marshman

I agree totally with PW - do not people realise that nothing when it comes to this sort of thing is "free"?" If perhaps they had charged it would not be closed now? Its not as though these pub owners are rolling in cash! All I can suggest that if people do not want to pay, then they go and search out another mooring and leave a space for those who do. There will be plenty of other punters who will pay for the privilege of mooring adjacent to a pub offering immediate access to a place like the New Inn and on a maintained and safe mooring.

Whatever it is/was its still a hundred times better than the Broads were in the early 70's or before boats had holding tanks - my sister and I had a game called "count the condoms", although I doubt thats what they were called then!! And in any case, it may well be rather more about quality of reporting from our beloved local paper not best known for checking the facts before publication!!

Better still, take the old ones in and get them to replicate them - I would never trust myself to measure them correctly! Now a piece of wood or a tile is ok 'cos I can do it twice, but a set of say, 20 curtains? No chance!!!

Good blog - not going to argue with that otherwise I would not be still running a boat!! As they say, its the enjoyment that counts!!!!

Gays Staithe!!!!

My suspicion is that they may well be closed - there will be no supervision and if its not occupied, perhaps no valid liability insurance, therefore it will probably be at your own risk. At the same time, anyone mooring without any permission will actually be trespassing as well. Also you will undoubtedly get someone mooring side on, so it may be minimal mooring anyway!!!!

Like the garden shed attached!!!!!

My guess council owned and run - but BA monitored. Whatever that means!!

Is it listed or an ancient monument??????

That area where you suggest a new station is already scheduled for a major housing plus hotels etc development, but as always it will cost a huge amount of money. And it is actually a bit out of the way down there. There is no need for a new station - the existing one is fine and you would still have to cross the river so there would be no saving. However it desperately needs dualling - I believe traffic over that bridge is nearly at a maximum and they are struggling to squeeze more trains over it.

But there is nowhere even for seagoing vessels to moor either along that stretch - I cannot see any redevelopment of Colmans providing facilities for boats!! I think John is absolutely right and certainly a mooring downstream would solve other access issues.

Vaughan - I don't think I can smell anything apart from congealed fat! Probably an enormous fatberg in the bilge! I also think it is a bit far fetched to connect Trowse Bridge with the future of Reedham and Somerleyton directly - although I don't disagree that those bridges are a long term issue. But why on earth would you expect Norwich to ever reopen as a port? Or at least that bit above Trowse Bridge - there is nowhere to unload anything now! You mention Postwick Bridge as a hindrance but there are plenty of modern coasters with retracting bridges to use that could clear under Postwick but for what purpose? I wonder just how many times Trowse Bridge has actually opened in the last 10 years for example - it only gives access to a lot of flats and about 800 yards of river - we have to be realistic I think. There is a reason why Trowse Bridge was singled and it was probably to do with the electrification - but looking back I see the cost of a new bridge was projected at £75m even in 2014 and realistically I cannot see it ever being rebuilt, however much some might think it a good idea!

So the CRT do side cast dredging - but all of the time??? https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/specialist-teams/engineering/dredging/dredging-techniques Just as the BA do too - check Waxham Cut but that was because they had permission to do so I guess.

Do you expect them to reduce salaries too, Peter, and reduce reduce dredging and weed cutting, and Rangers services? Just see it as a relatively cheap way of relaxing and enjoy!!!!!

What percentage increase was it, compared to last years toll? Did you realistically expect it to go down?

Not entirely the last comment is entirely relevant to the OP!! I will take it as just a little drift! However I have said my piece as I think you are blaming the wrong people - you disagree but thats your prerogative!!! P.S. What sort of stand are you advocating by the way?

With the greatest of respect Peter, you and I know that that is extremely unlikely. By all means make that enquiry but when ever has an "individual" ever had authority over a national body. Its a bit like suggesting that your local council can control central government!

Two things occur to me - cannot see any reason not to pedestrianise the bridge. And PW, your memory must be slipping in that plough dredging has already been tried on the Bure, a number of years ago.Working at night? For double/ triple time?? There are enough holes in the nav account, without giving them the excuse to find more - even contractors will charge more I suspect!

I am sure indeed that they will refer you to the relevant authority on weed cutting be it Natural England or the other lot. As you rightly say, it may not be the BA in control and your comments perhaps should be addressed to those bodies who actually control it. Bit like the dredging issue I guess! However this is nothing new - I recall many years ago - about 50, when Hickling was far worse than it is now and GY P & H Commrs had to have a weed cutter to cope - it got so bad that someone was appointed to study the damned stuff and then it just disappeared. I am sure the someone from HSC will confirm the up to date position which most people will agree not good in some parts but it is not helped by the warmer winters - this winter for example we have hardly had a frost and certainly no ice, so its hardly surprising that as the years progress, what used to die away, no longer does so.

The Martham Ferry boats are very good - as are their sailing boatsII If Tom is still listening, perhaps he could give an update as PW suggests - several years ago they used to publish an annual update on their dredging schedules on the website - that seems to have disappeared sadly as it would have answered the question. I suspect it is still around but perhaps not being published?

I did couch it in the terms of "I suspect" !!! Your view is noted - so I expect will be mine.

Raising Potter ? I am sorry to say ST you would get a much bigger lobby not to do it, than even the current anti BNP lobby. Not only would you have to fight , I suspect, the majority of Broads users but many non boating individuals would get involved too!! On top of that it is I believe Grade 2 listed and that won't help your campaign either! There are plenty of options open for you to explore above the bridge - I suggest you use one of those and learn to love the peace and quiet above the bridge and the uniqueness of a largely untouched Broadland environment, encompassing not just the peace and quiet and the beauty, but the unique wildlife spotting opportunities. You will love it, but for what its worth, I doubt you will ever be able to enjoy from a large plastic bathtub with all modern amenities! You could of course, learn to use one of those stickie things - then you can go and enjoy something truly original!!

Owatrol make the stuff D1 and D2 - the D1 is the one you would want but it is unusual in that you have to apply it wet on wet, and as many coats as you can until its saturated. It does dry as a satin coat but it is quite durable and very easy to patch or refresh it - just sand very very lightly and apply another coat. All down to you really!!! Decisions, decisions!!

Culling geese on Hickling - well nothing would surprise me despite who owns it!!!!!!!!!

I am not sure I agree with the comment about the Bure having more water than the Yare and Waveney combined - my view, for what its worth, is that the latter probably have far more and particularly the Yare!! Although the depths in the Yare are undoubtedly less than they were, if only because the coasters stirred it up constantly, it is much deeper and wider than the Bure, as anyone swinging their lead will confirm!!!! Its all very speculative I am afraid and not sure anyone really will have any answer - but what I can say is that the BA are dredging these days, both on the main rivers and on the less accessible bits too, but whether that is enough or in the right places,it is not for me to guess at!!! I think one factor must be the sheer cost of dredging these days as in almost all cases, it now has to be carted by wherry to a disposal site, and I dread to guess how much it costs to dredge, shift and dispose of one bucket load! (Actually I do have a good guess but it is pretty unbelievable - I will let Tom tell you so you can shoot him instead!! )