KevinB

Thanks Jean, I am a bit snap happy 😂

Wednesday 21st July Wednesday morning was another lovely sunny one, after breakfast I filled the water tank again , hoses are no longer attached to the taps at the yacht station, they are stored in the office and you take them back when finished. Canopy down and we were underway by 10am heading back north, I didn’t have a plan ( as usual 😂 ) but quite fancied Acle if we could get a space as we always enjoy a meal at the bridge inn. The river was pretty quiet, mostly WRC day boats heading down , we headed up the new cut again , made decent progress with the ebb tide, reached Breydon water at 12.15pm, met a few sailing dinghys with safety boats just past Berney arms, not sure where they had come launched from. We turned past the yellow post at 12.45pm and started pushing the tide, there was quite a few boats coming the other way higher than us, so knew we were ok leaving kayak on the roof 😂 Reaching Yarmouth yacht station I was surprised how busy it was, not seen it as busy in a long time, lots of boats double moored and no free spaces, glad we weren’t stopping there now and had made the right call stopping the previous week. We passed Stracey Arms at 2.20pm, thought about stopping a while to let the kids see the animals but it was quite busy and hardly a space free so we just pushed on to Acle. The bridge inn moorings were full and passing through the bridge I doubted we were going to find a mooring, Pedros basin was empty but didn’t fancy it, the 24h moorings were full till we got to the very end and found a space just big enough, perfect! We were moored up just after 3pm. Louise decided to try booking the bridge inn for tea later…we really should have tried earlier in the day and as expected they were fully booked and only serving outdoors due to staffing issues, pity as we always like it there ..second choice was Pedros, been there before too but I wasn’t overly keen, they were also fully booked. Bit of a problem as we had used up all the food on the boat really as just 1 day left! We relaxed on the boat a while and watched plenty boats go by, it’s a great spot to boat watch , we saw our boat from 2 years ago pass, Fair Royale 1, I wonder if they have fixed her badly leaking stern gland yet 🤔😂 Later on I checked online and saw there was a takeaway from Martham on just eat which would deliver, so food ordered and picked up by the bridge at 6pm 😂 food was ok ..but not up to Bridge inn standard, never mind hopefully next year! It was a lovely warm evening , we had a walk around then I launched the kayak again and took Ava for a paddle down past the bridge, we didn’t stay long as the current was quite noticeable and dads arms were getting sore! It was a beautiful evening and sunset, we kept the canopy back till it was dark, a few hang gliders were out flying around which was an usual sight. Still quite a few boats passed in both directions quite late on, I did wonder where they were going to get moored. Tomorrow was to be out last day… I was already dreading the sad cruise back to the yard 😭

Yes it’s always been a favourite of mine too, pity I missed the powerboat racing this year. I’ve never thought of going side on , would probably need to book that in advance as outer pontoon always seems popular. Thanks for the heads up about the train, I didn’t realise you could do that 🙈😂

I’ve always liked the yacht station moorings and outlook from Oulton Broad , but I can’t remember ever being at Lowestoft, apparently we went when I was very young by water taxi when it was still running 😂 We did think of walking there this year but decided against it

