SwanR

Have to admit that having hired bathtubs, one centre cockpit and one dual helm boat, we do like the fact that the bathtubs give you the best chance of a stress free week without worrying about bridge heights for the most part. Swan Reflection is so easy to handle and with hubby giving me clear directions, and the bow thruster there if I need it, we usually moor up fine. The visibility from on top of Silver Emblem was great for turning round in a tight spot such as down Cockshoot Dyke. But given the visibility from the inside steering position was so poor, it did also mean that I steered from on top in the pouring rain to get in at Ranworth Staithe. What I do agree with is that it would be nice to see some more colour and character on the newer boats. I always think how smart Summercraft's boats look in their distinctive blue and yellow. Our first ever hire boat was from them back in the 90s and would love to go back to them. But we really do need a walk round bed as hubby is tall and that limits our choice.

Have to admit that I do always read the skipper's manual - I'm one of those people who likes to devour every leaflet I can lay my hands on because it's all part of the excitement of being away from home. But ... you don't have time to read it until you have got safely moored up and unpacked, by which time you might have needed some of what is in it. Most people are online, perhaps emailing out a link to an online version two weeks before the holiday start date, would be useful. I know lots of people still wouldn't read it but one or two might. And those one or two might be greatly helped by having had a look. And then you could plan for Breydon before you go ... and perhaps even have an idea about what the posts mean!

I had been racking my brains to try and remember what I had read somewhere about how you know whether you should have red or green to port or starboard, given they will be on the opposite side of you depending in which direction you are travelling. Apologies as I know this is about Breydon, but the first time I ever went in Rockland Broad, because you have a channel to follow that effectively loops round, I was totally bewildered as to where I was supposed to be. You can see the other side of the circle and to the very inexperienced this looked really confusing and I had trouble deciding which red and green I was supposed to keep between! As for Breydon, we've never done it but would be confident to do so now because of all the videos we've watched of everyone else. When we get our handover from the yard at the start of the hire they have always asked if we are going over Breydon Water and even though we have said we're not, they still run over some of the things you need to know and point us to the skipper's manual in case we change our minds.

This is one of the reasons we haven't been through Wroxham bridge in recent years. And Wroxham itself just seems to be a place best avoided summer weekends. I'm sure we all watch the webcam and exclaim at the chaos and near misses that take place. However does anyone know where you wait to pick up the pilot on the other side to come back? And does that cause any problems? When we hire from Stalham for the first time next year we might actually get to Wroxham as a destination rather than just the place where we start and finish. And that should mean we can put Coltishall on the list of places to go.

Hope you're feeling better soon. Any chance of visiting a chiropractor? Mind you they can get expensive but I see one regularly and do feel it keeps me sorted out.

I noticed the same thing and wondered whether anyone is going to get those cars moved. Not sure I'd be very happy if my car was left there after I've paid for parking.

My hubby was in a similar position to you David. I don't know much about it but he uses maggots for bait and takes some sweetcorn as a backup in case we're not anywhere that he can re-stock on maggots during the week. He has enjoyed fishing so much while we've been on the Broads that he's now joined a local angling club. Oh and that "odd hour or two" has morphed into half the day! "I'll just have one more cast then come in for tea ...!"

Welcome Myer. Haven't been here long myself but it's a very friendly place to hang out.

Jim summed up exactly why we haven't been abroad for several years now. Rediscovered Norfolk, in particular the Broads, with the added advantage that there are very few places you can get to from Essex without going anywhere near the M25! Got a few days off work soon so we thought we might have a couple of days away. Hubby asked me if I fancied Norwich so although it's not on a boat this time we will still be by the river. Not sure exactly what we're going to do but as it's only B&B we may well visit a couple of our favourite riverside spots for our evening meal.

Just got back in and sat down in front of the tv as the last wicket fell. It's been exciting stuff ... as cricket goes when you're a non-cricketing-occasional-watcher! Well done England.

Well they made it back through with no dramas. Not sure where they are at the moment. But give them a wave if you see them. https://youtu.be/5UeLcE8cy60

Wow that is so different to anywhere I've ever been. Hope you're feeling better and able to get out and enjoy your time there.

