YnysMon

Thanks Neil, that's a really good hint. I see it's been down to 0.4 the last couple of tides, so not far off! Just praying it doesn't chuck it down the next few days!

Yes, I was definitely thinking Wroxham pilot. I wouldn't have the confidence to take MS under Wroxham bridge. Too much responsibility on a syndicate boat!

If I recall correctly, we need 6'8" or 6'9". We have a notice on the dash showing the air-draft requirements with roof down and up, so I tend to be lazy about bothering to remember the figure.

Thank goodness. The owners must have been frantic with worry about their dog.

Can anyone advise what the river levels are like at present? We are hoping to get under Wroxham bridge on Monday or Tuesday, so I'm hoping the river levels have gone down again after all that rain last weekend. I'm currently doing some last minute food shop planning, and not being able to get under Wroxham bridge would completely mess up my plans for a Roys food shop.

There's also Herringfleet, though I haven't discovered any footpaths from the moorings yet. It was a decent enough stretch of moorings for our collie to have a run up and down though.

We'd like to try that one out sometime too, but it's not so handy if you are travelling from Brundall down the Yare toward Gt Yarmouth, which is what we'll be doing tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks for the advice guys. We are considering Hardley Mill or Cross as an alternative, it’s just that I’ve never moored overnight at Polkey’s Mill and have a bit of a hankering to try it out sometime.

Wow, Dilham to Polkey’s single handed. That’s quite a journey. We like long cruises, but I like to have a break from helming now and again. Either that or be waited on hand and foot with tea/coffee/snacks/lunch etc. Let us know what you think of Polkey’s overnight. I’m thinking of aiming to moor there overnight Saturday before an early Breydon crossing Sunday.

Looks lovely and quiet there, with not that many visitors. Hope Marina has a lovely day. Happy birthday!

Spot the deliberate mistake - Weyford Bridge? I love Dilham and would like to get up there next week. What was the clearance under the bridge like?

That was an early morning swim! I learned to swim in Holyhead. During school summer holidays we would go down to the beach every morning, unless it was raining. If we got there early enough we could watch the swimming pool being filled with sea water through a pump. Shame that the pool fell into disuse and got demolished.

Paul. Just read your post out to Graham, and he nodded his agreement that’s a good strategy. (Theoretically, LOL.). Mind you, he doesn’t drink beer nor wine, but he agreed up to that point.

Stalham Staithe is somewhere I’d very much like to stop at, but what’s the chance of getting in there? Are the ‘rules’ on mooring restrictions being followed there nowadays? With four of us on the boat, I’m guessing that I might need to do a more frequent ‘fridge’ shop. So, if we can’t moor at Wroxham (I.e. past the bridge) and Stalham Staithe turns out to be taken, what’s the policy at Richardson’s? Would they allow us to moor up for a couple of hours to visit Tesco’s? Can anyone advise on their policy on allowing that for syndicate boats?

I’m sure that could happen to anyone though. At least it was dealt with promptly when they realised. How many marine engineers know how to spot the signs? Not part of their normal experience I would think.

I don't think naming is against the 'T&Cs' when reporting a good experience, in this case there was a problem but it was handled well. It's naming and 'shaming' that's the issue.

How lucky was that! The only time I've seen a Swallowtail was a very brief glance of one flying across Meadow Dyke when we did the Nature Boat Trip from Horsey.

Just four more sleeps until we are back on MS on Saturday. This time we will have my father-in-law with us and my younger son Alec (as well as Seren). Just as well that Harry couldn't get leave from work, as there wouldn't be room for him in the car. As it is, we are pondering the logistics of squeezing us and all our stuff into the car and roof box. Bear in mind that when just Graham, Seren and I travel to MS the car and the roof box are normally crammed. We have gone through our packing list and pared it down to the minimum. Tides are good to go through Gt Yarmouth Sunday morning, provided we start off early. I had been hoping to go up to Coltishall Monday or Tuesday, but I guess that might be in doubt if the water levels don't subside. Never mind. It will be Dad's first time on the Broads. Alec has been sailing with us a couple of times, but it will be his first time on a motor cruiser. He's not been up the Ant beyond Barton Turf, the Bure above Belaugh nor further south than Acle, so lots to explore. On the other hand he's been up to West Somerton, Hickling and Horsey on both sailing holidays, so no need to worry about not being able to get under PH bridge. Harry had been making suggestions for places he was impressed with when he came with us on MS in September (he loved going up the Waveney and into Norwich). I'm determined to find at least one wild mooring, as it's a while since we've done that. Cross fingers that the weather is better and warmer next week, especially as Dad tends to feel the cold.

Grendel's food posts make me feel hungry!

I think the restriction to an experienced boater makes sense, given the waters above the bridge are normally less cloudy than other parts of the rivers. That’s why there’s more weed, so if you are sensible, and in an easily manoeuvrable day boat, you should be able to avoid the worst as you can see the weed pretty clearly. We have tried going up to West Somerton in a Hunters boat a couple times. The first time we were trying to tack up the channel above Martham Ferry, so it was a bit difficult to avoid the weed on the margins of the channel. We completely lost the ability to steer due to weed on our rudder, no engine, so couldn’t do a burst of reverse to try to clear it. Just a case of dangling over the stern to pull the weed off. Almost landed in the channel myself! Doh!

Can we set up a hints thread of handy food items for boating? Slightly different to the old recipes thread, more about items that are easy to cook and/or are easy ‘cheats’.

Ooh, excellent news. We like the Thorpe St Andrew’s Sainsbury's when we are moored in Brundall, but a Lidl nearby sounds like a good addition.

It’s been absolutely torrential in Milton Keynes. Just when you thought it was brightening up it got even worse. Lots of standing water and quite deep puddles here and there made driving quite difficult.

When we were hiring I really fancied trying out Silverline, but the fee they were charging for pets put us off.

I love watching the rowers normally, and am happy to slow down our progress to allow them to pass us safely. It was just the early wake up. They obviously feel they have priority. Never mind about other river users who might be sleeping.