Tuesday 20th July We had a very quiet night at WRC, a couple of boats set off early but we were in no rush today. We headed to the pool again for 9am, another good swim, pity the jacuzzi was closed due to covid situation. It’s a good pool for the kids, not too big , they were limiting it to a maximum of 20 people for 45 minute slots , still plenty room to swim. We weren’t sure where to head today, obviously had to watch the days now for getting back to Stalham for Thursday night 😭 Oulton Broad powerboat racing has always been a highlight for me, lots of memories from family holidays in my childhood. I had been checking the racing schedule and Thursday 22nd was to be the first race , not really feasible for getting back to Stalham the same night 😂 I wondered if it was worth phoning the yard to ask if the boat was going back out on Friday or if it was Saturday….we could maybe get one more night..🤔 I already knew the answer as all fully booked but as there was some last minute cancellations due to the “pingdemic” and it doesn’t hurt to ask does it…so I phoned Richardsons and as expect the boat was going back out on Friday, the guy on the phone said it was worth asking but the only way I’d get extra time on the boat was if I stayed to clean it after we handed it back 😂 I declined that offer 😂 Knowing we could only really manage one more night south we debated whether to head to Oulton broad or Beccles as we like both, decision made, Oulton broad it is. After topping up the water again, we left WRC around 11am for the short cruise down to Oulton broad, river was very quiet apart from a few day boats, we arrived at the yacht station around half an hour later. The yacht station was very quiet, there was no other hire boats there when we arrived at all but quite a few nice private boats moored. The Wherry hotel moorings were fairly busy with more boats arriving, we have never moored there for some reason. Arriving at the yacht station I asked the attendant if it was ok to moor on the pontoon stern on to the broad , pity there wasn’t going to be any powerboat racing as it was an ideal mooring to watch it from. It was another hot day, so we relaxed on the boat a while and had lunch and watched the comings and going’s. The kids were desperate to go to the park so we headed off around 2pm, an ice cream being the first stop ..or in my case 2 😂 ( it was a hot day 🤣 ) Next they wanted on the rides at “the Boulevard” , I remember there being a outdoor pool here when I was younger, it seemed to have been mostly filled in and smaller bit left at the end and the rest turned into a beach where you paid to sit 😂 We then went a walk around the park and visited a couple of shops. It’s a pity the Spar shop closed, Louise was keen to make tea on the boat tonight and had nothing on the boat to cook, couple of small shops up the street didn’t stock much , we picked up a couple of things from Jeckells and decided to get a takeaway later. By 6pm a few more boats had arrived but only a couple of hire boats. We got pizzas from Flames just across the road from the yacht station , we had been there in previous years and it was always very good. We sat on the rear of the boat and ate them, very nice they were too. It was a beautiful night so the kayak was launched again and I took Leo for a paddle on the broad , Ava wasn’t keen tonight. It was a stunning sunset and I sat outside till late enjoying the peace and quiet, always something special about Oulton broad at night I think

Thanks very much Jean, glad your enjoying it Thanks 👍🏻 I’ve never had any problems with boats grounding in there before , possibly could do with a bit of a dredge out, but also water did drop quite a bit, had to lift the kids up to the quay I remember the outdoor pool well, spent a lot of time in it 😂 It was great, back in the day when you were allowed to moor in the marina right in front of it. I asked someone at Ferry marina a few years ago about the indoor pool, it is still there apparently, just been floored over and turned into the boat sales offices

What a great thread this is, so much knowledge and history

Thanks 🙂 Ah I didn’t know that about the church, that is very interesting, I must go and google it now 😂 we had a look inside and wrote in the visitor book

Monday 19th July After a very peaceful night, Monday morning was another lovely sunny day, we awoke to find a frog outside on the deck by the door, much to the kids delight, I lifted it into the long grass on the bank before we left. We decided to head for the Waveney river centre, it’s always a favourite stop for us, the pool and park is great for the kids and we all like it there. We left Rockland at 8.45am, I never book any moorings but did wonder after we left if I should phone to ask if there was space at WRC but as it turned out there was plenty moorings when we got there anyway. Leaving Rockland via the short dyke, I was surprised how many boats were moored there, seems a very popular spot for fishing. The yare was pretty quiet, met a few boats but it wasn’t until Reedham it started to get a bit busier only a couple of moorings free too. The new cut was fairly busy, steady stream of boats heading in both directions before turning onto the Waveney. The Waveney has always been a favourite stretch of river for me, I don’t know why as there isn’t really much to see but it always seems to feel a bit more remote and less congested. We arrived at the WRC at 12.15pm, there was plenty of free moorings, we got our “usual spot” 😂 last mooring on the left on the quay side infront of the tents. There was a few large private boats opposite and 3 Silverline marine boats which all looked immaculate. The tide was still ebbing when we arrived and I noticed a lot of sediment stirred up, a short while later I went to adjust the ropes slightly and we were actually hard aground in the mud. When we were last here 2 years ago they were in the process of installing water pipes and a new quay heading and I was pleased to see there was now hoses installed, much handier as there used to be only one on a meter at the river side, I topped up the tank again. We relaxed on the boat a while, kids went to the park then we walked to reception to pay for the night and see if we could book swimming as it was timed slots only due to covid situation. The slot were all booked for the day but they had space for the 2pm slot free, it was now just after 2pm so we quickly paid and nipped back to the boat to get changed. 45 minute slots so we still had plenty time in the pool , we booked again for 9am the next morning 😂 We booked dinner in the Waveney inn for 6pm, we had eaten here several times before and always liked it. It was another very hot day so we relaxed on the boat a while and took the opportunity to make use of the laundry facilities and got some washing done and hung on the boat to dry. The Waveney inn was very quiet, despite the amount of tents, lodges and caravans there was just another 2 tables inside and 1 outside occupied. The meal was ok but not that a great menu choice and they had ran out of a few things , quite pricey for what it was I thought and disappointing compared to the New inn at Rockland the previous night. After dinner we went for a walk around the park and noticed more lodges had appeared since our last visit, we walked along the road to visit the church , St Mary ,Burgh St Peter, it’s just along from the entrance to WRC. It’s a very unusual looking church seemingly in the middle of nowhere, but there are some recent graves here. We got back to the boat around 8.30pm , kayak launched again and I took Ava for a paddle around the marina and down the river a while, it was another beautiful quiet night. We sat at the stern of the boat till well after dark taking in the peace and quiet, such a lovely spot. No we can’t keep the frog!

