tim

Lovely pics and write up, always enjoy your posts, particularly the pubs! Looking forward to being back on the water in early July with Pacific again Just one question, can you now walk along the river from the Reedham Ferry and Reedham Village? Last time we walked that path you couldn't get through and had to go back and along the road

My first holiday on the broads was 1981, now it might be because I was a 'fireproof' 21 year old with two mates and our girlfriends but I don't remember being given any information about crossing Breydon at all! We hired from Stalham (I think) it was an old woodie with no power (well they were unlikely to give six kids anything decent) and we just 'rocked up' one day and went through! From memory, it must have been on ebbing tide, as we flew through the yacht station with little control and just a bit scary! The girls hid downstairs and only came up when they thought it was safe, one of them telling me off when they came up because they thought I'd turned the wrong direction and were heading for the sea! It might just be my mind playing tricks, but I seem to remember the channel markers being floating buoys rather than posts back then? For some bizarre reason it took me over 30 years to come back to the broads, and the first time I re-crossed Breydon I read just about every post and internet info I could find including printing loads of stuff to take with me. And I found if you do it by the book it's an absolute doddle! However, the heart still beats a little faster as I round the yellow post and approach the low bridges!

Love the Surlingham Ferry, best pub imo on the broads, and there's plenty to choose from Great beer, great food, lovely garden, bookable moorings and super dog friendly, plus Sonia and her staff are fantastic Maybe I should buy shares in it? Another not mentioned (I think) is the Ferry at Stokesby?

Blimey seems I did ok it wasn't even a big glass! Out of interest, whilst in Gelderston Pims lemonade and a pint of ale was £6.20 whilst the same round at the Wherry was £8.40! And I bought both! My wife doesn't soil her hands with such matters! ;-)

After a great day at Gelderston Locks, we managed to moor outside the Waveney House Hotel which is great because it was touch and go if we could get under the bridge and it saved the yacht station mooring fee however.............. £9.40 for a glass of wine and a pint of beer! Cant remember last time I used the words ‘are you sure’ as I’m normally quite relaxed about prices as I’ve worked in London most of my working life! the food menu doesn’t nave prices Mandy’s just gone to order the food, I’m bracing myself! Still nice setting and great weather at least the pup has been fed ;-)

We’re up tomorrow, hiring from Pacific as we did last year, we haven’t had a problem this time of year We normally moor 11ish for lunch and 4ish for dinner; pub based obviously. ?I’ve now cursed it but having the dinghy means I can get to the Malsters even if I have to mud weight! However, that’ll mean having to row Lottie for early morning ‘constitutional’ although I have packed puppy pads although not needed for 3months, just in case! if it gets too busy north, we’ll just go back south!

And that's why I put up with a dinghy in tow, love Ranworth, love the Maltsters can't be bothered with the hassle of getting a mooring!

My favourite places on the broads tend to be through the bridges most boats can’t get through ie Potter and Wroxham and with pubs and the end! Although we only managed Potter with a day boat leaving Alpha Sabre at Herbert Woods mind you I thought I was being cleaver but putting our hire boat keys on the day boat ring, only the leave them there when we took the boat back! when I realised I went back only to find it had been taken by a hire company to attend a breakdown doh! Herbert Woods were great though and we got them back quite soon, just had to wander to the Falgate for a pint to while the time away, ho hum! Lesson learnt, the wife was very understanding though! ;-)

An even later welcome from me, however love your vids just worried the dark side just might be me without the camera! ;-) The family are off to Milan in September if Lottie can't settle with our dog sitter Me and her are staying behind, but you have given me the confidence to solo helm, so maybe Lottle and me will get a another visit! Dont tell the wife but the kids (not kids and very expensive) and Milan or Broads and dog in September, there isn't really a choice for me!

Really? thanks for that advice, would never have considered that, this place is fantastic for that kind of info I like to use the dingy not just because I paid for it but it impresses the wife that before we married 30 years ago I was an accomplished rower (just not that far these days)

We do I was going to buy one but the lovely Fiona from Pacific Cruisers will give her one for free for the week, we’ll probably then get her one for next year She’s the only Spaniel afraid of water, but she loves the beech, so I think she’ll enjoy Cornwall the week before! We didn’t really need one for our old dog she was extremely careful to ensure she only ‘paddled’ places she was safe however this one being a pup I’m a little more careful although I’m sure she’ll be ok, but better safe than sorry Thanks for the help I’m really getting exited, not usual for a man of my age unless beer’s involved! ;-)

Thanks for that Going through isn't a problem as it will be low tide, I was thinking of getting back A beer in the Locks and Wherry with a sandwich in one of them, walk the dog and back, trouble is that will be high tide! To be fair shortly after posting I'd thought about a change of plan and we'll probably come back to the lido moorings and have a wander around Beccles then probably go the Yacht Station once the the tide has dropped Never been to The Lido moorings, are they good / busy?

