LizG

Paddle board above the lock?

Where did you find them? North or South

It doesn't open again to the Bank holiday at the end of May after opening briefly for Easter

I remember one was called Matthew Frobisher (spelling might be wrong) - we were moored up in the late 1960s by Brograve Mill and I was in the rowing dinghy when it came down and I had to find somewhere to let it pass!

I think it was to do with some traveling RYA reps?

A few weeks back I walked up to Burnt Fen and then across east past the radar station and then back down to Upper Street past Brownshill - there was at least one path that went across the marshes to the river bank so another nice walk.

The forecast in Hertfordshire has gone overnight from being a nice day to not such a nice day!!!

I was out and about locally near Ware today. This is the village pond at Chapmore End - it's on the top of a hill!!!

There is an old crossing at Stokesby, catches out yachts in the 3RRs as it the water is quite shallow by the old building. If you look at the BA depth map you see a short spur from the footpath along the bank dead opposite where the crossing was. I thought the crossing was more obvious but if you zoom in you can see it is shallower there https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/180737/DEPTH__Stokesby-Reach.pdf

Never had any worries with Wroxham Bridge in WR!

Thanks just such a coincidence of names. I knew who were the new Lodge owners .....

Does the similarity of new names mean the same owners?

I never knew about the pub? Are there any photos?

I made it to the EDP today. Photo by Holly Hancock but now in the very public domain

This has appeared on YouTube this morning

I had another thought earlier as to why he called this racing yacht Grizzled Skipper in the Coot Club The species gets its name due to the fact the skippers are fast flying - skipping about but Skipper also means Skipper as in boat terms!!! In 1934 when the book was published we already had Dingy Skipper, Lulworth Skipper, Essex Skipper and for a period no. 11 was called Silver Skipper (1927 - 1930) - not a proper name although there is Silver-spotted Skipper - that doesn't leave many British Skipper species left! He could have gone for Small, Large or Chequered but instead he picked Grizzled? Maybe no 56 was renamed Grizzled Skipper because the new owner liked Arthur Ransome's books?

Enjoy a second or two drinks on board

The difference there though is that it was his boat? Did the Flash you sailed resemble any class sailed on the Broads?

I've looked up Grizzled Skipper and as you say built in 1938 and originally named Papilio - Papilio machaon is a Swallowtail! However there is already a White boat built in 1914 (launched 1917) called Swallowtail and that name has never changed. Grizzled Skipper has been the recognised butterfly name for many years unlike some others where names have changed. What I like are names like Wood Argus number 43 which is the old name for Speckled Wood and Marsh Ringlet which is a Large Heath. Am I right in thinking that Ransome never used real names for his boats so maybe he picked up on White Boats, realised they were generally named after butterflies and just picked a butterfly at random which wasn't listed as a White Boat?? Should anyone be interested to know what they look like - here are two I photographed a few years ago. They are very small! Compare the size of a Forget-me-knot and the one roosting

This is one for Jamie Campbell if anyone wants to contact him. He is on FB.... I'll see if I have anything saved?

I did wonder if you fancied duck after yesterday's visitors! Yes I agree a boat cooker can produce some pretty good meals! As I have said before the cooker on WR was capable of cooking a superb piece of rolled loin of pork for about 10 people with stuffing balls, apple sauce and stacks of gravy. Occasionally managed to do crackling as well if I could get some! Admittedly some of the veg were prepared on another boat!

What was the weight limit prior to closure? I wonder whether the repairs had to wait for the new financial year as they hadn't been budgeted for in last financial year?

The Facebook group is active again

At least you had to walk a mile to work some of it off. Compared to a few feet at the Swan

It's frustrating that the Ferry website doesn't have a menu or in fact up to date! They post lots of very nice looking food on their Facebook page but that doesn't always help. The beer is good though. Swan food is adequate - but I was very impressed a few weeks ago with the service provided. However, a few weeks later when my brothers plus sister in law went in, the service wasn't that good or at least providing the correct order wasn't! The problem is that it is a Monday and as with the world these days, finding a pub serving food on Mondays isn't always that easy or can't be taken for granted.