kpnut

Mine does this soulful moan that comes from deep down in his chest somewhere. As you say, tugs at the heartstrings, unless in the middle of the night when it’s just annoying! Saying that, the only time he seems to do it now is if I leave him at home. He’s so used to being with me everywhere, especially as he loves the car so easy to take him. I get out of the door and the morning starts. It only lasts a couple of minutes nowadays though. When I left him on the boat to go to Roy’s this summer I did warn the folk on the next boat not to worry if they heard him!

Seren is just my ideal collie, she’s such a bonnie and bright eyed dog. Pozzick seems happily settled, he must be one laidback dog to have taken the past few weeks in his stride so we’ll. 🤞for tonight.

Good luck tomorrow Helen. Photos needed!!!!!

I’ve very much enjoyed your tale, thanks for taking the time to write it. It’s always interesting reading about different itineraries etc.

As OBB says, outside and on neutral territory, so not your garden and nowhere that Seren is so familiar with that she thinks of it as her own. Do you have one of those fields you can hire for half hour near you? Round here they cost £5 or so for half hour exclusive use. You’d then be able to let them off lead for a few mins at the end if they are unfazed by the initial meet and lead walk together. You are right to be nervous, it’ll help to keep you attuned to their body language. Don’t show the dogs your nervousness though! But what an awesome thing to offer him, Helen.

You've just made me cry Helen xx

Ooh, good luck Helen. He does look a most beautiful dog. Can you cope with all the shed hair?

I’m so glad I’m not the only one! I confessed too, on my holiday blog last week after travelling from Ranworth to Salhouse.

I don’t think it’s only fisherman who should be concerned. From bottom up, aquatic plants, invertebrates, and upwards through the food web, the whole Broads ecosystem will have been, or will be affected. That also has implications for water quality and clarity, silting etc. and eventually to navigation. I have no idea of the types of things that could be done and even if it would be worth doing in the short term as the long term prognosis is for change to the area. When change happens slowly, species adapt. It’s the sudden episodes that cause the imbalances in the system. I did put in my holiday blog on Saturday that I was so shocked that the water near Stokesby tasted of pure sea water, even a slight taste at Ranworth, but then again, I don’t make a point of going round tasting the water!

Long day Grendel. It was a good evening, Jean kept us guessing with the US states theme.

It’s no good the sun coming out before mooring for the final time on your trip. It just makes the feeling of desolation even worse!!

Hi Lulu, I ought really to have something, don’t you think? I’ll think what might work! I do have two houseplants to keep the boat colourful. I was going to have a hanging basket but daughter Catherine said it’d be a risk-too risk averse these youngsters!! She didn’t like the cucumbers trailing on the deck last summer either.

What a tale and I hope a happy outcome. Not all dogs would want to be hauled around on a river and into a kayak or a boat. I wonder if he’s used to these things already? Good on Seren for taking it in her stride too.

A trip up to Neatishead for a walk to Alderfen Broad was the order of the morning, but we didn’t find it did to me trying to follow my nose instead of the map. While out, it didn’t even occur to me to use the maps on my phone, just shows how out of touch with technology I am! The obligatory pressie shop at the Fudge lady, back to the boat for lunch, and we set off for our final cruise-the service trip to Sutton Staithe boatyard for fuel £1.72/L and round to Kingfisher quay at Richardson’s for pump out. My tomatoes are about finished, so I’ve dismantled them ready to take the gear home for winter. All of a sudden, the summer season seems to have gone. I’ll be taking the bedding home to swop to the winter quilts for the next trip. Over the two weeks I’ve been out, the engine has done 2.3 mpg or 10.5 mpg.

Oh Helen, bless you indeed. Hope he finds his home.

