addicted

I'm with Tan Alan I always have an immediate need to visit the loo if I spot a flappy thing while at the helm.I don't think my husband is fooled for one minute. As for boat cleaning , I have always had the rule I don't do outside only inside And when I see ladies busily cleaning outside I have been known to remonstrate that they are letting the side down. I've even heard my husband say to offenders "don't let my wife see you doing that or you'll be in trouble"! It's a system that works for us and as it takes so much longer to clean the out side than it does the inside it leaves me with p!enty of time to do crosswords or read "War & Peace! Regards, Carole

Very shortly after selling our first boat we met the people who had bought it out on the river. We stopped to chat and inevitably I asked the lady how she liked boating as it was her first boat. She said that since having it "they had had that many domestics" and she couldn't work out why as they both loved boating. I explained there was one golden rule and once she accepted it things would improve. The rule:- He is at the helm in total charge of the boat you are standing, rope ready to jump off and tie up HE hits something and it's all your fault. Once you understand and accept that basic principal the rest falls into place,. Simples! regards, Carole

While at Oulton Broad over the weekend, we were delighted to discover that the Red Herring is under new ownership and has been up and running since October. The new people deserve an A for effort. the food was lovely. Although My husband said his beef was overdone,, he enjoyed it nonetheless. We both started with scallops, delicious, after which I had the Dover sole which was sublime, served with beautifully crisp sautéed new potatoes and tender, buttery, salty samphire cooked just the way it should be. The staff were lovely and bent over backwards to create a friendly atmosphere. They really deserve to succeed. As always it's a tad on the expensive side but will always get a visit from me when at Oulton. Regards, Carole

it's not about" keeping on at hirers" I've never been damaged by another owned boat so can only speak from my own experience. and obviously there must be far more first timers on hire boats than owned boats And maybe attitude is the wrong word and approach a better one. Regards, Carole

It should be taken into consideration that when folk are on holiday in a hired boat they don't necessarily behave as they would when at home. We were sideswiped by a very long hire boat at straceys windmill one afternoon caused by a purely gung-ho attitude. When we made our displeasure known. the response was " but we're on holiday" Also, I 'm sure that some inexperienced boaters think that it's unthinkable that a bridge would be too low to pass under. They seem to approach using rivers with much less attention to detail than they do on the road. The fact that rules and regulations must be adhered to is taken with a pinch of salt and some of them behave as if boating is a contact sport. There's a big difference of attitude between experienced hirers and first timers. When we 've had hire boats moor next to us with lots of care and consideration and concern for our boat they always turn out to be regular hirers. The difference is very noticeable. Some of the hire boats are enormous and must present a real challenge. I must admit sometimes I very much admire the skill displayed in bringing them in with the minimum of gadgetry to assist, unlike me with thrusters each end and a remote control to work them! We invariably go to help a boat coming in next to us and we're always honest enough to admit it's as much for our benefit as for theirs

No matter how thorough the signage, there's always some idiot who doesn't understand the basic rule that if you are at the wheel of something higher than the underside of the bridge you are approaching you won't go under without hitting it. I live just outside Ely where there is a very low railway bridge. The signage is so clear as to be in your face but hardly a week goes by without some cretin getting wedged under it. Each time this occurs in addition to the time taken to remove the wedged vehicle, rigorous tests have to be done to see if the safety of the bridge has been compromised which takes a considerable time and involves the closure of the line and the road. A real pain in the proverbial.

I absolutely do not have a smart phone. I always have detested having to upgrade my phone and only do so when the existing one is beyond all help. The one I have now is so old it probably qualifies for attention from Age Concern! Like myself it's well past it's sell-by date and getting a little cranky but I have not the slightest intention of replacing it until it breathes it's last. Regards, Carole

We used to have a Sheerline 950AC and it's so easy to remove the canopy etc quickly if you need to. We now have a Sheerline 1050 aft cabin and that takes a bit longer.. The first season we had her( 2011) we were returning from Oulton Broad one Sunday with guests on board who needed to get back for work the next day. When we got to Somerleyton we were told by the bridge operator that he wouldn't open it because it was too hot! We'd always intended to take down the canopy etc. just to see how easy it was( or not) as a practice run for when it became necessary but of course had never got round to actually doing it. The gauge said we'd got 2" more than we needed with everything down including screens. So we formed a chain and took it all down piece by piece, fortunately our guests were boat owners and knew what to do to help, we got it down in 5 minutes and went under sitting on the floor of the cockpit. Apparently, according to our guests, who were in a better position to see than us to see, The radar arch hinge went under with about half a inch to spare. When we got out the other side of the bridge there was a hire boat full of what appeared to be Eastenders as one of them called out "cor blimey mate, you still got your 'air?". Still at least we made it in one piece. We love our Sheerline even though the height makes her a little less flexible on where we can go than the 950 was. Regards, Carole

Jenny Morgan's mention of an orchard reminds me of an incident from last Summer. We were returning from Oulton Broad and as we passed the orchard on the right as you leave the Broad there was a group of youths sunning themselves on the river bank one of which was hopping frantically round trying in vain to get his trousers on as he was stark naked! His companions were roaring with laughter as were we! Regards, Carole

I actually came alnog the hall in my house one day to see two people with their noses quite literally pressed up against my study window. WhenIand asked them what theywewre doing the response was "oh we;'re just two nosy yankee tourists, don't mind us"