Yes that’s right, that was us at Oulton broad, it was a beautiful sunset that night, we were at the top end of the free moorings at Acle opposite bridge craft and Irstead was our last day on the sad journey back to the yard

I twigged it was you aboard Forth Bridge after reading the forum that night , I wasn’t a member then only a browser 😂 We saw you a few more times that week at Oulton Broad, Acle and Irstead 😂

Can’t believe I hadn’t visited there for 20 years 🙈 I did notice a lot of fish at the surface at night , I also noticed that at Norwich this year, stocks seems to be very healthy! I have never fished on the Broads yet, doing it for a living it just doesn’t appeal to me on holiday 🤣

Thanks David, yes it certainly is a lovely spot, so nice just drifting in the kayak in total silence and to think we were only a short cruise from Norwich city centre! Like a different world. I can’t remember ever being up through Potter Heigham bridge sadly, I was too young to remember at the time, back in the day when the bathtubs went under no bother!

Sunday 18th July Sunday morning was a very sunny and hot one, after breakfast I topped up the water tank again and we headed down to the yacht station for a pump out, I had spoken with the attendant the day before and he said anytime after 9am was fine. The waste tank was reading 3/4 full, the one tank serves both heads but I noticed the one in the forward cabin was starting to smell a bit so time to get the tank emptied, I figured as we were over half way through our holiday now(😭 ) this one pump out should do us. We left the yacht station around 10.15am, the river was very quiet, we passed a number of moored boats by the riverside complex and a few rowers and paddle boarders as we left Norwich. It was a beautiful morning , the canopy was fully back , although I could have done with a bit of shade at the helm. I was thinking of having a look at Rockland St Mary to see if it was busy. Bramerton common moorings were around half full and looked a lovely spot to stop, there was a few large and impressive private boats moored there. Passing through Brundall , it was also very quiet , a few sailing dinghys about but no wind for them. Soon we were turning down fleet towards Rockland, the last boat I had taken down here was “Moonraker” from Moonfleet at Stalham, (now “Sun Emblem”) , just checked when she was built , year 2000 and she was only a few weeks old when we hired her at the time , so 21 years since I had last visited Rockland 😂 It was a lovely slow cruise down, we never saw another boat until we reached the broad when a small cruiser was heading towards the moorings from the short dyke. I don’t remember the stunning modern house on the left being there last time, certainly a very impressive building as was the Bentley! Arriving at the moorings there was plenty space and we got a nice spot against the posts, moored up at 12.30pm. It was very hot by this time and no breeze so some shade was called for , we had lunch and relaxed on the boat a few hours , Louise sunbathing, me trying to stay out of it! I could vaguely remember a kids play park here from my last visit, I was sure it was along the road on the right, we went for a wander along around 3.30pm, sure enough the park was still there where I remembered it 😂 ( memory is not that bad yet 😂 ) The kids loved playing at the park for a good while , it was still very hot. We walked back towards the Rockland inn and decided to see if we could book a table for dinner, table booked for 6pm we went back to the boat a while , by this time a few more boats had arrived , private and hired, but there was still more space. Heading back to Rockland inn we sat outside due to the heat, got a table with a parasol. The meal was excellent, great service and very friendly and attentive staff, they were very busy that day but still found time to chat , it was actually the best meal out we had all holiday. We will definitely make a point of returning there again. We got back to the boat ( just across the road 😂) around 8pm. I launched the kayak then took both kids in turn again a trip down the dyke and onto the broad. It was an absolutely beautiful evening , the water was like glass, not a sound except the birds, we drifted on the broad a while and just took it in, total relaxation, I started to think we only had 4 full days left now and the dread of handing the boat back and going home hit me. That was probably the most memorable night of the entire holiday for me, paddling across the broad with total silence , what a place the Broads are. 527327F2-1DC1-4027-9BC9-EF051D57C071.MOV Radio 2’s appropriate music 😂 FullSizeRender.mov

