BroadAmbition

£185'000 doesn't sound a lot if on says it quickly does it now? Say it this way One Hundred and eighty five THOUSAND pounds. From the NAV budget. It seems to me that the Blessed authority can and has developed the habit of just dipping into the Nav budget cart blanche willy nilly whenever it likes no matter what if the latest shiny ar5ed idea is owt to do with the navigation or not Just what has a visitor centre got to with navigation then? Unless of course it is to be sited floating on a damn river. Waxham cut and others are crying out to be dredged, weeds cut, tress pruned. £185'000 would see to that easily with change left over Griff

Beauchamp arms now doing B&B. Also Cockeral farm about 300 yds from Reedham Ferry on the port bank. Which also means you get to use the chain ferry on your merry way Griff

After the normal FCE we sailed in company with Trixie for Sutton Boatyard for the customary pump out and diesel refill - 34 x Ltrs this time then round to our home berth for a clean ship in the normal manner. we departed for home at 1445 so I was home for 1830 - Traffic was somewhat busy. We visited in order, Ludham Bridge, Thurne Dyke (Overnight) Potter Heigham, Hickling, Horsey dyke (Overnight) Potter Heigham, Ranworth Staithe, Wroxham (Overnight), Coltishall, Horning (Overnight), Sutton yard and of course Stalham We had five crew onboard, all ex RN from D88 HMS Glasgow (We were one light). Stuff:- The rivers this time of year seem to be inundated with jaspers, the Malthouse pub gardens were particular bad. Traditionally I recall that we normally got jaspers in numbers in September, they are early this year. Take fly swatters with you for some sport. We towed a rag-n-stick for a short while along Meadow Dyke, its a bit narrow down there. We came so close to having a proper collision with a day boat between Salhouse and Wroxham, the helm was a girly that can't have been older than ten with Mum and Dad sat aft nowhere near her, I had to use all the helm / Beta at my disposal to avoid them, she just turned directly in front of us, then did it again to another craft after we had avoided them. The NBB FB page went over 100 comments on 'B.A' shooting that bridge after one of their members posted a video from the bridge We were well chuffed at spending a night above that bridge. Missed out on a trip up Waxham cut though. The shore side facilities at Horsey - showers / toilets / cafe and even waste disposal are really very good We bumped into a lot of friends I know, a lot more that I know but could not remember their names. Even the TV camera man that came onboard and filmed 'B.A' at Potter Heigham on the day we set off for Lake Loathing back in 2012, he popped along to say Hi. Trying to sleep one particular evening was somewhat taxing due to the heat The amount of scantily clad deck totty afloat and in the riverside pub gardens was the best both in quality and numbers there has been in years (So I am informed) The highest temperature we saw on our onboard wx station was 35:5C in the shade, recorded today at Sutton at about 1330, it probably got hotter too but we took refuge in the wet-shed The rivers were busy but not ridiculously so Plenty of the usual wildlife out on view but did not see an otter or a Bittern The fishing was so so, some areas not much doing other areas it was going bonkers We did not see too many speeding craft at all, no one trolling, no one being dragged along in the water, no stupidity at all really. We did see folk in the water but at safe places. The pubs etc were really doing a roaring trade everywhere we went. All in all a really good time afloat, the Broads are buzzing, lots of happy smiley faces everywhere, the shops n pubs are busy, everyone is respecting each other too, the weather is awesome. This in my eyes is just how the Broads should be. Now counting down again to the 16th, a week on Thursday when it'll just be me and MrsG with Macie dog afloat for thirteen days. First stop Oulton Broad, then onto Beccles with a C-in-C for their annual carnival weekend and of course the main event - The Wooden Boat Show. After that come Monday onwards - One Eyed Stag, wherever the mood takes us Griff

Early morning fishing. It’s going to be another warm un on the rivers today. Yesterday at Coltishall whilst alongside our onboard wx monitor saw 35c in the shade it felt like it too Griff

Plenty of it but no problem. Now alongside with Trixie at the Ferry Inn at Horning Griff

At Coltishall. Just what is it with the inundation of damn Jaspers this year? Ranworth was really bad. Wroxham plenty as is the same here. I’m spending as much time holding a swatter as I am a rod or beer glass Griff

Treated oursens to a b’fast At he Mill - well it is Sunday. Underway. River is gin clear. Big shoals of fish, blazing sunshine. Everything down and open. This is just as it should be and I’m not having to helm either Griff

Through Wroxham Bridge onto the 24 Hr moorings yesterday fishing evening and this morning with fair results Coltishall bound today Griff

A breeze Now stern on at Ranworth Staithe. Yet another DTS proper hot but thank goodness we have a breeze Griff

H.W’s Tranqil Light just come through. You don’t see that very often! Griff

Never saw em. Alongside at PHB green. Airdraft 6ft7” available. Bridge preps. Shooting in 15 mins Griff

Where? Not seen any fire crews Griff

Apparently if Robin puts it directly on here it uses a lot of them there byte thingy’s. It needs uploading to YouTube. So, as we are going back through PHB today I’ll get one of my lot to video the event then ask Robin to put the two together and upload them to YouTube, link posted on here and Robert is your Dads brother. This morning - paid the water Balliff for our overnight mooring fees (£5) then asked him about the possibility of taking ‘B.A’ up to head of navigation at Waxham Cut. His reply was - it’s ‘maintained’ by the Broads Authority. So it’s very shallow and weedy and have you got all day? Catch 22 river levels are low hence us being here, = shallow water in the cut and I really do need to be at PHB for a 1200 Bridge shoot Griff

Visited Pleasure Boat Inn for a DTS Sailed to Horsey Dyke and here for overnight. The windpump is looking splendid. Nelson for dinner this evening. The wx has been awesome. There is a video of today’s bridge passage on FB and WhatsApp but I don’t know how to put it on here, Robin will know. We plan to go back throgh PHB tomorrow lunchtime Griff

Our quant pole has 4 x blades and 50hp we are through! Easy Peasy Griff

At P.H. Crew ashore. There is currently 6ft 7” airdraft with similar forecast for tomorrow. Therefore it would be rude not to wouldn’t it? Pleasurboat for overnight then Don’t get scared now Griff. You can do this, it’s been a fair while since I last took her through though Griff

Chefs closed up. FCE on its way for alfresco dining Griff

Broadland Askari is not owned by the chap that resides next to LBBy. It owned by another gentleman (Steve) unless he has sold it recently. Both of them friends of mine Griff

Tks. Aren’t I just. Rum coffee a plenty. Float doing a jig Griff

This trip is not a rerun of that riotous assembly that was HMS Illustrious crew. No this lot are HMS Glasgow. Much easier to deal with. We are berthed next to windpump on river been up fishing since 0600 from t Cracking morning, hot already Griff

So, here we are afloat once again. Sadly no white ensign flying as I have put it in a safe place and can’t find it so the trusty Yorkshire rose will suffice. Sailrd mid afternoon from Stalham stopped for ten minutes at Ludham then onto Thurne Dyke. For overnight. There is a £5 overnight mooring Fee - how long has that been in force? been a proper hot n sunny day. Potter tomorrow forenoon Griff

Prior to the Lads week, this evening we have 5 x RN crew onboard through to Monday - Sadly no clearance divers onboard otherwise we could have done a double whammy 1) Rail swing bridges 2) THAT bridge Griff

Welcome. Cracking first post by yersen. Loved seeing the model too. Thanks for sharing Griff

My thoughts exactly Griff

Well there's a surprise then - NOT Griff