MaceSwinger

You can institute as many rules, regulations, checks and balances as you want. You can legislate for this and that. You can apply stiff penalties for those who contravene those rules... But you will never stop idiots from chinning all of it off and doing as they please. You can't legislate for stupid, and as has been said so many time before "build something idiotproof and they'll just build a better idiot". I think the yards could possibly do more. In many years holidaying on the Broads there have always been two yards that stick out to me as having customers who go everywhere at full chat (in a cloud of diesel smoke), generally making a nuisance of themselves and are generally unpleasant to be around. Not all their customers I hasten to add, but what I would argue is a statistically significant amount of them. I'll not name the two yards.

There are a couple of country parks local that have huge car parks that are never full. The roads around are of course, because our local borough and county councils (Charnwood and Leicestershire respectively) like to screw every penny out of people. Parking charges are ridiculous.

Absolutely! No doubt of course that they'd want to follow suit though, if what many people think of the BA is to be believed. I can't help but think if they banned cars and forced visitors to rely on public transport in and out, and of course within the park itself, then it'd kill a lot of areas off. I love the Lakes but if you were to tell me I had to park up at Shap and get the bus in and around I don't think I'd bother any more. That's a hotel or campsite, boat tour operator at Windermere, restaurants, shops and all sorts that have lost business. I doubt I'm alone in that attitude, either. Conservation coming before enjoyment will work to a point, but not when an area is dying off and everyone is becoming unemployed!

A Fijian chap I very often see in the smoking area at work (before I packed it in in December that is) is of a similar opinion. Fiji had only 4 cases, all of which were Chinese nationals that the Chinese government had transferred to the island because they paid for the hospital. He had to make the heartbreaking decision to spend Christmas in the UK, his adopted second-home nation, but not at all where he wanted to be. Epidemic becomes pandemic through travel. What was it I read? The virus can't move. We move it. A friend of mine from work decided, for reasons known only to her, to bugger off to Spain last March. She was rounded up at the hotel and sent home ultimately. I heard to rifting my sergeant major gave her from the other end of the building

This is my thinking, I'd be rather irritated too. Most of the boats I've found that would be suitable for me all need the galley redoing, which could mean a fair amount of cutting and power tooling! The still offer hard standing, but make no mention of whether it's just for storage or for projects. @BroadAmbitiona wetshed berth at Ricko's would be fantastic, although I suspect it would be prohibitively expensive for me!

I was based at an RAF station near Bedford for a few years, during which time I was the workshop manager for the motor club. I simple oil change could take 3 hours by the time you've finished chatting to everyone!

A beautiful version of that song, and different enough to the Tears For Fears original for it not to ruin said original. The problem with all these "talent" TV shows is it never comes down to talent. It always comes down to marketability and/or who's got the best sob story. Shows like that really have watered down the music industry. It might be childish, but I always bought the nominated single to keep the X Factor muppets from the number 1 spot.

Any info is helpful! Funnily enough, Wayford Marine are one I've scribbled details down for (not sure why...I'm nowhere close to buying yet!) but the fact they do 6 monthly packages on hard standing and moorings is very helpful. Plus I'd already decided that my first choice of moorings would be top of the Ant, either at Wayford or Stalham. Both Broads Edge and Broads Marina at Wayford are very reasonably priced compared to the ridiculous amounts wanted by Horning Ferry, WRC and a few others!

Cheers Smoggy, that's actually surprising to hear. Encouraging too, as I'd always said that any boat I buy will be a project. I don't see the point in buying something finished when the likelihood is there'll be something I want to change still. I'd rather buy something that's serviceable but is a little ratty and refit as and when I have chance!

