I was looking at HW webcams this morning and was surprised to see a number of spaces at the 24 hour moorings. This was about 9am too so probably before some would have moved off. (A little later on, I saw a boat that looked remarkably like a certain forum member’s latest acquisition. Heading upstream towards the bridge. Probably wasn’t though.)
It’s got progressively more windy as the day has gone on here in the south-east corner of Kent but not as windy as they forecast. Strong enough though but at least the sun is shining again.
Maybe Acle is not the ideal place for tapas restaurants! I could never understand why the Stracey pub/diner/restaurant didn’t do better, ideally placed for passing road traffic and well placed on the river for visitors too. Needed the White Horse/Lion touch maybe!
Welcome from me too. Hope you enjoy your maiden voyage. A word of warning though - it’s very easy to become addicted! I guess you have hired from Bridgecraft? A boatyard with a brilliant reputation so you should be well looked after.
My thoughts entirely. I wonder how often BA rangers do actually talk to people about wearing LJs. I think there could be big signs at the lower reaches of the Yare, Waveney and Bure warning of strong currents etc and telling people to wear their LJs when on deck. I would be interested to know what is included in the Skippers’ manuals re LJs on board hire boats and what guidance the boatyards give on handover.
And in recent years, two other Broads people. One, a PH pilot and the other a young liveaboard from the southern rivers. Both in possession of wisdom and experience but caught out at the time.
I wonder how often BA rangers stop boats (or call out to them) and suggest the crew should be wearing lifejackets if they see them actually on deck.
I doubt newbies, or those that hire intermittently, get to hear of any tragedies. For privateers and very regular hirers, there is no excuse really.
I have a mental picture now of someone suntanned from a Broads holiday but with a collection of wide and narrow white stripes on their torso and a square white patch around the mouth/nose area. 😷
Had to smile at the description given in my TV guide:
’Matt Baker and Margherita Taylor visit the Somerleyton Estate in Suffolk to find out about an ambitious project aiming to turn East Anglia into a nature reserve’.