grendel

i did also help out an electric day boat, that was unable to turn at thurne dyke, they couldnt get the head into wind, so I too their headrope and turned them in the right direction, then manouvered them alongside water rail to get them in the middle of the dyke with a straight run.

front portholes all shut, she did it like a champ, seemed to be taking it a lot better even than the spirit of breydon that was splashing spray every which way

Pics for bthose that like that sort of thing, unfortunately a picture can't show you how good they taste.

I may have over ordered going for the pork belly bites (yum,) the hot box (not tried yet), and a side order of onion rings (to die for nice)

it was a tad windy today.

it didnt seem that bad as i crossed it earlier, though i did have a trailing wind and waves, and needed 1/4 turn of rudder to go straight.

Breydon was a lot rougher

I will have pictures of the Breydon crossing when I get home and download my camera, they were taken through the rain spattered windscreen, i couldnt get any pictures from my tablet as that was busy with speed app and mapping. I was a good boy i did wear my lifejacket on the Breydon crossing, one of the few occasions i actually do wear it, otherwise its always handy.

today was going to be a bad day, so i made my plans, if i was going to get up North it made a kind of sense to be travelling while the weather was bad, i knew that slack water was 11.30, so i guessed it was about 3 hours to Breydon, setting off at 8.20am, the trip down was quite tricky, with some high cross winds blowing the stern round, and quite large waves on the waveney. at somerleyton I met up with two dredgers the weed boat and a ranger just after they came through the bridge, they too were having issues with the wind. On down to Breydon, where it didnt seem too bad (though I hear it was closed to hire boats) passed only 4 boats, one of which was spirit of breydon, all making a lot of spray headed south, it didnt seem too bad to me as I was barely going faster then the waves, the wind was strong, i needed 1/4 turn of starboard rudder to counter the wind from the port rear quarter (it blows the back end of water rail round ) finally found the incoming tide just before breydon bridge as I was about 15 minutes late so slowed down to 4mph (i had done an engine test at full throttle at the top of breydon, with a trailing wind, 2800 rpm- 7.5 mph). turning at the bottom of breydon by the yellow post was interesting as we were then side on to wind and waves, for a few seconds we were rolling heavily in the swell, then i got into the Bure, and everything calmed down, I must have timed it right as i then had to slow down to 5mph to pass under the bridges and past the yacht station, the height about 15 minutes past low slack was just 8 foot, not many of the taller ships I later saw headed down to lowestoft would be getting through today ( i didnt know until later that they had closed Breydon to hire boats). anyway on my way up the Bure I spotted a hire boat moored in a most unusual spot, this was made clear later as I passed Hercules heading down that way as well as my third ranger of the day (who says they are not out and about) i carried on upsstream considering where to stop, there was a space at stokesby, nah, i carried on, a space at the free BA moorings at Acle, where I had to do some fancy steering to keep out of the way of a craft that was on its third attempt at mooring at the free moorings, he went round me this time and then managed to get straight in., carried on, i suddenly decided i didnt want to cook tonight, so the lion at thurne came to mind, passed my fourth ranger of the day at thurne mouth, then on to thurne dyke, plenty of spaces, but i didnt fancy reversing out in the morning so I tried turning at the bottom, with the assistance of the wind I made a complete pigs ear of this, getting blown side on to the red and white post there, some assistance from a fellow boater on the headrope got me round, and the minute he let go, the bow headed straight back where it had been, this time i got out of it, and got moored up on the bank, this wasnt straigtforward due to the hooligan that was blowing down the dyke, but after several episodes of adjusting ropes, and with a spring added to the mix to stop the stern going too far back and sticking out into the dyke, it was eventually achieved. looking forward to a takeout from the lion shortly.

awoke to sun streaming in the windows,a really good nights sleep last night, i can remember hearing the wind and rain, but it lulled me to sleep.looked out to see everything still in good order, apart from all the detritus blown onto the decks, it seems to me that it was a lot warmer overnight, and this morning, though I am sure in the wind it will be cold. the cheery whistle of the first kettle of the day has passed, and I am now sipping the fruits of my labours, a nice cup of boat coffee to start the day. next to cook breakfast. looking out of the window, the water has quite an amount of small choppiness, as the wind whips it up. its still howling through the trees outside.

worn remains of a sharpening stone?

loom weight for warp weighted loom?

the wind is starting to get up now so I have run springs from the opposite cleats too, not taking any chances, thats 5 lines on to 4 posts, currently sat nicely 12" off the quay heading. ropes are creaking well.