Great to hear “Lady Fishcake” is still around and still being enjoyed on the Broads 😎

We used to see a lovely looking private lowliner 44 often in the late 90’s / early 2000’s called “Lady Fishcake” , she was all white and always immaculate, we spoke to the owners a few times at various places, nice couple, not seen it in years, don’t know if it’s still on the broads

Thanks, yes it’s a good pool, we love Waveney pool too, that was one of our stops the next week 😂 We never think of going bowling when at home but it’s great fun

Thanks very much , always plenty to do. Didn’t see the Sealine lying there but there is a few “characterful”liveaboards moored further down

Saturday 17th July We woke up on Saturday to another nice sunny morning, forecast had it up to 28 degrees for the next couple of days and this proved to be the case. There was a bit of noise during the night which woke me a couple of times but no one else aboard heard anything 😂 We fancied trying to book swimming at the riverside leisure centre as we had been there every time we visited Norwich recently but read online it was pre booking only due to the current covid situation. Louise tried to book but unfortunately there was no slots available but put our name down on the reserve list in case of any cancellations. After breakfast, I decided to move the boat back down a bit to be closer to a hose and then topped up the water tank again, unfortunately the new mooring position lost all TV signal much to the kids annoyance 😂 I pulled the boat down a bit further to see if it made any difference but no joy, tree cover was blocking the satellite receiver. We hardly ever watch TV aboard but it’s good to keep the kids occupied at times, the radio on the other hand is never off! Monaco had a very good sound system. I gave the boat a good wash down and ran the engine a while for hot water. We decided to have a walk along to the riverside Hollywood bowl and see if we could go bowling as we had been there 2 years ago and the kids really enjoyed it. We left the boat around 11.30am and by now very hot and humid, we had a leisurely walk along the riverside to the bowling complex, it wasn’t that busy and luckily we were able to book 2 games. Great fun for the kids and adults alike, we also had lunch there, while we were Louise got an email saying a swimming slot for 4pm had become available so we booked that for later. We walked back to the boat via the co-op at the train station for a few bits, not that they stock much , the M&S there was temporary closed, both handy shops close to the yacht station for essentials. After relaxing on the boat a while we headed back along the riverside to the pool, I noticed quite a few boats moored along the quay there, both private and hire boats, I had read previously of boats been moved on from there and there are still no mooring signs but nobody seemed to bother them (and indeed the next morning when we were leaving several had been there overnight) It does seem a much quieter spot to moor but obviously has no fresh water or facilities ( and no mooring signs 😂 ) The pool was great, 45 minute slot was more than enough time , it’s a nice modern pool with good changing rooms and shower. The sauna/steam rooms were closed due to covid restrictions at that time. The whole riverside complex is nice with a good selection of restaurants and a busy Weatherspoon’s pub , we normally eat at one of the restaurants there but decided to eat on the boat tonight. When we got back to the yacht station there was a lot more boats moored there, both private and hired, still spaces but speaking with the attendant he said it was the busiest Saturday he had seen since he started working there. After tea I inflated the kayak and took both kids for a paddle again while contemplating where to head in the morning, I had no plan but a few ideas.

Thank you Thanks, yes I always think you can make a broads holiday as busy or relaxed as you want..one day you could be in a secluded spot tied to a tree then the next be in the centre of a bustling city, always plenty to see and do, no matter how many times you’ve been

Thanks ( I probably add too much photos!) yes the dinosaur was a nice surprise!