Tuesday 20th Sept Aim of the day-to show my ‘newbie’ guest, Joy, the Bure up as far as Wroxham Bridge and then get up the Ant to wildmoor. So a fair way today. A quick visit to the shop to buy something for our tea, I think he’s winding down the stock ready for the winter closure as there was very little to be had, and a few training exercises on the grass for the dog seeing as it wasn’t too full of goose poo. There were two pieces of bread and butter that he retrieved at one point, but he was good enough to leave them when asked, and a word with John and Eileen on Jemaki while filling with water. Leaving Ranworth we travelled steadily up the Bure, chatting and watching the wildlife and admiring the big houses. At one point we got talking about mudweighting, I pointed over to where the weight lives on the front of the bow and -shock, horror - it wasn’t there. I’m now going to embarrass myself by admitting I’d forgotten to pull it up at Ranworth!!!! We were just passing Salhouse Broad so I pulled in there, came to a stop, got Judith to reverse slightly and the line came up so easily that I thought the weight wasn’t on the end! No harm to it apart from losing a bit of its nice silver paint someone had put on it at some point in the past and I’m hoping someone reading this will re-assure me that I won’t have done any damage to my hull. I didn’t hear any banging sounds while going along, nor for that matter, feel any drag, and I’m usually quite sensitive to how the engine’s performing. Fingers crossed no harm done, just a learning experience. The knots must have been pretty good ones! On to Wroxham bridge where, as I turned in front of it Judith took a photo of the gauge to post on here, but it was a bit far away to see clearly on a photo. It was 6’5” at 12.30pm. Low water was not until about 4ish. I knew I wouldn’t get through this week anyway, so no worries there. After the mudweight episode, I decided to try my hand at mudweighting for the first time. So back we went to Salhouse for lunch. A quick stern-on to the quay without mooring to let the dog off for a wee, then out to the other side. I thought I’d line up with a tree on the bank to use as a reference point in case I did it wrong and we were dragged off somewhere else We gave enough room for swinging round and enjoyed the most relaxing, peaceful time I’ve had in the boat so far, eating lunch while drifting about. I’m surprised how much we swung round. I’m definitely doing this again! Then just a matter of a meander back to find a mooring up the Ant, passing Mouldy and Debbie with Norfolk Lady at Horning church mooring. Hope you enjoyed a peaceful evening, I love it there. We ended up at Neaves Mill. I was mightily shocked to read a sign at Ludham bridge when we went down there for a walk, that said water is now £4 a fill. I for one won’t be doing that. Is this a sign of things to come there now the development site has been sold at auction in June? And if got me pondering about the moorings on that bank? There are no BA 24hr mooring signs on that bank so do they not own/manage them? If not, I wonder how long the moorings on that bank will stay as they are. We were soothed by the sound of a gentle waterfall gushing from the drainage pump for over three hours during the evening. The marsh dykes must be full.

While watching on the small tv screen on the boat and therefore not seeing anything clearly, it was ‘just an occasion’ to me. But now, seeing the photos on the bbc website of the total sadness on the faces of those in the Royal family it finally hit home. And I’m glad it has.

Very intriguing Jean! I’ll be there.

We didn’t set off from that wild mooring till after lunch. Thanks for the heads up about ‘Pedro’s basin’ water tap, I’ll take a look next time I’m that way and report if it works or not. I don’t think I’d have stopped at bridgecraft if I’d had to go stern on in that wind. We decided today to try for a mooring at Ranworth, not my favourite spot by a long chalk, but I could do with topping up the batteries a bit on the electric. So we set off earlier than usual (9 o clock is early god us!). And we got the only space at the time, down the side dyke. Soon after, a number of others became available so perhaps we were a bit early for the ‘vacancies’ but I didn’t want to be out on the rivers during the funeral. We rigged up the TV, signal was a bit intermittent each time the boat moved too far. We sat and watched and the dog was very reverent too. I think he hadn’t got a clue what was going on so just stared at us and dozed off. We sang the hymns, I sang the one anthem I knew, hope I didn’t upset the neighbours! And we watched some of the procession afterwards while eating lunch, but after a while I couldn’t take any more band music, much as I love it, so we went out for a walk to Ranworth church, where we noticed a book of condolences for anyone who wishes to write in it. Then we followed the lane towards Woodbastwick, turning left at a junction, up to the end to a slightly bigger road and after about 200yards turned left to Panxworth Tower. The footpath from there back to Ranworth is lovely, if a bit worrying as you walk through someone’s garden at one point. Turning left onto the road and taking a right turn along the track soon after, on the bend, takes you round through the woods with minor glimpses of South Walsham Broad through the trees (it’s a better view in winter). It comes out on the lane that leads back to the staithe. There are new signs up along the lane, saying SSSI and Malthouse Broad conservation area. A few small bits of info, but not really telling you much. Hopefully soon, there’ll be a proper board up with the aim of the work etc. Everyone here at Ranworth seemed very respectful, just one boat moved during the service, which is nice to see, but in my book not an obligation to stay put. Down to personal choice really as long as what you do doesn’t impact on others.

