marshman

Come off it Griff - I would regard the dredging of the Waxham Cut an even greater waste of money!!! At least the Visitor Centre would be used more - and I am not trying to knock those who chose to moor up the Cut! Cutting down trees is difficult - we have discussed this many many times on the Forum but it is hardly the BA's fault about cutting the trees back - or at least not all of the time! Firstly you should blame the landowners who deny access and then you have to blame the process - why on earth should the BA be forced to involve the Forestry Commission and then the EA as well?You are quick enough to blame the BA for every ill but forget the armies of other bum polishers!!! Even weed cutting involves the EA, especially on Hickling!!

Firstly I am not really sure that there is actually even a shortage of moorings in the Acle area, other than very occasionally and I am not sure that the BA has even said that you are going to lose spaces! Perhaps they will allow mooring right outside the Centre so people can visit the Centre and then there would be no loss of mooring at all! Indeed as always on this Forum its a lot of supposition about not a lot - why don't we all just wait and see and stop worrying about what might happen!! Or would we then lose yet another opportunity to have a poke at the BA???

They might add vocal support but like most charities vocal assistance is not necessarily required - its hard cash thats required and I very much doubt you could find any evidence of that!! If so, I want some too!! There remains a sub plot to all of this which is not of the BA's doing but being exceedingly circumspect, my lips will remain sealed - of necessity!!

Vaughan - the BA does not provide any assistance to the WYC unless you count a slightly reduced toll which is granted to their wherries as historic vessels. The links they had years ago have long been dissolved I believe.

The best view at Ranworth is very easy to achieve - drop your mudweight!!!!

I think Jacqui Burgess was quite right to send you Hadyn Thirtle's vision and I would not be at all surprised if some of you may disappointed by Fridays events. In fact personally I think it is a shame that more candidates did not put themselves forward -surely the job is sufficiently important to attract more than only two applicants? I have no inside track and no special or particular interest in having either elected, as long as they do their job and have the contacts and interests of not just the Broads users but others in the area too. It is often forgotten that the BA's responsibilities extend beyond the interest of boaters - it is quite apparent where the majority of this Forums support would go and this without hearing from the other party involved. I have no inkling of Haydn's track record of being Vice Chair and whether he will be more or less an effective candidate than Ms Hempsall but the posts do indicate just what issues may arise if, not when, the general public ever get a vote! Nearly there though and we do not have long to wait - I have my views and we shall now have to wait and as they say, we will see!!!

We used to run a "business" in the pelts by skinning the ones we got and custom lining the old green parkas!! Garage used to stink a bit!!!

If you are a hirer then one of the yards or through the bridge up on the mooring above the railway bridge. If private try asking at one of the yards or again through the bridge if you are able.

An events fee?? Lets not encourage that - lets just encourage more and more people to come and enjoy the Norfolk Broads! An events fee would be the thin end of the wedge - where does it stop? The NBN Forum Meet? Horning Sailing Club evening sailing for the kids? Every day of events at all local sailing clubs? Nope - thats a non starter so lets bury the thought now!!

Thank goodness the mill has been restored!!

They picked a 3.00 departure because of the bridge opening - not sure what time it will actually open but certainly not until the last train is back! Opening the bridge is complicated as they have to turn off the power before they even start!

Not surprising that James has something to say!! Talking of which I saw his yurts the other day - no wonder the BA were not that keen!!

On the Broads I have always used, as an estimate, 5 hours for the flood and 7 for the ebb. Is it ever right??? Well usually, give or take!! I have used as a premise for that , the fact that nearly all of Broadland rivers are supplemented by fresh waters coming downstream from the middle of Norfolk so bearing that in mind you can see how random it can become! In times of lower freshwater flows it will have an impact but how much - I am afraid your guess is as good as mine! But as a rule of thumb it seems to work give or take an hour or so and bearing in mind that tides cannot read, and the fact that tides are invariably late, to get anywhere close is problematical. And as for crossing Breydon, such antics don't help!! Going south is not a problem but coming north you can get horribly wrong - only last week I was miles out and was pushing the ebb all the way to Stracey Arms! I would have stopped at GYYS but that was full and in case the guys there seem to delight in charging you £6, even if only waiting for the tide so rather than argue the toss, I just plodded on! I find the Shorebase tide tables pretty self explanatory and pretty good most of the time.

