Vaughan

The village green at Stokesby is a very pleasant place.

Which is why they never suffered from the "wrong kind of leaves" on the line, as there were no trees! The banks of the Yare were kept clear of trees also, to give the wherries a clear wind to sail up to Norwich.

Since in the evening they fly to the ponds where they feed at night and in the dawn they fly back to where they rest up in the day. So a "morning flight" or an "evening flight" is the best time to shoot them. Hence "Morning Flight" is the name of the boat that I grew up on.

Perhaps also worth remembering that duck in their natural element (which is not on the quay at Ranworth Maltsters) are nocturnal.

Otters died out on the Broads as well as all other waterways in England, because of water polluted by phosphates and nitrates. Likewise the lilies, which dis-appeared in the late 60s. Now that we have good water quality again, the lilies are back and so are the otters. They used to hunt otters using otter hounds. Now there's a good thing to suggest to the "save our badgers" brigade!

I think the swans are probably too big for the nice playful, cuddly little otters to eat. Swans are very aggressive in defence of their young and have the habit of carrying the new-born cygnets on their backs, between their wings. Other water birds like ducks, moorhens and coots have no such defence. Young ducklings have always been taken by pike, but not in numbers large enough to endanger the species. I do agree about the Egyptian Geese though! Back in the 50s when they were rare on the Broads, my mother reared a couple of Egyptian Goose eggs under a broody hen, so that we could have some on the river in Thorpe. They hatched normally and all went well, until they grew big enough to eat the hen!

That was Trump's election campaign slogan : "We shall overcomb".

Blakes catalogue of 1971. I think by then they had added a few things to her, such as a shower!

OK, I'll discuss! In my experience the easiest and kindliest Broads hire boat to drive, is the centre cockpit AF42, closely followed by the Solar (Bounty) 37 or 44 - even though it is a front drive bathtub. This is all down to underwater shape. A displacement hull with a long deep keel and a "hard chine" construction, a generous rudder and a large, coarse pitched prop. There is no doubt that where purpose - built river boats are concerned, a long, heavy boat is much easier to handle than a small one. There are good small ones too, probably the best being the Elysian 27 aft cockpit. An old but iconic design. Solo helming however, is a different subject from just boat handling. Solo helming means thinking things out in advance and making preparations. The placing of mooring ropes for quick access; leaving certain cabin doors pinned open, etc. Solo helming needs enough experience so that you can take your time, and "let the boat do the work". There is also no doubt that certain boats suit themselves to solo helming : others do not!

Last year our Apple Mac Mini got fried by lightning and we got a specialist in to set up the new one and install all the software off the old one. As soon as he was finished and while he was still there, it put up a flag saying updates were ready to install. He told us not to bother with that for the time being and having read your post, I am glad I never did! We are perfectly happy with it as it is!

Excuse me, but when reading the thread I think you missed this bit : I have made this point several times so far this year but it still seems to be misunderstood. Back in June, the hire boats had not paid it all because, being seasonal businesses, they pay in stage payments during the hiring season. But they are all still going to pay the full toll for the year! In the old days of the 60s and 70s the tolls were paid by Blakes in March and then charged out to the member boatyards during the season. Those days alas, are long gone!

I hope you are not going to want me to translate that lot???? All the same I have had a glance and it looks like an excellent historical article. Maybe better to ask Richard Johnson- Bryden for his original version. I have met him and he know how to talk Norfolk just loik wot oi doo.

Apparently the previous owner didn't go out a lot. Beginning to sound a bit like me!

Just before the weekend my daughter mentioned on the phone that the toilet pump on our boat was only working when the engine was running. This was easily solved by me with two phone calls. One to Peachments to order three new domestic batteries and one to Simpsons, to have them fitted! All done in a day, so my family can now charge off downriver for the bank holiday weekend. Meantime I have just had the bill (by e-mail) which was also quickly solved by "on line" banking. Which all leaves me sitting here 1000 miles away reflecting on how nice it is to finally own my own boat, after all these years. In fairness, the old batteries, also supplied by Peachments, were getting on for 8 years old. Maybe next year, in the spring, Susie and I might get to use the boat ourselves?

Remember 'Allo 'Allo, with the flying helmet and the wet celery? In this case, Jenny Morgan has a bunch of leeks!

Sorry, I ran out of time to edit! What I meant to say was : who invites you to put your boat on their moorings. In other words, in their showrooms.

I accept that I may be out of date on this, but as I have understood it : If you place your boat for sale with a broker, who invites you to put their boat on their moorings and sell it on an exclusive basis, then the boat does not require a toll while it is moored on their property, on a brokerage basis. That is why brokers have trade plates, so that they can demonstrate boats which are under their brokerage. If your boat is still on its own mooring somewhere on the Broads, but placed up for sale on one or more agents' lists, that is not the same thing.

And don't forget that other Sword of Damocles that has been left hanging over our heads : A no deal Brexit.

Which is why January may be the telling time, if there are not enough advance bookings. Nice to hear that you are booking up well though! Incidentally, it has always been recognised in this business that a cold and wet July or August will not affect bookings in that year. But it will certainly affect repeat bookings for the same time next year!

Thank you very much for posting that and it is very interesting to read. Like Floydraser, I don't see anything frightening in it and I am sure none of us should be at all surprised if our river tolls go up next year! The BA have done what I think is a splendid job in keeping the navigation open at all times and maintaining it, no matter what. The Broads have survived this year under their management, a lot better than some other places. The stage payments for hire boat tolls have had their dates revised but please remember that all hire boats on hire this year will pay the full toll anyway. They are not getting it "on the cheap". Whether any hire boats have remained mothballed, and so not tolled this year, I don't know. The minutes, though interesting, are for an early June meeting which is now rather out of date. This September's meeting should give a better idea of the current situation. This season has been a roller coaster ride, starting with nothing at all for 17 weeks and followed by a blind panic to hire anything that floats and get out on the water! How it will all settle down next year, is still anyone's guess. My own prediction, based on what has happened in all the previous recessions, is that this winter, especially just after the New Year, will be the telling time for the tourist industry. I would expect to see a lot of second hand hire boats on the market, so less hire boat toll revenue in 2021. It also mainly depends on whether the Government's COVID panic will continue on into the next spring or summer. We can expect more people to holiday in UK certainly, but will they be prepared to take the risk of booking in advance for next year, after all that went wrong with their bookings this year? I know I wouldn't! And will they have disposable income, if they are still in fear for their jobs? Thanks again Peter, for keeping us informed.

Perhaps it also has a lot to do with the quality of instruction given when taking over the boat. Putting people at ease and familiarising them can make or break a holiday, for first time customers.

I am beginning to think it's written large.

Actually the future is in your hands along with all other toll payers. You are enjoying what the foresight and persistence of my father's generation, has brought to the Broads.

I don't think I have been slagging off the Blofeld family (if you are referring to me) but I am prepared to post scans of several letters between Blakes, my father and the then Mr Blofeld, from 1962, which might alter your opinion on that.

"Si vis pacem, para bellum".