GeoffandWendy

Yes I have seen the two camels looking over the fence. Someone put an baby elephant a few fields further up, but after a few years it disappeared. The trouble with the new Wicker Man is, his head is too small in relation to his body, the original one looked much better.

Welcome Maxine from us too

We will visit the Southern Broads, but not this time, as we want to explore the whole of the Northern Rivers first, which will probably take more than a week, if we want to see everything, so there will not be enough time to venture South as well. We will be back again in September for another week in the North, but we intend to visit the South next year, and will more than likely hire in the South and spend the whole week exploring the Southern Rivers. We are not put off by Great Yarmouth, having been there, got the T shirt. it's just that now are getting older, we prefer the peace and quiet of the countryside, rather than noisy funfairs, candy floss, amusement arcades, kiss me quick hats and all the other things associated with seaside towns. But I did have a go on the Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool last year whilst spending a few days during the Illuminations, so not bad eh, at 70 years old.

Well for Wendy and I, this holiday is going to be something special, as it will be our first (but not the last) ever holiday on the Broads. As country dwellers, we just love to be amongst the joys of nature, the peace and serenity of being aboard a boat, ambling along at a sedate pace, with no cars, lorries and buses to worry about, just boats and sailie things. Being able to moor at different places, sample some good pubs and to watch the sunset with a nice glass of wine, before getting out the binoculars for a bit of star gazing in the dark Norfolk skies. Up to watch the sunrise with a nice cup of hot coffee and a bacon bap, before getting under way again, to explore some other hidden backwater before mooring up for lunch. After leaving Richardson's boatyard once we have had our instructions, we aim to make for Wroxham for our fist night, then make our way to Cotishall during Saturday and have a trip on the Bure valley Railway. We will then start to explore the rest of the North Broads on Sunday, going no further south than Stracey Arms. Great Yarmouth I'm afraid, is not our idea of a holiday.

I doubt whether we will see a Swallowtail when we are there in less than a fortnight, as it is usually late May before they appear and Norfolk is only one area of the country where these butterflies are known to frequent. Hoping to see lots of other wildlife and a good time to see some grebes performing their courtship dance, which is a joy to behold, if you have never seen it. Usually performed just after sunrise or late evening before the sun sets.

About 40% of the original timbers have been replaced over the several refits that have taken place over the years. It was lying afloat until 1921, when it was decided to put it in the dry dock, where it is standing today. Since then it has had more than a third of its framework completely replaced, due to the deathwatch beetle, that had been eating away at the timber. During the 1960s, it was completely re-masted and re-rigged and most of the upper deck was re-planked. Since then, in 2003 it had another major refit and quite a few alterations were carried out, to get it looking more as it would have looked during the Battle of Trafalgar. This was done in time for the 200th anniversary in October 2005. Before Nelson took over the Victory, she had been lying in Chatham for almost 40 years, so it was given a complete make over and looked much different then, than it does today. It was built with a different figurehead and more heavily carved stern gallery. These were replaced during that refit, for the ones you see today. After Trafalgar, most of the ships were scrapped but Victory and a few others were used as prison hulks lying in the Medway. Victory was finally towed to Portsmouth Harbour in 1921, when it was decided to save it for the nation.

The Kelpies are an amazing piece of sculpture. It seems that a lot of places are erecting sculptures these days, which I think the Angel of the North, started the trend, but one I always look out for, when travelling down the M5, is The Wicker Man in Somerset. Someone set fire to the original one about three years after it was built, so the one you see today is a complete rebuild.

The sound of the Bittern is unmistakable, but not so easy to spot, they like to keep hidden in the reeds, unless you catch one in flight.

Most of the upper deck was replanked during the 1960's refit.

Eggs, eggs and more eggs and bacon of course! Happy Easter everyone from us both. Only two weeks today for us.

