Londonlad1985

I like that idea - that could be a money spinner for the BA "navigation rental licence" could apply it like a highway permit scheme for all activities undertaken outside of the normal uses already covered in tolls. Pay per unit of river length required/ duration or both.

Would that be the end of the world? Notting Hill Carnival bans parking, and prevents a swathe of West London from taking their vehicles in or out of an area for 3 days on safety grounds, and it happens every year. It's the best free day out you can have in London IMHO. The Olympic torch relay had a rolling closure with vehicles and marshalls ahead and behind the torch group. Could this be arranged for swimmers do you think?

That is pretty big for a dymo! The tape in mine is only 10mm. (I got it from work as a joke becuase I kept leaving crucial details off my drawings) I'm happy to make tiny boat labels for the forum

Otter eats goose. I'm not sure if you need to be a user to see it.

Good points. There was an incredible video on FB of an Otter biting a goose in Wroxham. I'll post the link if I can find it.

Purely from an event point of view it does sound fun and will be a good spectacle to witness. Anything that gets people off their sofa and out doing exercise has to be a good thing, it would also be a unique way to enjoy the broads. There has been some good advice on this thread I hope it is taken by the event organisers and the event is a success.

People never cease to amaze me! I can kind of see the man's point of view if you anthropomorphise nature which people often do then you get a big bully heron picking on a defenceless baby duck. Perhaps he had his own problems too as the article says he was vulnerable. Very sad in all respects.

Wow seems fairly early considering the weather. See them out on the Lea mid March sometimes. But none here yet that I've seen.

Was that taken this year?

LoL

Tesla are developing solar roof tiles that look pretty good. They'll probably be more in keeping with counties that have a lot of snow and use the shiny glazed roof tiles I imagine. https://cleantechnica.com

Those solar panels are great! Totally keep the lines sleek. Hopefully we'll see such innovation and attention to detail on the ones that appear on people's roofs.

Yes just the weekend until Monday I'll be around Potter and South Walsham areas Saturday I expect. CambridgeCabby are you out over Easter?

Hi Broads01 I made arrangements to have the interior cleaned. In May I'm out on San Julian it was to be Gold Gem but family changed their mind. I'll look out for u!

I'll be out on Siesta on good friday. Say hello if you see us.

She is very comfortable and feels very homely. I'm not particularly techy in boats but she handles well and I'm chuffed to bits with her, she is in great nick generally. The abundance of cabin space means that a decent size group can have some peace and quiet. And reading in the bunk birth at night felt really cozy.

Thanks SwanR, I am out again on ES in July i cannot wait! however I've 2 boats booked from Riccos over easter and May half term that were booked last year before I'd looked at a syndicate. This will be a bit of a bumber year! Roll on Friday.

Thanks Alan, what a great tip! This forum is invaluable.

Tuesday was back to Horning to drop Hamez and Meat off with Rosie. The Inverter was playing up that morning which was kind of fortuitous it happened then as while we lunched in the Ferry it was sorted (reset) very quickly which was reassuring. Back on board it was just Mum, El Tel and I and we headed to St Bennet's for an early mooring and a quiet evening. The sunset was lovley sadly I only remembered to take a pic after the most spectacular colours had diminished. As we sat there admiring the scene, in the distance V shaped wave after V shaped wave of what i assume were geese were flying inland there must have been hundreds all roughly to the south heading into the setting sun I found it mesmerizing. We had a lazy Start to Wednesday and took a leisurely cruise to Wroxham to meet my boss to show him round ES (he introduced me to the broads). We moored and lunched at the Wroxham hotel I had hoped to try the "The Shed" but it wasn't to be this time as it doesn't open until 5pm midweek. We departed to Ranworth for shore power and water in the morning. The new quay headings are complete and looked quite nice however the grey stone aggregate is quite fine and seemed to even stick to plimsolls. It looks like a dry portland cement mix. There was £1.79 on the eletric post and we used 70p over night. Thursday morning revealed a disaster - the remaining Yorkie Daisy had been ill thankfully on a replaceable mat not the carpet. So it was off to Lathams to buy a new mat. I hope I don't become "That member of the syndicate". Daisy seemed to perk up as we cruised to Stokesby which is my favourite mooring in the northern broads (I'm not sure why). We had a pint in the Ferry which was suffering a power cut, luckily the Ghost Ship doesn't need anything but the willing arm of a barmaid. So it was all to the good and loafing by the fire it was very pleasant afternoon. Had the powercut not affected the electic post we may have stayed the night as it was we made our way back to Acle for our last night and 3 excellent courses in the Bridge Inn. Friday was a late start after the previous nights indulgences. As this was our last day we'd decided not to sleep in the marina and go home that afternoon. So we packed up cleaned up and headed to Southgates for a pump out and diesel. I'd originally planned on Boulters for price but the wind had picked up and their dyke looked busy so basically It was my 1st week and I bottled it. Back at the marina we gave her a good wash down as the snow seemed to have deposited a fine dust over everything. Almost like she's been out to sea then headed back to Stevenage in the luxury of El Tel's car to catch a train and tube back to the Wild East.