Some years ago when I lived in North London,I actually came along the hall in my house one day to see two people with their noses quite literally pressed up against my study window. When I went outside and asked them what they were doing the response was "oh we're just two nosy yankee tourists, don't mind us" Well that's alright then. Regards, Carole

Grace, having read so many of your posts, I'm sure you would never do anything knowingly that would cause upset. You're quite right in what you say say about learning by being on this forum. It would never have occurred to me that people come too close simply in order to get s better look at the boat. We just worry that they might hit us sometimes, when they come as close as some of them do as we have been sideswiped by hire boaters who hadn't worked out what happens to their stern when they pull away from us and it's a constant worry when you're moored and craft continually come very close. regards, Carole

if they're being nosy I'd rather show them over the boat than have them clatter into it! I suspect the second explanation is closest to the truth, as it frequently feels like we're being used as target practice. The question I often find myself asking is would they drive their car like that? Some of them probably would. But on the occasions that I have actually asked that question of a particularly idiotic boater a look of comprehension comes over their face which seems to indicate that finally they have got it into perspective Or am I just being optimistic? regards, Carole

How short sighted is that? What a bad business attitude. If you go into a business that involves entertaining the general public then it's entirely cynical to make a decision as to which customers are worth making an effort for and displays an attitude that deserves to result in the ultimate failure of the business.. Whatever business you are in the aim should be to leave every customer happy. It's not rocket science to work out that some boaters on their oats and are therefore not transient and hire boaters often come back year after year and have long memories.not to mention this forum! Regards, Carole

I'm.not sure I understand the question but if I say that I'm using a recently acquired tablet with which I' m far from proficient does that answer it?

That's really bad news at any time of the day nevermind 7.00am! I have been known to remonstrate on similar occasions. Another mystery I've never been able to solve is why, when they have the whole width of the river at their disposal do some boaters feel it necessary to pass within a very few feet of moored craft. While moored at St. Benets last summer, our stay was made a misery by these pests. One chap came hurtling along very close to the bank heading at speed for our stern,I really don't, know how he missed us. It was terrifying and I shall never moor there again, which is a pity because in all other respects it's a lovely spot. Regards, Carole

I think one of the problems with the pubs that seem not to be trying is that they possibly assume that in the main they are dealing with a transient customer base and therefore think it's not worth putting in the effort to build a good reputation. We've never been in the New Inn so can'tcomment..However we frequently tie up outside Coldham Hall and if we're there early evening someone always comes out to ask if we will wlil be having dinner there. That's usually the plan anyway so don't know what the response would be if we said no. That said I think it's entirely reasonable for them to prefer the moorings to be occupied by patrons who are eating. We've never been asked for a mooring fee there. There are definitely not enough public moorings in Horning or Wroxham. As a private boat owner it's not always desirable to moor where most of the other boats are hire boats. For everyone of you that hire year and year out and have learned how to handle the boat there are a dozen who haven't a clue how to handle a boat and never seem to solve the mystery of what happens to the stern when you pull hard over on the wheel. Been sideswiped too often to risk it these days Regards Carole

many thanks, I've passed that on to our friends, regards, Carole

When we moored there a few years ago, the lady who owned it told us that she had bought all the moorings up to and including the then defunct restaurant. She was having a little difficulty getting some people to pay and in that case said she would not hesitate to call the river police, who she said were very helpful. Personally I think £3.00 an entirely acceptable amount to pay and furthermore she did a very passable breakfast at a very reasonable cost. regards, Carole

Some friends want to come for a weeks stay on The Broads at the end of May/beginning of June., and I can't think of anywhere better than this forum for advice on any Broads related subject. Anyone got any suggestions? We're booked into Oulton Broad Harbour for the bank holiday weekend and it would be nice if they we were within striking distance of that. regards Carole

No I'm not sure of anything actually, it was more than 60 years ago. I just know that when I went back many years later and went in what I thought was the right direction it had all changed mightily. Are the trees you are talking about adjacent to the beach? If so, you may well be right. I really don't know, regards, Carole

I suspect that a lot of you like me had a childhood that ran through the late forties and fifties. I grew up in North London. At weekends we always did something and Sundays often meant a trip to the coast. Mum would prepare the picnic and we'd all pile into the car and head for Southend, Clacton or Frinton usually. On a really special day though and if we managed to get away early enough it was Wells next the Sea. Heaven! in those days you could drive the cars (there was usually about 3 carloads as friends would join us as well) into the pine forest that was at the end of the town I believe, out would come the tables and chairs and primus stove as to not have a cup of freshly made tea was unthinkable it was easily achieved as the sun always shone then didn't it? Then we'd all go off across the beach onto "cockle island" and spend hours filling sacks with gathered cockles which we'd finish up having top give to the rowing boat man whose services (because the tide had come in while we were busy gleaning) were needed to get us back to the beach. When I visited Wells in recent years I was so disappointed to find it all so changed. the pine forest has completely gone. I think it was where there is now a large tarmac car park Not quite the same ambience as a pine forest. Recently, we went to Gorleston for the first time and I do believe it is in a time warp. A seaside resort straight out of the fifties I doubt that anything has changed since it became a resort - . whenever that was. Further to the subject of good places to eat, the terrace restaurant at the cliff hotel is a joy. Set high into the cliff, overlooking the beach and with views out to sea it is sheltered from extremes of weather by glass screens all round and a sliding roof that can be put into place if necessary. the food is excellent and the view to die for. If you have taken the dog for a day out and the hotel is not an option, then a beachside café further along the beach is just the place. Food marvellous, very reasonably priced and it's even licenced! what's not to like? Regards, Carole