As I continue trying to build up some background knowledge on ownership, I find myself with another (possibly bone) question. I very often scout through what's for sale with NYA, NBS, Waterside and the like, and very often find boats I like the look of, but have things that I'd want to change. My question is, how do marinas usually feel about you DIYing your boat on your mooring? I realise it's a very general question, but I can't imagine somewhere like Broads Edge being too thrilled with the noise of you refitting your galley right there on your mooring. Sorry for what may be quite a daft question, but hey, got to start somewhere! (I have thought about hardstanding too, seems like a good option, especially if one was to buy an un-tolled boat later in the toll period)

I tried, and failed, to find any info on that boat just last week. I was desperately trying to make out it's name (it looks like 'Souvenir') on Barnes' webcam

Don't get me wrong, I fully and wholeheartedly understand why they were so popular. The lead guitarist of a band I used to sing with was crazy for them, saw them live God knows how many times. Justin Hawkings is also a properly funny bloke when you see him interviewed!

I have to confess...I absolutely loathe The Darkness despite so badly wanting to like them. I can appreciate them for what they are, but they're certainly not something I'd usually listen to! That said I'll have a listen later when I can turn the speakers up...the other half works nights for Amazon and is fast asleep!

I drove past it last September on a bit of a detour from Burgh Castle up or Ormesby St Margeret (for the Smokehouse, good food) and remember what a wonderfully striking building it was. Around here old buildings don't have to be torched, the council are only too happy to see buildings torn down if it keeps the uni and students' landlords happy

I looked briefly at my summer leave period (back end of July and early August) and it's very slim pickings already. The big family "float" that we have is booked for next summer, we decided not to even try this year just in case it gets binned.

Judging by Craig's database Mercury Princess was ex-Aston Mercury, and the other was indeed Sabre Princess, a Seamaster Zonda 813 that was formerly Aston Sabre.

Looking at Google Maps, the point where that picture was taken is marked as Loddon Quay. Now I wonder if the staithe the post card refers to is actually the slipway and surrounding area, rather than the basin opposite?

Crikey, looks quiet for August! (2011)

The fact Piers Morgan still has a career in the media after the amount of phone hacking and shady dealings that went on on his watch baffles me. The man should be a pariah for that alone, let alone the way he conducts his "interviews" now.

Possibly because it was the same old faces who made an enormous drama out of everything instead of kicking off about the things that really did need addressing. The problem being that people eventually just started switching off and ignoring them as it was non-stop. Not to mention that at the same time some of the people they get lumped in with were trying to circumvent a democratic decision which would likely get backs up too. To be clear I'm really not trying to play devil's advocate, we saw (and continue to see) disgraceful behaviour from both camps.

I'm well aware. What I'm saying is that it shouldn't be the case. As I said in a previous post, I'm all in favour of freedom of the press, but all they do is abuse that freedom by publishing, at worst, outright lies. They clearly aren't accountable enough for it.

That's just the problem for me, they shouldn't be. The media should be there to provide calm and neutral coverage of important events and facts.

I can't make any promises re. playing with my band, unless you're willing to join up However, I plonked it out on the piano earlier, and with a flat thrown in and some minor tweaking there's actually something there I could use, and plan on doing! As a side note, the way you've noted it is very similar to how old monastic chants were written, with no guidance as to rhythm but clear notation on pitch. If you've ever looked at the antiphoner in Ranworth St Helen's you'll know exactly what I mean. Edit: The Ranworth antiphoner possibly isn't the best example, but yours is very similar to an older way of writing Gregorian chants.

She'll not be lonely down there, she has Joan and Brian (my late grandparents) for company! Lovely poem

Wow, what a response! I've been offline for a few hours while I drove from Loughborough back to camp for a couple of days but it's wonderful to see such a lively conversation going about this. @Smoggy you've absolutely cracked me up so far, especially the pump out remark! @SwanR you're certainly not alone. A few years ago James May actually put a band together (on his Man Lab series I think) made up entirely of lapsed musicians. The results were very interesting. @Vaughan and @JennyMorgan definitely feeling Surlingham Ferry, one of my favourite stops down south. My one and only stop at Beauchamp didn't blow me away sadly. Although I do remember their bouncy castle very literally getting blown away one year! @AndyTBoater that is absolutely superb, and when I can get to a piano tomorrow I'm genuinely interested to see what that melody sounds like (I wish I had perfect pitch and could sing it off, but I'm a glorified drummer!)