SwanR

I don't think even the pilot would get that through Potter Heigham!

Welcome aboard ... is there anything remotely like boating on the Broads down under?

I can't remember when they start nesting but I did see one there as well myself not long ago.

Exactly. Sorry, it's a little off topic but I wanted to make the point that it's the overall package that matters and I hope that The Broads Boating Co. will do very well with their approach. When people talk on here about needing more electric posts at moorings, they do forget that a lot of hire boats won't have a lead available and can't use them.

Maybe these are new BA 24 hour signs referred to in the original post. Certainly the ones I photographed in June 2015 were as below but that doesn't mean the others weren't there. One of these is a BA sign of sorts and the other is the Parish Council. There's also picnic benches and a car park so not your typical BA mooring perhaps and more indicative of the Parish Council being involved. The area looks well maintained.

We have hired from Ferry Marina and like the all inclusive price. If we go from other yards we have always had a refund on our fuel deposit but ... some of them have very high fuel deposits, especially for a short break, which means that they have your money in their bank account for a number of weeks before you arrive even if you get some of it back! Plus it's not just about the fuel cost. Ferry Marina are also one of the yards that will let you take the power lead out. Richardson's won't ever let you do that - we did ask and the answer was no. So you can't hook up to electric posts - not a problem in June but certainly a "nice to have" if you're out in the cooler months at either end of the season. I certainly wish this new venture all the best and will be interested to see what their boats look like.

It's interesting that mostly when you look at any holiday literature there is only mention made of Wroxham, Potter Heigham and Beccles Old Bridge. Yet as we all know there are many other places where care, and planning, are needed. No-one mentions Wayford Bridge very often but that can be one of the lowest too. Perhaps the skippers manuals and brochures should make it clear that you need the pilot for Potter Heigham and Wroxham but that great care must be taken to observe the bridge height gauge on any approach.

Another case of needing to wait and see then ... and trying not to get ahead of ourselves until we really know what's going on.

That makes sense Maurice. I heard that these items had also been removed from online shopping.

I saw this story doing the rounds and the restrictions on the number of lettuces each customer can buy. Seriously ... who needs to buy more than two or three lettuces and the same of heads of broccoli at a time. And as for the reported price hikes on lettuce and courgettes ... just natural economics of supply and demand? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4189266/Pictured-freak-Spanish-weather-devastated-crops.html

Always nice to have new folk to share tales and experiences with.

What a shame. That could be such a good place to take a day boat from ... or are they waiting to be fine tuned to take part in the power boat racing?!

Lovely to see. This is when I miss having the webcam working at the Wherry Hotel. Peter can you rig something up from the bottom of your garden instead?

Thanks Simon. It's also interesting to see, having gone back to Hoseasons website, that they look to be prepared to hire right up to the end of the year. So anyone fancying a boat in November or December might be in luck. Four nights on Arabella is £645 at that time ... I could be tempted if we hadn't already booked a couple of other things. Maybe next year ...

So I've kind of been following this thread on and off over the last few days. Given that it started with Arabella can we make it clear that Arabella is only 32ft by 11ft 6in and therefore I presume will not have any issues with the Chet. Given I've never hired a boat of this kind and have only taken forward steer cruisers on the southern rivers, will the height of this one need planning to get under any of the bridges, particularly Reedham and Somerleyton swing bridges? And I'm always surprised that whilst the websites warn about Wroxham, Potter Heigham and Beccles Old bridges, they don't mention getting into Norwich. Will any of the bridges on that last stretch be difficult? I remember seeing one of Robin's videos where he had to be very careful going under the railway bridge.

Now that does look interesting. Checked out Arabella for a midweek break and it is affordable at the end of the season. Might have to consider that given that it's down south. Just checked out the booking on Hoseasons and couldn't see any mention of a fuel deposit or anything additional to the quoted price. So they may be doing it as all inclusive like Ferry Marina. In which case the price is comparable to other boats we've hired in October.

Wonderful writing, makes for a very interesting read.

I agree with you Grendel, I like to do some preparation and know which main roads to expect to drive along then let the satnav guide me in for that last bit of local knowledge that is needed to find an exact address.

Sounds very good Carole. For a slight variation on a theme, we use a box of sage and onion stuffing to roll homemade burgers in before cooking.

I have to drive a number of hire cars for work so have seen how differently different manufacturers give you the information you need in a position where you are least distracted from driving. Wy they don't all have a digital speedo for example, I haven't yet understood. It's so much easier than looking at a dial and working it out when you want to be absolutely sure you're keeping under the speed limit for your own safety, that of your passengers and everyone else on the road.

I agree about the helmsman(or woman!)'s position. Looks more like it is in Swan Reflection as opposed to Sonnet where you are forward of the opening windows and can't poke your head out to see behind you.

I agree that satnavs can be as bad as mobile phones especially when they start giving you information about traffic delays on your route. You can't safely look down and read the information and make a decision about what to do - you really need to have a passenger to do that. I do also find that using my mobile is just as distracting on bluetooth / hands free because I hardly ever do it and would have to look down to touch the screen in the right place so I think they should be banned just as much as a handheld mobile. In actual fact even just switching radio stations can be distracting ... anything where you need to glance away from the road ahead carries a risk.

That is definitely a very powerful message. Thanks for sharing it Charlie.

The other alternative of course, should it happen to be your mobile phone, is to dial it from your landline ... and hope you hadn't left it on silent!!

Either that or you were already wearing them all along.