As you all know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I am pleased to see others like some of the designs too - as MM quite rightly says that stretch of the river is hardly full of architectural merit! But then, I like the addition at Hunsett Mill - with the exception of the windows which I guess will not stand the test of time. I personally think that if the project does go ahead then it needs a stand out eye catching design - you see I love the Louvre but guess many hate that too! So yes, of course there are differing views of every new building but people should also consider that life would be very boring if all buildings were the same - Grand Designs shows that not all modernity is just rubbish!!!

And there speak a load of qualified architects who know a huge amount about modern building design!! Whenever the Forum discusses modern building design, we always have the same comments from those oh so qualified to do so. My own view is that only time will tell and it is not just not good enough to leave it as it was - whatever it is it cannot be worse than the structure now standing - the utilitarian toilet block!! Good architecture will stand the time criteria test and we will all be long gone before that is decided. I personally think No 2 is especially attractive. Of course you all hate it - you all disagree so wholeheartedly with the whole idea!! Especially as it is BA centric!!

How on earth did that coaster get through Mutford? I believe most came in through Yarmouth - PW will probably tell us what actually came through Mutford and in reality in the latter years it was probably not a lot!!

Whilst I agree (!) wholeheartedly with PW on his comments, there is, in reality, very little that JP can do if Network Rail really dig their heels in. Everyone is well aware that there are many pieces of old and outdated legislation laying around the statute book which are not going to be repealed, and given the circumstances, there is little doubt that Network Rail are ever going to rebuild those bridges to accommodate the luxuries of a few individuals - could anyone ever imagine what the cost would be to replace just Somerleyton? Are they ever realistically even going to consider it in any future expenditure plan? Methinks not whatever the legislation says! I don't wish to start an argument but I guess it is pretty low priority - I am sure that the "dualling" of Trowse Bridge is much higher up the order than Somerleyton. At least that bridge carries a decent number of passengers.

No shortage where I have been looking!! Although to be fair i have seen more marsh harriers than coots over the last week on the S Rivers. And literally dozens of shelduck on Breydon with many many tiny ones. I think you have to expect that as the climate changes you will always see less of perhaps one breed and more of another - this year for example, I have seen absolutely loads of reed buntings and the Broads are covered in Great Crested Grebes, yet 50 years ago they were a rarity. Actually i know its off topic!!!!

P. S . If reading a thread read it all and spot someone else has said the same thing!!!

French Marine are no longer in Rackheath - they have moved to Brundall (Just for info!!! )

Not sure whose sign it is but I suspect it is an old P&H sign possibly. Doesn't really matter whose sign it is but one things for certain, if you hit something in a hire craft, and you go through without authority from the hire yard, there will be no insurance!! Whilst its not unattractive in bits it is towards the far end hemmed in by large steel piles and conditions vary greatly as Griff has pointed out, especially in the New Mills basin, depending on how much water is coming through the sluices . I have been up there when its been boiling!! My guess is that the sluice is automatic and you could get caught up there if for some unlikely reason the sluice moved. By all means let private owners go through Bishops Bridge as they have often done, but not really appropriate to let Richardsons finest through even Bishops Bridge I suspect!

Coots were pretty abundant this winter on Hickling - when Hickling was largely iced over, there were two big flocks in the open bit, probably each of at least 500 strong. Presumably if they are not here then they have gone home to the Low Countries and France.

And that is exactly why we need new houses!!!!!

Not sure I follow the logic that private waste, from private boats, can by any stretch of the imagination be classed as commercial - unless an overly compensated councillor from N C C says it is, I suppose!!! Its like playing football against the council - they will always try and win as they feel they can move the goal posts!! P.S. Don't even try to provide more opportunities for them to increase the toll. As Pally rightly says it is NCC and their councillors, NOT the BA

Great - you pay the extra costs! Unnecessary ones as it is the councils legal responsibility to clear domestic waste! Bit like roads really- some people will not go on the toll roads if they have to pay and indeed why should they?? You are right the BA do get involved in any number of things but rubbish? Can you guess what uptick in tolls would be necessary? I suppose next someone will suggest that the BA pay for flood prevention just because boaters use the rivers???