We are going on holiday for the peace and quiet and to enjoy the wildlife and lovely surroundings of the Broads. To just get away from everyday life for a week. All we are taking is our own bog standard mobile phones, for emergency and use whilst on holiday. No computer, laptop, ipad, dongle or any other type of dingle, ding a ling, ding dong, dangle. It is doubtful that we will be watching much television either. Plenty of the good stuff instead For those that can't live without modern technology, enjoy your dongling!

Well, maybe the Councillors will get one each, to stand on their own garden patio, all at the cost of everyone's Council Tax. Councillors are renown for wasting money.

I got my sea legs in 1961 crossing the North Sea on our way to Bergen in a force 10 gale. That was on board a small Blackwood Class frigate of the Fishery Protection Squadron. Spent over twelve months on that ship, patrolling off the top of Norway, Iceland & Greenland, with the British Fishing Trawlers during the Cod War. Our home base was Rosyth.

Who is Lord Nelson?

Chicken! ALL OF YOU. Why not mud weight on Breydon Water, for a taste of what it is really like to be a sailor.

I'm glad we were not on the Broads this week in a sailie or on a motor boat for that matter, with the gales we have had for the last couple of days. Hopefully the weather will have picked up by the time we get there.

It's what is commonly known as a Caraboat

I went to see the Trincomalee a couple of years ago. I saw plenty of the Victory, when I was in the RN and last year, spent a few days in Southsea, to visit all three ships again, Victory, Mary Rose & Warrior. Not been to see the Cutty Sark yet since it was restored from the fire, but did get to see HMS Belfast, one of my old ships that I spent time aboard during the 1960s, At that time she was tied up in Portsmouth and was being used as an accommodation ship, whilst the Royal Naval Barracks was being rebuilt. Seen the Royal Yacht many times, a mate of mine was serving on her, during the sixties, but not seen it since she was taken to Leith. I have yet to visit the SS Great Britain in Bristol.

Good job he came from Hartlepool and not Scotland Iain, otherwise the finger would have been on you.

Behave yourself Iain. It will be bad enough for Wendy without tunnels as well.

Grace, I just loved the way you explained your confrontation with that yacht or sailey thing as you describe them, . You are not alone. Wendy will become a member of your fan club, when she gets at the helm. I can just see her now as panic sets in as we meet a blooming big Norfolk Wherry, approaching from a bend in the river. Not only will she panic on confronting a yacht, but will still go into panic mode as we approach another cruiser coming in the opposite direction. We are taking some L plates with us, just to warn other boaters, that the lady behind the wheel is a complete novice, and needs a wide berth. The other time when panic will set in, is attempting to moor the boat, which she will need to get right, before we can remove the L plates. As for myself, mooring won't be a doddle either, as it's quite a long time since I was at the helm of a boat and that was a 50ft narrowboat on the canals about ten years ago.

I was hoping that since my last post that this topic would have been buried by now (excuse the pun) but since Paul has posted, he has made it a bit more clear, regarding the certainty that the skeleton was that of Richard III and clarified that no tax payers money was used to finance the dig and his reinternment. As far as the visitor centre is concerned, this was part funded by Leicester City Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as private donations. Like Paul has already stated, it will bring a lot of tourism to the area from all over the world. Half of Britain's tourist income is due to our history. Stratford - on - Avon rakes in over 120 million a year alone. Add London, York, Bath, Canterbury, and even Norwich, to mention just a few places that attracts tourists and you are looking at a multi billion pound attraction. Now that Richard,s remains will be laid to rest in Leicester Cathedral, it will attract more visitors to the city and the near by Battlefield Visitor Centre at Bosworth. The new Visitor Centre in Leicester, within five years will more than recoup the initial costs to the council and will also boost local trade.

Happy Birthday from us Ian.

It will be a greater year if we get a good summer like last year. Glad to hear you are all spruced up and ready to go. When you retire Steve, you will have even more time to be on the boat.

Hope you get well soon Robin and that you are able to take your holiday on the Broads.