Apologies if anyone else has already posted this somewhere. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-33737486 This is the fish and chip shop in Beach Road at Hemsby. Eight fire crews attended and according to a BBC radio Norfolk reporter, the shop has been completely destroyed. What a shame just at the height of the family holiday season.

Pyes Mill Common, Loddon Basin and Langley Dyke are regular stops for us when hubby wants to fish.

Alan I really enjoy reading your tales and looking at your photos. Thank you for sharing them.

I would like just to add that it's perhaps also not helpful when you read posts on any forum, or hear comments in videos, that the bridge height gauges are not always accurate. Bridge height one thing, air draft another but still got through with more to spare than expected. Giving the impression that hire companies may exaggerate the clearance needed and that the bridge height gauges may show lower than the space under the bridge, only encourages people to take chances.

Someone I know is out on the Broads at the moment on their Dutch barge - Notso. They wintered down in Devon and have been making their way back up round the coast. They are now spending some time up and down the the rivers, both north and south. A few days ago they went through Wroxham Bridge. Here's the video. https://youtu.be/ACLpdoNHksU

Lol, welcome back then. I have only joined recently but it's lovely to have somewhere to chat about our favourite place with other people who understand completely the attraction of being out on the rivers. It's hard to do it justice when trying to describe it to someone who's never been. Hard to put into words why it feels so different to be sat on a boat on the river rather than sat on the bank watching.

Iain, I would think that the ferry could be quite an expense if you lived there, although I would imagine frequent travellers must have some reduced price option. We always book the ferry with the hotel and sometimes get the crossing thrown in for free if we've booked a special offer. David, I work with someone who grew up in Portsmouth but never went to the Isle of Wight. I was amazed how you could live that close and never have got on one of the ferry, catamaran or hovercraft services for a day trip. Mind you, we've never stopped in Portsmouth to have a proper look around the harbour to the city.

We moored at North Cove in June and it was my favourite mooring of the week. Really lovely spot. But you only get two or three boats at each of those moorings so when it's busier in July and August I don't know whether they tend to be free or are a bit like Instead on the north - lucky to ever find the mooring free. I think there's also another mooring just outside Beccles which is private land but there's an honesty box for leaving a donation for staying overnight.

Thanks David. Do you know, so many people that I mention the Isle of Wight to when we go there, start to reminisce about holidays they've had down there as well. You might be thinking of this hotel - Spitbank Fort. http://www.amazingvenues.co.uk/venue/spitbank-fort/

Whenever we go to Bembridge I do like to check the cruise ship schedule - it will usually be a couple of hours after the ship leaves Southampton before we can see it ... and in October it's almost dark by then so not always easy to see them. But the larger Brittany ferries are also quite impressive when you see them come close by.

We've been talking about this at work and decided as we have no real need to take Windows 10 we are going to leave it. The main reason is that we have no idea whether it would be compatible with all the other software we use. So if you have other programs that you use a lot you might want to err on the side of caution rather than taking it and then wanting to roll your computer back if there are any compatibility issues.

Well having enjoyed putting some of my recent Broads photos into two slideshows on YouTube I decided to see what else I had got. Having checked back over the last few years I seem to have been a little obsessed with boats of various kinds and was surprised just how many photos I had accumulated. So I thought I would share some of them here even though they're not the Broads. First I turned to one of my other favourite places to go - Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. Now at this point you may see why things might appear to be a little obsessive. I know the Portsmouth webcam has been mentioned before but as someone who goes by ferry from this port I have found it fascinating to watch. http://www.hmswarrior.org/webcam And if you then use this in conjunction with http://www.john-ambler.com/ais/google.html if you see a boat and you want to know what it is, you can find out - see where it's going and the route where it's come from as well. Anyway ... I wanted to experiment a little with a couple of the programs on my Mac that I had never used. Some of the photos on this video are not the best quality as I zoomed in a long way to take them. The volume on the soundtrack seemed to come out a little loud so be prepared ... Boats of the Isle of Wight and the Solent ... enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGRRFcmdOx4

Welcome along. Not been here long myself but I used to read the forum all the time so thought I might as well join in.