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MauriceMynah

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Everything posted by MauriceMynah

  1. Arghhh Howard, the wrath of Gracie will fall upon you any moment now. The "C" word in August.
  2. I have to admit that not knowing the southern waters too well, I'm struggling to think where that might be. I can only think of one place with that architecture.
  3. That's the crux of the matter, and it's why I don't have a radio (or speakers to one) in the cockpit. Lets face it, if you can hear the burble of a Beta diesel and smell "fish & chips" you know it's me anyway without your being deafened with Dvorak
  4. Ahhh I take it Grendel that you drive a VolksWagner
  5. Agreed, that's another problem with Dire Straits, they need volume up high. Nothing can be heard from my boat (bar snoring). I sometimes drive my car down our local high street with my windows open while the CD is playing Vivaldi full blast. It confuses the kids! :)
  6. I love dire straits, but I wouldn't have thought it "river cruising music", no, I'd go more on some classical guitar music or perhaps any other of the more gentle classics. Schubert's Trout maybe. :)
  7. Water is dangerous stuff, and boats are dangerous things on it. Boatyards have little enough time to give each hirer without going into all the possible hazards. It would certainly be lovely if they were able to do so, but as I see it, it's just impractical. I once again find myself wondering about the production of a DVD that could be sent to each hirer when they book. It would need to be light hearted and entertaining but carrying all the messages and advice that a first timer (and even some of the more experienced hands) needs. We would need someone like Clive to advise about the practicalities of distribution and to tell us what the most frequently asked questions are. Lets face it, between us we have all the skills needed to produce such a video, and if it were entertaining enough people may well watch it several times. Some of the dangers could be demonstrated by animations (unless we can get Dr Packman to demonstrate them) It's just a thought, but one I've banged on about before in the other place.
  8. Hank Marvin used to have that problem, anyway, wasn't "Please Delete me" Engledink Humplebert? Nothing to do with the Shadows, or Donny Osmosis.
  9. Sorry Marshman, I’m not trying to grind your gears but…. There are fewer ducks around these days. Normally when I read something Marshman has written I have a default value of either I agree with him or I’m probably wrong. I have to say that in this case I think Marshman is incorrect in his assertion that the ducks have just moved away from the masses and into the tranquility of the various flood relief lagoons. In the many years of visiting the broads it has been noticable to me that in the last ten, there has been a diminishing number of ducks, geese, moorehens and coots about, and I find myself asking “Why?”. For my mind it is a combination of things, but first I’ll take the elephant in the room. The Otter. I didn’t see a single one in the three weeks I was cruising, but their increasing numbers is quite well documented here and in other places, so are they responsible? Well yes and no! I’m certain they take a significant number of ducks etc but they are only part of the picture. Predators generally are on the up. Herons I saw in abundance and they are known for taking the odd duckling when offered. It used to be that to see a heron was a bit of a treat. This year I was seeing them in great numbers. Marsh Harriers are another preditor that used to be so rare, now they’re so common I was seeing them on an hourly basis. Pike fishermen are becoming better educated on how to handle their catch, I am seeing far fewer dead pike than I used to. Again, duckling is on their menu too. (The pike’s menue, not the anglers) So, all in all the numbers of predators is increasing, so is that responsible? Well yes and no! There is something that has diminished in the last ten years too. Visitors. Yes, us lot. That massive tonnage of Sunblest that was hurled at any passing wildfowl has fallen. For the ducks, this “gravy train” is many carrages shorter than it used to be. Result, fewer Mallard munching, fewer Geese a guzzling and fewer Coots a crunching. Hurl a Hovis crust at a passing Greebe and he’ll look at you with distain and dive away from it. Anyone noticed a decline in Greebe numbers? No! They’re doing just fine thank you. Swan numbers seem to be pretty stable which does perhaps question my logic, but to all rules there are exceptions, for me Swans seem to be one. So Mr Marshman sir, I hope you’re not feeling too much like that famous “Bowl of petunias” but I await your take on this with interest.
  10. Jaws, it is my experience that September is the busiest month of them all.
  11. I have never owned a boatyard so am not qualified to make comment. Nor have I been employed in "Marketing" so can't really comment on that side either. So, having given you my qualifications, this is my comment. If out of season boats are fully/strongly booked but peak season is weak in bookings, one of two things must apply. a, The "peak season" has been wrongly identified and is actually outside the time thought, or b, The business has priced itself out of the market, or c, The business has misunderstood it's customers to find it's not the family holiday they thought but one for more senior customers. (Stag and Hen parties excepted) (or should that be "accepted") Ok, that's three things, but I believe it's a combination of "b" and "c". My parents always booked to go just outside the school holidays so there would be "fewer screaming kids" about. I suspect that might apply to quite a few of the bookings. Also one needs to remember that families with young children are frequently a bit "strapped for cash" and has been pointed out a broads holiday can be pretty expensive. Luckily however as I have said, I have no experience of these things so am not qualified to make comment. :)
  12. You leave me on tenterhooks there Charlie. The animals what???
  13. Smitch, do you need a pillar drill, I have one going spare. I'm on the Herts Essex border not far from Stansted airport.
  14. Ahhh yes, but do you know when he's going to be predictable?
  15. Ooooooooohh Gracie in a rubber trench coat... mmmmmmm! Now look what you've gone and done Poppy !
  16. Some behaviour can go way above that which can be thought of as "acceptable", and the press releases linked to at the start of this thread show a case in point. HOWEVER, that behaviour was illegal and should have been reported to the police as such. Video evidence may help, but be careful if you are the one taking it. If the behaviour is illegal, report it. If it isn't then put up with it or move on... BUT don't start whinging about banning this group or that group, that is the way of a totalitarian regime. I think Wildfuzz might disagree with you on that one... I certainly do.
  17. Look no further than this forum, I'm sure another will be along soon.
  18. You're a very bad man Bob. :)
  19. Looks reasonable, just see how tidy the kitchen is when under a mans control.
  20. So, who remembers what the bowl of petunias said ! HHGTTG for those who need a memory jogger
  21. Wood I be correct (sorry about that, couldn't resist it :) ) in saying that well seasoned timber doesn't do this? If so try going to some of the larger charity shops for old furniture, especially tables..
  22. This is a point I've tried to make before. I too am almost always running "solo" and therefore need to moor helmside to the bank. The stronger the current, the more important that is. To moor up at somewhere like Reedham it's essential. So often I read that I should always moor into the flow. This is just not true. Holding station stern on to the current and just sliding in to a mooring is very satisfying, but requires a shed load of practice. I'll try it at this new mooring. How far is it to walk to the pub from there?
  23. Do Python eat otters?
  24. Looks like typical EDP journalism to me. Few facts, mostly inaccurate, irrelevant photo and bingo, another page in the rag filled.
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