So, today I looked at the tide and picked s random finish point, I had decided Worlingham was to be my destination, so out with the tide tables, yes it could work, taking theebb down the yard all the way to Berney arms, would put me just right to pick the flood back up the waveney, I did slow down once I turned the corner,but not for too long,so I am now moored up at Worlingham staithe The wind is starting to get up, but it's coming off the staithe, and the high quay heading here is providing some shelter. I nipped through somerleyton as the 3 minutes to opening was showing, passing under just as the train went over, I was met the other side by 5 of brundalls finest, waiting for the bridge to open, and passed a fair few more over the next mile upriver.

had a late night, stayed up to watch the youtube live event from travels with geordie, where he did the first sea trial of his new engine, i watched it snuggled half in my sleeping bag, but it seems that it wasnt as cold last night (or i am getting used to this} as i woke this morning toasty warm, now looking up tides and making plans for todays travels. i will say despite being unheated Water Rail is a comfortable boat, i tend to boil a kettle last thing before going to sleep, this warms the cabin slightly, and the cooling kettle gives out its heat over the next hour or so. still breakfast is in the oven, and my second coffee is being prepared. the one item i am glad i packed for a early may holiday, has to be my thermals.

i might move early to the next mooring along tomorrow if the weather is going to be that bad.

how did they know i was planning baked beans for breakfast

departed Geldeston staithe, 7.45am breakfast in hand, aiming to be at reedham by 11 am to take the tide down the waveny and up the yare, was a bit late as I hit the beginning of the incoming tide at somerleyton, so it was a bit of a slog down the new cut, made the boat behind laugh as they watched my antics getting the canopy up on the new cut when it started raining, lovely in the sunshine, bitter when it went behind a cloud. up the yare, and headed down the chet, unfortunately no 4 in a queue of 5 we were stuck behind a hire boat doing less than my tickover minimum speed, so when we got to a straight section, both the privateer in front and myself took the opportunity to pass them, all i can say is when the overtaken boat moves further into the middle of the river on the chet, that doesnt leave a lot, brushing the reeds down one side and thanking goodness i wasnt in a 12 foot wide boat, we safely passed, still within the speed limit, they must have sped up after that because we had barely got moored up at pyes mill when they turned up, having collected a further 3 boats and a ranger, who appears to be busy just downriver from pyes mill moorings in the reeds. moored up using a spare line from the centre cleat to secure the boat prior to laying out the mooring lines, then found there was a missing post and moved down a post to get a front line out.

I had the pfizer via the doctors, and no second date was given, but 5 weeks later I got another call could i get in for a 6pm appointment the next day, so then got my second jab, i think it varies depending upon if it is organised through your surgery, or through a centre, and by suregery to surgery depending upon the procedures they adopt.

she could have been looking smarter, but lockdowns prevented her haul out and refurbish last year, awake bright and early as per normal, watched the sun rising, still pretty chilly, as I sit here with my legs still in the nice warm sleeping bag sipping my coffee, cooking breakfast in a minute will warm things up though, as i am nearly out of battery on the laptop (it gets charged using the inverter while under way).

well a quick stopover at Beccles Yacht Station, where water was topped up and shopping was done (at the same time while mooring I knocked, my hat off, it lander on a mooring line on deck, then i grabbed the mooring line to moor up, result, wet hat. anyway I met up with Broadland Grebe, and Dave came out and topped up the diesel (having forgotten to Yesterday}, and brought the mop (also forgotten yesterday). Then it was on to another favorite mooring, the staithe at Gledestone. I had just moored up and put the kettle on when i heard some shrieks, yes a young lady out paddleboarding had fallen in and though she had a wetsuit, the water is still cold, she was struggling to regain her board even with the help of a friend, so I advised of a shallow section near the bank should they require it, eventually though she managed to get aboard her friends board, and from there managed the transfer to her own, and then the rain started, as I am now moored up for the day this didnt bother me, but it was fun watching the campers setting up tents opposite.

And ready for eating.

The steps towards a cheese and bacon turnover breakfast, just waiting for them to cook now (25 minutes)-

newsflash. (no not that kind of flash- I know what you were all thinking) i have started the day in jogging bottoms (because thermals under shorts would look silly, this will be the first morning I have worn long trousers this year, though I am sure i will break out the shorts later when it warms up.