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Best get orf hum then Maurice

John. Good job some of us are used to your dialect and can understand you!! Nice to see you here

I found it very watchable mainly because of all the lovely old boats in it .Now mostly gone. A nice piece of nostalgia. Thank you for posting the link Carol. Maurice

I agree that an eye splice is the way to go, and far more secure than a knot. Its really not hard to learn to do, and looks far more professional in my opinion.

I remember seeing her moored in the dyke at Stalham. Would have been the early 80s I think, so shortly after the TV series was made. I often wondered what became of her. Maurice

My word John. Such an interesting blog, and the pictures are just wonderful. Love the variety, and number of the different type of vessels. The Dutch are without a doubt still very much a maritime nation, and seem to be very proud of it. Looking at the different vessels they all look so smart with nothing out of place, including your Sabine of course!! Liked very much the pictures of the boatyard building in wood. Maurice

Once again John a wonderful post, and I can see why you are both enjoying it so much. Am loving all the pictures some of the Dutch sailing vessels look beautiful, also all the commercial traffic. I was particularly interested in the suction dredger "Carpediem" I have only ever seen this type once before in the Bristol Channel. That huge steel pipe in the bow is lowered to the river bed, and holds the vessel in position while dredging. Perhaps its an idea that was developed by the Dutch. That low bridge reminded me of Wayford Bridge. Maurice

Yes Mike. 1997!! I do now remember that winter. I was skipper of a work boat in Gloucester Dock that winter, and remember the dock freezing over, but not as severe as that depicted in the picture of the tanker. Jill's picture does show that commercial traffic was still coming up to Cantly, well after trade ceased into the Port of Norwich. Maurice

Good picture Jill. I don't remember that. The date on the picture is 1993 though the picture looks earlier. I just can't seem to recall what sort of winter we had in 93. 12" of ice imagine hitting that with a grp cruiser! Maurice

Thanks Jill Very interesting, and certainly filled in a lot of gaps........Even though reading the article did make me feel rather old!! Maurice

I remember recently reading on another forum I think, that it was an MTB converted to a house boat, and ended its days in Jenners Basin on the island. There is a lot more to the story, and I expect someone more informed than I will come along with more information. Maurice

Thanks John. I am following your blog with interest. That's a lovely vessel your aboard. I am sure your both having a wonderful time. Re commercial traffic. You will have guessed its something I am rather passionate about! Maurice

Hi Fred. Thanks for the welcome. The film is dated 1962. I can remember it being as busy as that sometime around the mid 60s. then in 1976 I was working in the area and would often park up and watch the shipping activity. It was in decline then, though a lot of timber was still being shipped to Boulton & Paul I think coal also was coming in still. I seem to remember the decline was hastened with a problem at Carrow Road Bridge. Ships were still coming in until the late 70s and possible the early 80s. I seem to remember ships still coming to Cantly even later. Unfortunately putting everything on the road is rather short sighted. When the road are bunged up, we won't have any wharfs, as nearly all have been built on!

Thank you Alan & Tan I do know your post from another forum. In fact I recognise a few names here. Yes European waterways have got it together. I was in Belgium a couple of years ago, and it was a pleasure to see the waterways carrying commercial traffic. I notice that the last barge traffic on the Trent finished a couple of weeks ago alas. I guess when all of the roads are "bunged up" completely perhaps there will be a re-think. I do rather like this forum & I will take a look at Johns Blog Maurice

I remember the shipping on the Yare, going up to The Port Of Norwich. I was living in Norfolk then. I loved seeing those ships on the river. A little disconcerting sometimes as you came around a bend and met one! Rather sad that its all gone.