vanessan

Looking good Ian, nice pictures. Enjoy!

That’s an interesting point to be aware of KatieR, thank you.

I sometimes go into Latham’s solely with the intention of just browsing. I invariably have to leave again to go and get a trolley.

Sounds like a bridge too far to me!

Me too. A quick visit to Latham’s perhaps then return to Womack Dyke. There is water at Womack Staithe by the way. (Possibly the slowest filling hose on the Broads!)

It is Friday tomorrow, Saturday being a changeover day you may have to depart HW’s moorings early if you stay overnight. There are the BA 24 hour moorings of course as well.

Congrats MM, sounds like a brilliant purchase. You should have plenty of room on that for the necessary ship’s stores - and some!

Do they have wi-fi in the WB Inn? I’m sure there’s a reasonable signal in there too so maybe a good excuse to pop in for a few jars?

If you are able to access the internet whilst on board, look at some basic knot tying. (There may be guidance in your skipper’s manual too.) There are loads of YouTube videos and other websites. A round turn and two half hitches is a good knot for a mooring post as is the good old clove hitch. Both are very easy. Don’t wind your ropes round and round the mooring posts as some do, take the loose end back on board and secure It to a cleat. Do take an early opportunity to read your skipper’s manual, it’s something that all too often gets ignored but the information in there will be invaluable. As others have said, take it slow and steady and above all enjoy.

Maybe you go on a ‘downer’ after all the festivities?

That’ll come quickly. With Christmas organisation followed by New Year, I always find the period November-January goes fast. By the time February gets here, the days will just be beginning to lengthen noticeably.

Engine never goes off until we are safely moored up. This scenario has occurred twice in 38 years but won’t happen again! (Or there will be blood shed 😉)

I do the mooring up and, once I am ashore with both ropes, the other half leaves the helm and comes ashore to help. On a couple of occasions he accidentally nudged the gear lever forward as he left the helm which left me trying to hold the boat still while he dashed back to sort it! Awkward if you have a boat close in front.........

I couldn’t agree more. Bit like a good wine.........🍷

I can guess!! 🙃

There’s not a lot of truly free banking these days, they’ll get your cash one way or another!

Are you more of a Vienetta man? 😄

Unless it’s a Baked Alaska.............😁

I believe that belongs to one of the liveaboards. His boat is usually moored on the opposite side of the river and he uses the jet-ski (?) to get ashore - probably for work, I don’t know. If his boat is on the 24 hour moorings, the jet-ski is opposite. Very sad if he has lost the means to transfer himself backwards and forwards. Lovely pictures Helen, what camera do you use?

I think you’d certainly like Whitlingham and Commissioner’s Cut then. CC has walks across the marshes while Whitlingham is more ‘footpath’ but extremely pleasant walking. (It is very popular though with runners and dog walkers.)

Unfortunately bank staff are not allowed to use their initiative these days. If the computer says no, then it’s no. Gone are the days of true customer service - sadly!

Well, the story made the EDP but could easily be read as though it was the hirers that got the boat stuck! Makes for more exciting news I suppose.

This is something we’ve been hearing more and more of over the last 6 months. I think a lot of people will be steering clear of booking through Hoseasons in future. It is so unfair on folk.

Wrong lens or not, they are lovely photos Mouldy. Looking forward to the Friday’s instalment, not the best of days was it?!! 🙄

I guess this was really a case of ‘needs must’, interesting to know what happens behind the scenes.