Friday 16th July After a very quiet night , boats were starting to move just after 7am, low water was at 8am ,it was a nice sunny morning we had lost the breeze we had the previous day. After breakfast I topped up the water tank again and we set off south at 8.30am. Canopy back but I left the screens and kayak on roof as I knew there was plenty clearance under the bridges. Soon we were turning past the yellow post and into ebb tide, Breydon water was surprisingly quiet, we only met a handful of boats the entire way. At 9.20am we turned right and headed up the Yare, passing through Reedham at 10.15am. I was surprised at the lack of boats on the go, given how busy the yards had reportedly been, only 3 or 4 boats at moorings at Reedham too. We passed the chain ferry without having to wait , then on through Brundall at midday, the usual impressive craft moored alongside and Brooms hire yard was empty. On the way into Norwich we were greeted by a number of canoes and kayaks and the kids had some friendly hellos and waves from them as we went along. The riverside at Norwich is much improved from the 90’s , the derelict run down factories have mostly been replaced by modern apartment buildings, not sure if I like the style of them or not but certainly a much more modern and tidy looking riverside, with more development currently underway. We were alongside and moored at the yacht station at 1.30pm, only a handful of boats were there and I got our “usual spot” 😂 just opposite Pulls ferry. I never tend to use the shore power as I find we don’t need it at all and haven’t even bothered purchasing cards the last few years, but I had a look at the meter beside us and there was 95 pence still on it so I plugged in 😂 I had a chat with the quay attendant and paid for 2 nights, Friday and Saturday nights probably not the best idea on Riverside road but we had done it before and knew about the noise risk. I have always like Norwich yacht station and the moorings ,tree lined banks and being right in the heart of the city, but the road noise does let it down and I seem to notice it more now than in my childhood. We had lunch on the boat and relaxed a while before setting off for a walk around 3pm. I deflated the kayak a bit and put it inside the boat before we left. After we crossed Bishop bridge we walked down the opposite bank past Pulls ferry towards the Cathedral. The kids spotted what appeared to be dinosaur foot prints at various points 😂 and a dinosaur trail , with large painted dinosaur all over the city, similar to what there had been a few years previous with the hares. The kids tried to find as many as they could and be photographed beside them 😂 It turned out “Dippy on tour” was in the cathedral, a Diplodocus skeleton cast from the natural history museum, this was a great surprise and the kids were delighted to see it ( as were we!) It was postponed from last year due to the pandemic and is well worth a visit , very impressive and being inside the cathedral makes it even more special, it’s there until end of October and had only been there 2 days when we visited. I always visit the cathedral when in Norwich, such an impressive building and so much history, we also like to light a candle there for my late father who sadly passed away 5 years ago, he absolutely loved the broads and his boating holidays. We then walked around the city a while, only visited a couple of shops (thankfully! ) as it was late in the day and most were closing. We headed back towards the river and came across Zaks America diner , right on the river just up from Bishop bridge, opposite Cow tower, we got a table outside and had a lovely meal there, the milkshakes being particularly good, I had to have 2 just to make sure 😂 Never eaten there before but will definitely return on our next holiday. We got back to the boat around 8pm, I got the kayak out and inflated it then took both kids in turn for a trip up the river , under the bridge to Cow tower then down past the Nelson. The riverside is much improved since the floating restaurant went and that area is now a canoe hire business, seems to be very popular, very nice place for a kayak in the evening, I was very glad I took it with us. By the time I went to bed around 11pm 4 different police cars had passed sirens blazing and a groups of youths were having a gathering on the opposite bank, it wasn’t going to be a quiet night! Leaving Yarmouth

Yes once half way through or so would( should) be fine

When we told we would need a pump out every 3 or 4 days during our handover this year , which I thought was crazy! I’ve never had to get a pump out more than once during all our 11 night trips so I was surprised to be told 3 or 4 days. The electric flush system does use an excessive amount of water in my opinion and I asked the kids not to use the full flush unless they needed to.. I got a pump out on the 7th day, the tank gauge was reading 3/4 but I’m not sure how much I would trust a gauge anyway..it’s easier to go by the smell 🙈😂

Thanks very much, glad you are enjoying