kpnut

Seems to be a bit deserted everywhere. Only 2 boats at Hoveton viaduct moorings and no boats on the water. Hardly anyone around on the roads or in the shops. Went to wroxham Barns where car park was about 1/3 full. Got some very tasty cheese there. Candle Dyke and up to Hickling and Horsey was my most magical trip yet, in early April. Hope to replicate it sometime, but looks like not this week.

Thanks for that Jean, I might pop there this afternoon as I’m stuck for something to do while waiting for my holiday buddy to arrive in the morning. It’ll save me looking around for little jobs onboard and then not finishing what I start!!! Will report back whether I found it more like your report or Floydrasers.

First post, following Ynys Mon’s appeal for new tales, not that I think my jaunts will be particularly exciting -they are for me, but I’m not the world’s most creative author. A bit of history - I got the boat in spring 2021, following Richardson’s having sold Silver Gem 7 on to someone who unfortunately had to move her on during the covid restrictions. If that person is on this forum and reads this, many thanks and I’m looking after her! An orange bathtub, a Horizon 35 and I moor her at Richardson’s. I’ve managed some cosmetic diy over the year so she now feels like mine inside, the exterior needs some work when money and time allow. Often it’s just me and the dog, a springer of course, but friends and family come as often as possible, including my dog’s brother. Hubby has managed one trip, but no so besotted with boating as me and not totally fit and well at the moment. He’ll be coming for ‘mechanic-ing’ trips in future. I used her for 19 weeks last year and fully intend to carry on in a similar fashion. I really enjoyed the NBN meet last month, thanks to all for making us so welcome, even if Tony did hide inside, on the pretext of doing jobs, most of the time. So now this first logged trip. Arrived yesterday, making excellent time as the Sutton bridge roadworks had been cleared, no doubt temporarily for the long holiday weekend. First job, to fill the water and give the tank its annual treatment. Draining it now while I write this - what a waste of water, I really feel ashamed of that!! Cleared the leaves accumulated on the table as somehow dust and leaves get in through the sunroof but rain doesn’t. Not quite sure how that happens! Everything else as I left it. Had used 9p per day on the electric, running dehumidifier and battery charger, I can cope with that outgoing to keep the boat dry and fresh. I had a quick trip to Lathams to get a cheap airbed as I have 3 single guests later this month and no-one fancies sharing a small double bed. The boat has 3 double berths, I would have liked one with one bed that splits into 2 singles, but think I would have needed a bounty 37 for that. I had annoyingly forgotten to bring an airbed from home for me. Better to realise now than when they get here I suppose. No luck at Lathams, so had to go to Norwich camping down at Blofield. Also thought I’d treat the boat to a new blanket for the sofa where the dog sleeps, but again, couldn’t really find what I wanted. Must be a record for Lathams to not have stuff! Plenty of what I didn’t want though. Then a dog walk. Down the track that runs east from the far end of Lathams carpark, along to Candle Dyke, down to the Martham junction and back along the river at the back of the chalets. Can’t have been more than 2 1/2 miles, took 1 hour15 so allow that or a bit longer for an amble if you are wanting a walk from P.H.moorings. Not a puddle of mud in sight! Spoke to the bridge pilot to assess chance of going through bridge on Tuesday, answer was ‘Doubt it as rain forecast etc and nothing over 6’7” has been through lately”. I need approx 6’9”, although that has reminded me to see if I can measure it for myself today. Photos of the walk, on the wild and woolly side of the bridge. Lulu, P.H.awaits your presence. Good luck. So shopping done, back to boat to make beds up in readiness for an old friend from young farmers club days arriving Monday morning for an 8 night holiday. She’s my oldest boating buddy, we’ve explored just about everywhere apart from above Potter and Wroxham bridges. So it’ll be Coltishall direction on Tuesday I think. One improvement we have made since having the boat is to put an extra heater vent in the back bathroom (is that called the aft heads?). So now, if I shut the other vent outlets down, and blast the whole heat in there with the door shut, I have a convenient drying room for wet dog towels etc. Works a treat! So that’s it till the start of my travels tomorrow. We had plenty of rain last night, but doubt that’s the last of it. This time last year on a hire boat (booking leftover from the year before’s lockdown), it was 24C and wall to wall sunshine. Oh well.