Thank you :) yes they'll get there. I think the Dog has a similar Menu to last year but it just seems better presented and prepared. There is a groupon on at the moment too. https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/the-dog-inn

Welcome.

None! It was amazing I can't wait to be out again! :)

Lovely photos! Looks like you'll get a decent crack at the weather!

Thank you. Yes BCBM are a boat syndicate management company. They specialise in narrow boats but look after a few broads boats.

I purchased a share in ES in February and Saturday the 17th March was our 1st Outing. I'll probably not write this in daily instalments as the week went so fast I'm not sure what happened. I also forgot to take many pictures in all the excitement. Friday night's cycle home from work found me drenched through and battered by hail stones (they don't half sting) with worse to come. By Saturday evening I was wishing for hail. The forecast was for another beast from the east and I wasn't disappointed as I waited for my bargain £6 coach in Stratford bus station on Saturday Morning with the snow swirling. However I kept myself occupied wondering what bus Little Mo (Kasey Ainsworth) who was sharing my bus stop would get on. It was the D8 to Crossharbour. The advertised 2 hour 25 minutes would have happened had it not been for Norwich match day traffic, this resulted in me missing my bus to Horning not that I fancied looking for the stop tbh it was still snowing and felt miles colder in Norwich than London. So a Gold Star car whisked me to Richardson's for the princely sum of £18 still cheaper than the train from London all in. It was now 2:30pm and Trevor from BCBM arrived not long after me. We talked through the boat had a general laugh then I got chatting to some fellow forumites on 2 other syndicate boats in the marina it felt good to be back on the broads and amongst enthusiasts. Hello to you all. Once Trevor had gone I had a few hours to kill as the Crew had delayed their departures due to the weather so i rummaged round ES and had a tramp round the marina in the 2 inches of snow. They'd totally mis-timed their weather and by 6pm I was worried as they were driving through the worst of it. They eventually all made it. They (being my usual family crew of Mum, El Tel, Hamez & Meat-Soph + Yorkshire Terriers Rosie & Daisy) and were on board by 7pm bringing Wroxham's finest fish and chips so it was drinks onboard and a surprisingly choppy night in the marina for an early start on Sunday. The early start seemed to evaporate in faffing. Some of which was clearing the snow and defrosting ropes. (Throw them in the water is the tip I've had too late). Some of it was bickering I need to undertake some training with the crew.... They hadn't seemed to grasp that ES wasn't a hire boat and didn't understand why i was picking up every dog hair and crumb. There was also some consternation when I produced 2 very smart auto inflate life jackets. "We don't have to wear them It's your boat" came the reply from grown adults. 11am found us at Ranworth with a stiff breeze and a successful 1st mooring next to Silver Cloud our marina neighbours. We (lads) went for a pint while Meat and Mum talked to the dogs or knitted something I imagine. We didn't stop long as Mum was itching to get to Lathams - so on we pressed to Potter I can't tell you what happened there as I seem to have blotted it out. I know Mum filled basket which Im sure was all essential and then proceeded to try and feed it to us all! It was a blustery cruise to Ludham Bridge for dinner in the Dog Inn which has improved their food no end since I was in there last. Out of interest why do they have a different electricity card system there? Monday was a bit of a better day weather wise still freezing and no thaw but brighter and less windy. We had a wander round Howe Hill and Toad Hall cottage gardens and let the dogs off for a run, the cottage museum it's self wasn't open. we lunched on the boat and supped a couple of Bure Golds in the Sutton Staith Hotel after a bracing walk into Stalham just to see if it's doable... it is 25min at a stroll and The Green Stalham is very pretty. That night was a peacefull wild mooring on the Ant and some spag bol. I had planned on Jonny Crow's but it was taken. So it was another well used spot with a big willow one bend up stream. We played Scrabble as is our boating tradition, ever the traditionalist Mum won again!