I don’t think it knew either, Jean! Overnight had been peaceful, no bow slap but the wind did get up again after dawn. I had a lovely surprise early on as I looked out and saw Helen on Water Rail going past on their way to G.Yarmouth. Over breakfast the wind dropped again. Our morning walk was 2 3/4hours and 6 miles or so long. We decided we’d walk to Acle via Tunstall Dyke and back round via Acle Dyke after visiting the co-op. Firstly along the river in the Stracey Arms direction as far as a pump house, listening to the guns of a clay shoot that often seems to take place in the nearby wood on a Sunday. The dog was completely unfazed. Along the dyke path and over the Acle Straight (that took ages and was a bit worrying!). The next path led over the railway line between Acle and Yarmouth until we reached a sign saying ‘permissive path to the Weavers Way’. That allowed us to cut the corner off. We followed that past a farm building, along a dyke between two fields of beautiful cows until eventually coming to a sign saying ‘railway station 1/4 mile’. I know the co-op is near the station so we went down that onto a lane, turned right at the end, under the railway bridge and to the co-op opposite the church. After a bit of shopping, we continued along the high street, stopping at the pub for a quick drink, on to Acle Dyke where we followed the right hand bank down to the river. I’ve done this walk before in reverse so knew it was Ok to walk down that side, but if it had been my first time I’d have been very intimidated by the signs on the gate-no trespassing, dogs worrying livestock will be shot, etc. To be sure of not getting on the wrong side of anyone, we hopped up on the concrete wall and walked along that, so as not to be trespassing on the track just to the side of us. Silly really! It came eventually to a more obvious path and down to the river where it was then an easy walk back down to the boat. We’d stayed dry all the way round but before long the wind got up again and it was raining hard. Lunch followed the same pattern of cheese, ham, salad etc and then we left this lovely mooring to make our way up to Bridgecraft to fill with water. I was dreading mooring there in all the wind, but we managed ok and carried on up the Bure, very choppy in places depending on the compass direction we were facing. There were so few boats on the river that j surmised they all moored up early and hunkered down away from the wind, so I wasn’t surprised to find no room along Fleet Dyke. We had a trip round the broad and then went back down to the wild moorings along the Bure near the pumping stations. We moored up in the dry, by the time I’d got back in to let the dog out it was raining again, on and off through the early evening until a front passed over and left a beautiful clear sky behind it and we were treated to a lovely sunset again. So you see Jean, you never know what’s in store!!!!!

Pleased I spotted you this morning Helen. I had looked up slack time at G. Yarmouth and thought you’d probably pass me between 8 and 8.30, which you did. Id opened the curtains and had meant to keep a better watch and been ready to take a photo, but I was brought a cup of tea in bed (sofa bed) and sort of forgot! It was just luck I looked out at that precise moment! Glad to hear you safely got over and moored up. Are you north again next week or staying closer to base?

The riverbank footpath from Womack Dyke to Potter Heigham has been cut, and an excellent job made of it too, celebrations all round. This was one of the ones I’d reported, but wouldn’t like to say whether it had made a difference. No rain all the way to Potter Heigham but as soon as we got into the dog friendly room (which I didn’t know existed till this morning) at Bridgestones, the heavens opened again. No matter, we were nice and snug with our hot chocolate and coffee. It was busy and all tables were full. When the others went off to introduce themselves to Lathams, a group came in but with no tables free were leaving again, so I vacated our table for them. The river was nearly overtopping the quay heading at the 24hr moorings, it was 1/2 hour off low tide. We walked back the same way as I wasn’t sure how muddy the footpath that skirts the fields would be. I had wanted to walk back along the far side of Herbert Woods moorings, then taking a left turn through a wood to come back onto the river path behind the chalets, following it along to the end of the chalets and past the private stretch of mooring before turning right over the pumping station bridge, up the track and turning left along that path back to emerge at Hunters Yard, but knowing that both the wood and that footpath can get very muddy, decided against it. We met a delightful young springer spaniel taking her owners for a walk from Womack Dyke moorings, but as usual Finlay wasn’t interested in playing no matter what the pup did to entice him. We’d got a drenching as we left Potter but by the time we were back the sun was out and our waterproofs were dry. After a salad lunch, we set off, destination a bit unknown, but somewhere down the Bure. Boundary Farm moorings were free but we’d only just set off, Upton Dyke end had virtually no posts or quay heading showing with the high water level, I thought about the end of Upton Dyke on the staithe, glad I didn’t try it as Helen on Water Rail posted on her thread later that it was full, Acle seemed full on the 24hr side, Hall Farm moorings were nearly overtopping, so the choice was Acle Bridge Inn, the old Pedro moorings or carry on. I fancied seeing if the wild mooring just before Stokesby was free and knowing we had plan B to fall back in, we carried on. It was free and I’ve decided it’s a super little mooring. After tea, an investigation was conducted-we’d read about a salt surge and put it to the test by sampling the river water. Oh my word, it was saltier than the sea!!!!!! Poor fish and invertebrates is all I can say. What a beautiful evening after such a windy, wet day.

And to think I was thinking of giving the staithe at Upton dyke a go as I was feeling brave about turning at the end and thought it’d be sheltered. We’re down on the wild mooring just before Stokesby. It’s still blowing a bit, not sure if I actually need any lines as we’re pinned to the bank! Lovely sunny evening.

Don’t tempt me! Thankfully I’ve walked down here from Ludham. Now sheltering in Bridgestones from yet another heavy shower about to come over-getting very dark outside.

Taken about 10.50 this morning at Potter Heigham. Low water at 11.50.