marshman

MM - I agree totally on the bins issue! Why should the BA even be expected to be directly involved? It is not their statutory responsibility. Whats even more infuriating is that in most villages where there are facilities, these are abused by locals and others who tip into these bins, rubbish they cannot get rid of! Perhaps reduce costs at the waste stations to stop this "fly tipping" - the councils cannot see the connection. Deliberately! In a way, the call for more moorings can only be helped if landowners would provide more land to lease without seeing it as another opportunity to line their pockets and without using imaginery issues to try and "lever" the BA over other issues they see as associated. Thurne Mouth is a classic case in point!!! Of course the BA could buy land and not lease it, but that might affect the tolls - just a bit!!

Oh dear - it must be winter!! There are many many facilities as a taxpayer I do not use, and equally as a council tax payer - but I cannot apportion the bit I choose to pay! Thats how life works I am afraid! Next we will have people saying they only want to pay half the toll as they only use the boat half of the year - which they frequently comment on and then there are those who only use part of the system or drivers who never drive on moterways. Its the way of the world - may I suggest you organise a hook up system for you boats so you can take advantage of these points! ( Which incidentally I do not use either!! )

Yep - the Cators. I think it is primarily Alby Cator , the same one who owns I believe, the Horning Marina on the other side to the Swan and also the Southgates yard - in the blue sheds in Horning High Street. My receipt from the Ferry till came out as Rotac Farms This all went through about a fortnight ago but has been on the cards for several months. It includes the hire fleet, the facilities, the marina and possibly some of the houses. I don't think it it includes the big properties though. I did hear a vague rumour that it also included Waveney River Centre too but I think that unlikely and have heard nothing further. Not sure what value was placed on the business but it would have been fairly substantial including as it did one of the more modern hire fleets and one which has grown from nothing to being one of the better fleets - see most reviews. I understand the aim is to carry on as before but they always say that! Len Funnell has yet again proved to be a very astute business person and I understand he has identified a new project to get involved in! Its not for me to say but those with lug 'oles close to the ground probably know already!!!

To be able to deviate is an honour!!

If you want a better chippy (probably) try the one in the next village, Blofield - its only a mile up the road! Up Station Road, right and left at the top and then in Blofield, straight over the lights at the Kings Head and the chip shop is down by the school - plenty of parking! Well I think its streets ahead but who am I.......?

I think when the soke dykes were first dug they were a bit intrusive but a lot are now hidden by reeds and have provided additional habitat for wildlife - but in no way do I feel they have spoilt the iconic Broadland scenery. They remain a part of the landscape to me.

Oh - and the best way to get through Potter is to get a smaller boat - preferably one with a narrower beam which seems to be the key!

Just remind me which Northern Rivers views have changed so much?????

Fair enough.

I must admit, whilst it is probably possible, I would be a bit hesitant and when it has been done it will be difficult to clear it properly. After many years I can still get my tank pretty clean but it helps being GRP and angled so most of the solids and crud gets down to one corner which is easily pumped - angled hoses down the hole cleat the rest. (TMI? ) Not sure how easy that will be to achieve in an old fuel tank!

Pretty chilly and a bit bouncy on Hickling too!!

If you have any question where the questions asked have just so many variables, how can you possibly get the right answer?

So Fred , what other services are being reduced as you suggest?? Given the financial constraints that the BA have had, I think they have managed pretty well - or clearly you disagree??

Whilst I would hate to disagree with Vaughan, (I think that what he says is very sensible,) my greatest concerns with that is that a lot of the overflowing water these days may be brackish. There is no doubt that the brackish water now comes further upstream these days, probably because of the banks, and I fear that this could upset the balance of wildlife - not the big stuff but the tiny stuff lower down the food chain. Bugs and downwards!!! It is very noticeable that when any of the marshes owned by the Wildlife Trusts etc are returned to normal levels, they always restore them with an extra dyke to keep them entirely of fresh water. Incidentally there is an overflow into the Halvergate marshes just by the bridge over the New Cut but I cannot think of any others

Of course the whole thing is easily sorted - put up tolls to cover rubbish collection from all 24 hour moorings! BUT for what its worth, I still think the councils should do it. I am sure if everyone agreed to the aforementioned, they would appear. However I think if that does happen, others would still think of more costs and issues to dump on boaters - don't even think about or else others will think of something else too!!

An elected authority would be the WORST thing that could happen to the Broads! You have only to look at the Brexit issue to see that - ask most of the people to make a decision and you can see that they may not always get it right! It is not so much that that they cannot make the right decision but the information fed to them is often wrong and it is that that can lead to the wrong decision. And sadly, it is those who could muster enough votes from their own pressure groups etc who may get elected - ok that may mean they know a lot about what they spout about most, but do they know enough about the rest or indeed could they even organise a p*ss up in a brewery? Probably not! And then you come to the worst problem, that which my erstwhile name sake MM has so eloquently alluded to! I would certainly ban from voting all those who did not live here - that premise would eliminate most of you lot! But seriously, how on earth could you possibly decide who could and could not vote? Like it or not, if you got rid of the BA you would get as an alternative a like minded quango, and the only positive thing is that you should have a body you can work with. The trouble is these days, we all believe that, what we as individuals believe, is often the best solution and we also have the power to express it and spread our beliefs, often mistaken in retrospect, to others. Listening to all comments made is the big problem with most voluntary organisations - we just cannot accommodate every single idea that everybody promotes and without leadership you just end up wallowing in thick treacle never getting anywhere. Somewhere somehow you really do have to have someone who can manage and run an organisation - but you can guarantee that someone won't like the decisions he makes!! Sounds a bit like the BA really!!

Vaughan - you old cynic!! As if......!!

The ownership of the NW&D Canal between the Dilham Branch and Honing Lock has been in dispute for a long time but has generally remained open for canoes with landing generally frowned upon, but according to those in the area, there have been attempts to discourage even this of late. The point I was trying to highlight is once again we are worrying about something which probably will never happen, and even if it did occur is unlikely to have the impact the doomsters think, whereas right under our noses this is already happening through private landowners and no one seems to want to stop it happening! ( Perhaps some cannot see any connection either! )

Yes it is a bit late - I put it down to either them rushing around the country with the gowns or the fact that the BIC is otherwise fully booked or just too expensive in season!! They take it for the full week and use a lot of it, in fact most of it I think!! No don't misunderstand me - it was a really great day especially for my daughter who really enjoyed going back especially to see her friends - she is now in Leeds, some miles from that part of the world!!

Paul - they belong to a commercial enterprise but that's probably the nearest they get to a commercial vessel! Not only the bridges mentioned affected, but Trowse Bridge will never again open freely - unless its attended by many NR personnel and its around 2 a.m. in the morning!!

You try cruising up towards Honing these days!! The son is proving even more obdurate than the father and instead of wasting time worrying about what might be, perhaps we should be more concerned about what is actually happening! The trouble is no one will actually confront these people and as a result they actually get away with it, and then its too late!! (To be fair that is beyond the BA's remit!! )

Must have seen me last Tuesday on the beach then!!! ( But not getting an award other than for patience! )

Does your son like and enjoy BU? Just been down to one of my younger daughters graduation there - she loved Bournemouth and has come away with a good degree and now got an excellent job as a result. She particularly enjoyed the nightlife and in the summer the beach parties!!!

Either that or insist on everyone driving on that road having an eyesight test first!!!

THE DEMISE OF CUSTARD?????????