I've not posted for a bit, but we will be back on the broads 2 weeks today (after a week in Cornwall to totally chill me out) I tend not to post when I'm too far a away from my holidays and it makes me green with envy! We are with Pacific Cruisers again, and again on Pacific Dawn, whilst I've never hired from anyone that wasn't very helpful and polite (mind you Alphacraft whilst being very nice were a bit odd ) Richard and Fiona take it to another level, nothing's too much trouble! Anyway, maybe someone can help me with a bit of info For the first time we plan to go down to Geldeston Locks, now Dawn has a airdraft of 6'7'' with everything down, how quickly does the river rise and fall at Beckles? Leaving me a little wriggle room (literately) would I be safe in assuming I should be safe an hour before / after high water? Is there anywhere where you can book a mooring on the southern broads within a couple of hours of Yarmouth? I read somewhere that the Lord Nelson books its moorings? is that right? I thought they were all BA! Does The Bell St Olaves book moorings? Just one thing I have to be near a pub/restaurant in the evening, if I'm not allowed to spend at least £50 in a broads boozer I'm likely to melt! ;-) I pull a dinghy everywhere for that reason We are also heading up the Ant towards Stalham as I haven't been past Barton Broad for a few years, I know the answer would be to ring them, but are Richardsons ok with mooring on a Tuesday? the line trotted out seems to be avoid changeover days, but Richardson seem to just about changeover everyday apart from a Sunday these days! Anyway, any info would be most welcome The last time I posted on here was this time last year when we were about to on holiday, we had just lost our 13 year old cocker spaniel, and were devastated, people were very kind, however we now have little Lottie in our lives, and this will be her first broads outing She is only 10 months and is a working cocker, she was rescued from the 'so called' breeder, and has been with us for 7months, we don't know much about her early life but it wasn't good, she is getting more confident now, but she is still very nervous of people, especially men, although she follows me around like a shadow. Somehow if you have had a dog, your home doesn't feel right when they've gone! How anyone can be cruel to an animal is beyond my comprehension, if you see us give us a wave Sorry for the ramble, I'm afraid it's just the way they wired me!

Just to add whist the hamsters are powering the the hotel wifi First impressions of Pacific has been first class, never hired from them before but from the moment I booked I've been very happy i emailed Fiona about our change of circumstances purely to advise that they'd be no dog on the boat so their paperwork was correct. Not only did she send a lovely response sympathetic to our loss, but she also said she'd refund our pet charge I won't be accepting it, as it's not their fault we will be 'one less' but it's a really nice guesture, and really apprrciated So far the Pacific experience has been top notch

Thanks guys, first part of the holiday is in Shropshire where apparently they've never heard of wifi 3G 4G or often a basic phone signal so haven't to be able to get on here for a bit, actually it's quite nice to be cut off Anyway looking forward to Friday and back on the water

Yes I was thinking the same, although walking is not such a problem as we lost our old dog this week! she broke her back leg badly and although the vet said he could try and mend it at 13 years old we just couldn't put her through it So if you see a sad couple looking lost and staring lovingly at your dogs we're not odd (well maybe a bit) just trying to come to terms with it! On Pacific Dawn from Friday, say hello!

Ok, as a newbie to posting on this forum (2nd post) but not to the broads as I've been holidaying up here for the past 10 years, I hope I'm not going to put my foot in it! My personal view is that mooring outside a pub, and certainly if maintained by them should be used by boats that are actually spending money in the pub We have breakfast on the boat, then lunch and dine in a pub, this in our holiday and that's what 'floats our boat' sorry for the pun I have found it frustrating at times to not be able to moor and spend money in an establishment due to people sitting on their boats outside a pub eating their own food and drinking their own beer or wine, I appreciate that may well have been in that pub or going to it later That's why I always hire a dinghy in case I'm left like Running Bear (showing my age) and stuck on the other side of the river! Although, it’s not been used in 'anger' on too many occasions, just a bit of insurance, a bit like taking an umbrella to ensure it doesn't rain! So for me, pubs should charge a significant fee, redeemable against food to ensure that the boats on their moorings are patronising their pubs I'd be happy to pay £10 and maybe half of it redeemable! Just my opinion not my intention to offend!

Hello Everyone New to the forum, was this boat similar to Swan Raider? We hired her in 2014 (I think) she was a superb boat, we really like the layout, its just me the wife and our Cocker Spaniel, so its perfect to cruise with the roof down even when the weather is a bit 'dank' the dog sits on the high seat behind me, and watches the ducks, she's getting on a bit now so tends not to leap into the river anymore I wanted to hire her again but she just went 'missing' so presumably was sold? Since the Raider, we've hired Sabre I assume she's now sold, (a bit big but comfortable if a little tatty) Tower Bridge, and we're off on Pacific Dawn next month Anyway, I hoped my first post wouldn't be a ramble but clearly it was ;-) Tim