I thought the light show was superb. I especially liked the swan, horse etc floating through the air.

Another Friday’s come round quick! Working hard to get all jobs done; allotment, garden and house, before I set off early in the morning for more or less the rest of June on the boat. On schedule to be joining quiz at 8.30 on the dot!

On average, over the year including diesel heater in winter, that’s about what my bmc1.5 has done too with my horizon 35ft. I use os map and old fashioned measuring wheel to measure mileage.

Welcome Will and family. I too bought an ex Richardson’s boat and certainly haven’t regretted it. Feels like mine now rather than hire boat after doing some work. This forum is the friendliest of places, with advice, good blog reads, bright minds and fun. Enjoy your boating.

Keep them coming Lulu!

I might pluck up the courage on my next trip. Am going for a week or so with an old friend who’s shared many hire boating trips with me, and then 3 newbies, school friends from way back when. I’m not a very exciting author though to be honest.

Wasn’t a bright yellow Richardson’s boat, maybe Melody or Orion, by any chance? He seemed to want a particular mooring spot at How Hill (plenty more were available) and dived across the river full throttle to get into it ahead of a boat coming the other way, leaving the other boat no room to go anywhere apart from into the spot that ‘angry man’ wanted. Only a lot of smoke out of his exhaust prevented a certain high speed collision!

It was me Warren, on Springers Retreat. On our way back from the meet to our home mooring at Stalham. I can highly recommend a stop to visit the azaleas and rhodo’s at how hill secret garden on your way back down. Think you’ll find quite a few more forum members up the Ant this afternoon. Have a good holiday. Kate

Good to hear you’re underway again. Rather a hefty bit of litter picking there.

There was a mug on the yellow water hose box. Debated whether to take it in case it belonged to someone or leave in case it belonged to someone still moored there. I’ll drive round and have a look tomorrow, didn’t look much like an octopus mug though, rather more flowery. Why am I so tired? Thinking of anyone with a long drive home, take care. Thanks to Andy boateyman, Simon and Griff for sorting out my door jammed shut. Wonderful meet up, so great to get to know a few people I share the rivers with.

Morning. Very excited, if a bit apprehensive. Lovely morning at cockshoot. Soon to take Finlay out and sort ourselves out.

I hope I do see you around next week. I’d love to meet you and those dogs of yours!

Oh right, thanks. I might have seen something like that and thought it was something electrical. Neat-looking appliance.

You wouldn’t want my engine, although I love her! Bit oily, and past her best. Heater control in front of saloon, next to sofa and heater exhaust also points towards sofa being the place. I’m intrigued and will look again when I get there later in the week. Many thanks everyone.

Yes it works very nicely and I go round listening out. I thought it was behind the sofa but it wasn’t, then under the bed but didn’t spot it there either, although trying to hold the mattress up at the same time as looking was tricky. Not sure how big the thing I’m looking for actually is. It’ll be obvious once I know! This is the same person who used to think that the ‘warm air heating’ was just using the heat from the engine to warm the air as I’d been told during hire handovers I needed the engine running to use it! I think cake might be a better ‘reward’ (bribe), wine is a bit of a mystery until each bottle is opened. Hope I’ve picked some good ones.

For the engine or for the refreshments Grendel???? and Helen, a son wanting to visit is a real treat! Xx

Cakes made ( hope they survive ok till saturday, think I’ll freeze and fill later) Homemade wine, 3 flavours to try -check Homemade Blackberry liqueur - check. Just need to get ourselves there now. Looking forward to meeting you all. Tony’s (hubby) first time on the boat since I bought it last year. He’s really coming to sort out a gearbox oil leak and hopefully convert the oil filter ( which I think is also leaking) to a spin-on. He’s worked on plenty of tractors in his working life, but not in the confined space of a boat! Any advice at the weekend is most welcome. And if anyone can locate my diesel heater for me, that’d be a bonus. Not sure what I’m looking for to be honest!!! Kate