set my springs, strangely I was about an hour after high slack, and there was 9 foot clearance. I feel a wander into town in a minute beckons, time to go spend some pennies on the amusements.

A great evening, I took my tea ( burger and chips) over to BA, where it was cooked for me, while Griff had the oven on for his and Jim's tea. Then we had a good evening of conversation with the TV on in the background, sometimes after 11pm I headed back to water rail, the grass managed to avoid tripping me and I got safely aboard. Then went straight to sleep. I accepted the invite of breakfast aboard BA for this morning.

Missed Griff's departure by 10 minutes due to popping into the museum of the broads, so followed behind , arriving at Griff's corner, shortly after him, moored up and went aboard BA for introductions to Griff's passenger, and an orange juice. After this we got stuck in, with 2 strimmers and a rake, it took a while and all the batteries we had to clear all the long grass on the mooring, and then extend another few metres.

Wondered why I could hear the bilge pump running, checked the outlet, nothing coming out, checked the switch, not left on manual, checked the pump, not flooded with water, steps out of the way and investigate, aha, the plastic bit you get on a new plug under the switch, not allowing it to turn off. Pump switch cleared, might as well clean the pump while we are here, cleared some hair from the impeller, cleaned some muck off the outside and gave everything a general spruce up, all good.

Ludham bridge said about 7'10" on the gauge downstream, however, I got through without dropping the mast and with at least 3" spare, I firmly believe now my mast is at 8' mark.

I ended up cruising back up the Ant, ending up on the Richardson free moorings, I may take a wander later and see if Griff is about. Kettle is on. I might have a piece of cherry cake too.

No mow may doesn't help, as that's when it's shooting up