marshman

Don't think precision and tides go together!! Firstly tides cannot read and in the Broads, there are many many factors that can have an impact - I think around midday is going to get as close as you can get. And even more importantly, I think the Aweigh app uses the assumption of 6hrs of flood followed by 6 hours of ebb - as you would expect at sea. However on the Broads, for what its worth, I tend to believe in normal conditions, you can often only get 5 hrs of flood and then 7hrs of ebb because of the freshwater coming downstream. Remember too we are on neaps too so without a flood warning, you would expect less rise and fall. For what its worth, I reckon around midday or perhaps a bit earlier, but in fact it could be anywhere between11.30 and about 13.00!!! That any help????

I didn't put that on as newcomers might be stuck into the dyke on the other side opposite the existing moorings - thats not especially handy!!

Hunters? Whispering Reeds Hickling? Horning Hall moorings? The moorings at S Walsham Broad? But you will not get a look in unless you go round and see these people and have a natter. This question of moorings comes up a lot and the answer is always the same - do the legwork, have a natter and a chat and you will find a space. Phoning and emails are generally a waste of time, I promise! P.S. sorry about the misunderstanding on "free"!!!!

Why would you expect free moorings? Someone is providing you with a service, so generally there is a cost! What size are you after may give some help and where on the system do you want it? Generally yards do not respond readily to phone or email, but you need to get around and ask a few1 That will help and probably produce results. Welcome by the way!

Why didn't you message him to come round again, only closer, slower and lower?

Almost certainly a bittern - no sure why you would think it otherwise? As Vaughan said, could be a young one, with the plumage not fully developed- bitterns in flight are more "stumpy" and although they are smaller than herons, marginally, it is not always apparent when they are standing erect in the reeds. There are certainly more sightings of bitterns these days as they have become more common and it is certainly, very much, bittern territory. Unless you were quite close , you might not spot that it is a little smaller but like humans, birds vary in size and there is very little else it could have been!

There might be an oily sheen, but I suspect many yards have that as the merest drop will spread for a long way - not sure thats classed as contaminated! Before holding tanks I can see your point but what they are doing is not exactly cleaning muck with muck Mops go below the sheen and whatever you say, here in the East usage of any drinking water is a waste. Especially now in many cases they no longer always use boreholes as it depletes the aquifer. To my mind drinking water is drinking water, not necessarily exclusively for washing down boats!!!

But in fact the Ship was not wet led. Pre Colchester Group it was a superb but small restaurant where the chef changed the menu daily/weekly and I guess beer sales were minimal. Eventually however he then moved away to a larger establishment which is still very successful ,operating almost exclusively as a restaurant - with a couple of bar stools and they now have two similar operations , probably well known to local diners. Not cheap but who wants plastic menus - not me!!!!

Midweek you should not have a problem as there are plenty of wild moorings between the Wayford / Stalham junction and with midweek not being a major turnover day, you will be spoilt for choice - it cannot be more than a 20 min cruise back from Wayford to that junction.

You ask a lot of a little old lady!!! No wonder at some stages she can feel a little knackered - don't forget you can overuse the old girls!!!

Thats what you call "squeezing" a business - expect nothing else from venture capitalists!!!

I knew this had been closed because of Covid, but I see its now up for sale /lease. Sad really as I always liked that pub - especially before it fell into the Colchester Group! Cannot believe that there is not an opportunity here for someone to get it up and running again- I know its small but we have lost a lot of these niche places and even with the problems of Covid cannot believe it would not work.

The Maid of the Mist is looking a bit sad these days - still there the last time I "looked" but many a long year since I have seen her out !!

Not unless the situation concerning the existing landowner changes! Above Honing Lock maybe, but not south towards Wayford unless I am very much mistaken. Used to get a cruiser up almost to the lock 50 years ago but its now a canoe preserve up their these days!! It would have to be a very small wherry - there are no little ones left!!

Doubt you would have issues accessing the staithe but to me always feels hemmed in and not a lot to see - mudweight just outside the dyke and enjoy the real beauty of the Broads. Always something going on yet tranquil!

Fritton?

So what is Sods First Law - never ever buy a boat??????

At my age, I am also beginning to get a bit mutton these days so you can shout - with my permission!!!

Usually 2l milk bottles will fit under - at least it does on ours!! Make sure you have an empty oil can handy as it will probably fill that - someone will tell you how much oil will be in BMC 1800. If you are doing it yourself all yards will have an oil tank for disposing of old engine oil - please use that an don't just empty it away anywhere. If you are brave enough to even think of attempting an engine service at this stage, it is probably best to let an engineer do your first one, and note carefully what he does before attempting one yourself!

When I was a mere lad, my first boat was an Enterprise and we all know they can be a bit tippy!! Especially compared to lugsail dinghies!!!! I launched at a yard in Brundall, where I was pretty well known, and on my first outing, solo as well, I had not gone 50 yds before I was dunked in the water before a grandstand audience!! Did the P & H Commissioners come to my rescue - no they would have been tucked up in their corner off Bargate!!! Did anyone from the yard do anything other than shout encouragement from the shore? To be fair I was wearing my brand new buoyancy aid - you know the yellow ones that laced up the front, and with a bit of encouragement and a few shouted, but contradictory instructions, managed to do the right thing and get it upright. I bailed like b*****y and paddled ashore to cheers from the boys . After that I was a bit more careful and rather than trying to impress onlookers, managed to make the right decisions and rarely capsized again, except once in a race off Hayling Island and then much later in a cat off Turkey from the trapeze, gracefully flying around the front of the boat attached to the trapeze wire when the skipper carelessly buried the leeward hull in a big wave!!! No one rescued me either time but I did learn a thing or two!!!! I always thought a premature dunking was part of the learning curve in a dinghy!!!

No but many people drive around with a dog on their lap and/or untethered in the back of their car - in an accident it could easily be propelled through the windscreen. Humans are secured, why not dogs???? Lets face it, people do everything stupid you can possibly imagine

Bit like drivers then - I wonder how most of us would fare in a current driving test!!!! I think we would mostly fail the theory, let alone the practical!!

Not sure it ever was like that - other than in peoples imaginations!!!!!

I have it on good authority that one well known yard made more money in 2020 than in 2019 - you should not always assume that you can guess these things!!

27mm of rain in Blofield Heath early evening yesterday - all in about 30min!