HEM

Rather: Leave no tern unstoned.

Plans are to hire a motor cruiser for 2 people to be comfortable in. One week, probably September 2018. Northern Broads, ideally to pass under all bridges. Intention is to phone some boatyards and pick their brains on what would be suitable. HEM

Just returned from a flying vacation in Southern Germany which included my best ever cross-country flight (a 553 km triangle, flown as declared) taking 7.5 hours. Now to plan for Norfolk 2018.

Bikinis and shorts etc would be considered to be being overdressed on Ibiza... (sez he having been 13 times in a "respectable" area of Ibiza).

Well, my wife grew up near the North Sea town of Husum so salt marshes, harbours etc. are familiar to her. Even though its not such a great distance its still quite an effort & expense to get over to the UK (flight + hire car or own car + ferry & my wife hates ferries). Now that my parents are both gone we no longer have a cheap "base" to stay in the UK. Last UK visit was for a weekend in January 2014 to attend a 100th birthday celebration (of the lady who looked after me when my mother had to go back to her teaching job to help feed the family, may father at that time not getting much as an assistent lecturer at Sheffield University - a lowly grade that no longer exists I understand). Before that we had a week in the Lake District.

First contact? Authur Ransome's Coot Club at the age of 9 or 10. Visited Broadland several times in 1960s & early 70s. Parents used to hire a riverside "cottage" (Thurne, Repps, Ranworth) & several times we hired a half-decker from Martham Boat Dev co. Been a Life Member of the Broads Society for ages. Employment moved me to the Hamburg area of Germany "for a year" in 1982 & been here ever since. Haven't sailed on water for many years (German girlfriend & I did capsise in a Laser II 30 years ago whilst on Majorca - but she still married me). However I've been sailing "through the air" for over 30 years, now with 1200+ hours on gliders/sailplanes. I learnt the language & how to fly at the same time. I'm also involved in the organisation of the sport in Germany (on a voluntary basis). We intend to visit Broadland at some stage to show my wife the magic of the Broads. We'll hire a motor cruiser as I don't trust myself to hire a yacht. Problem ist I'm rather tall (over 6' 4"). We are probably looking at September 2018 by which time I'll be retired.