DAVIDH

Thanks for this

Hi Simon, what's the difference between Brinks Encore and Brinks Encore Plus? I notice both are marketed separately. Excellent style of boat for lone sailor operation by the way.

On the subject of dreams about the Broads,I have a recurrent one that I'm on the Yare heading down over Breydon and at the point of the yellow post, the river is virtually dry...just a small stream running down from the Bure where the river should be. Boats are trying to traverse and going aground before the bridges. I'm looking out and trying to work out if the boat will stay afloat in such a narrow stream. Then the dream ends. I've had it about 4 times over the years. Never get further than the post turn.

Agree this is a big positive on app-based rather than an installed satnav. Just wish mine (tomtom) would tell me why it's rerouting, and give me a choice. Sometimes think it's trying to save me five minutes taking me all around the back roads.

From what I can tell from my own tracking, based on Easter, Spring Bank, the summer school holidays and October Half Term, Hoseasons are showing 62% of boats still to book, as against 56% this time last year, which in turn was a big drop from 2022, where there were 44% of boats still available to book. Probably not that surprising given the economic position at the moment, though it has to be said, overseas bookings are still above the previous year.

I believe Hoseasons were caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, as were many other tour operators at Covid time. Many holidays had to be cancelled at the behest of the UK government. In many cases, the money paid by the customers to their tour op had already been handed on to the airlines, hotels and I guess, boatyards (all principles not agents). With no ongoing revenue to get them to the "sunny uplands" (to coin a phrase) post-covid, and limited cash flow to refund customers, these principals had to decide whose reputation they should protect. Their own by applying the refunds to those customers that had booked directly or their agents further down the stream. Hoseasons were caught in this way, as were many other tour operators at the time. This is just one of the many reports of airlines failing to refund Covid customers (and agents of course) you can find online. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jun/01/us-fines-british-airways-11m-for-failing-to-refund-covid-cancellations

Just noticed Cover Girl is no longer on hire and Enya now has a production photo rather than a line drawing on Hoseasons https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/enya-bh2859

So sad to read this. What a sod life can be. New life with a new boat and the rug is pulled from beneath him. Respects to his wife, who must be devastated. He's suffered so much over the last year, but never gave up fighting to be with her.

Don't like reading this. My fingers are crossed it's not a stroke and that he can come back to some sort of normality in his life. He really has suffered over the last year or so. My best wishes David

Just watch a Chelsea game or two Ian, that'll soon get your blood pressure up!

Me too, but I always make a point of taking my own. I think the biggest sin a business can make is to not be there when the customer expects you to be. If you advertise your opening times (Facebook and/or Google) then unless it's unavoidable you need to be open. It's so easy to put a quick notice on Facebook to say you're having to close early etc, and I'd wager a large proportion of customers will look there first when planning to visit....especially in the winter. I was one of them last year. I turned up at Ranworth one Thursday afternoon having seen a recent update of opening times on Facebook. Thought I should check so had a walk-over. No signs of life and just a note on the door of their SUMMER opening times. Not wanting to stay on Ranworth quay all night without hospitality, I tried telephoning...no answer. I ended up using Facebook Messenger for clarity. To be fair, within an hour I had a message back saying the place was only open Friday to Monday during winter. What a rigmarole to find out though, and a wasted journey.

The photo of the Grebe is great. I keep trying to take a similar one but being mostly single-handed on the boat, by the time I've set up to take the image, the grebe has ducked under..... dive, dive, dive.

For those who can't see Facebook

Don't think this has been reported yet. New boat for NYA Charter Fleet...Enya: https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/enya-bh2859

The boat images will have been given to Hoseasons by the boatyard. Hoseasons don't send a photographer out. That's why you always see the same images on the boatyards own websites. Just as an aside. First timers often have no concept of the distances anyway. So many call up concerned that the web page says they can't get under this or that bridge. Often, they're only on a 3 or 4 night break and need reassuring it won't be too catastrophic if they can't cruise the 3 to 5 extra miles above the bridges. (Ludham Bridge excepted)

Reviews are a double-edged sword for the business owner. Google uses them in its ranking algorithms and a good reputation will help you get or stay on the first page of search. As such, businesses court them. Of course, all businesses will attract unwanted/unwarranted reviews from time to time. How they react to criticism is also a factor. I think the consumer is less likely to be taken in by unwarranted reviews than they were perhaps 5 years ago,

The last photo is lovely Simon. Just typifies the Broads, green countryside and wide open skies.

Yes it was Simon...I remember it now. Definitely works. Every cloud and all that!

It is as Norfolknog has identified. The photo was taken from the raised walkway next to the visitor centre. Turn right to get to the Broad. I didn't have time to caption all the photos as i usually do.

Friday 25th August Ludham to Ranworth to Horning After taking someones advice on here, arrived at Ranworth Staithe just gone 10am to find 4 vacant spaces. Chose one on the front smaller section. I would never have dreamed of visiting Ranworth in the summer due to the queues of boats waiting to moor. I had to pay £5 for the day but it did facilitate our visit. Stayed until around 4pm then back to Goosander's home mooring. Saturday 26th August. Handed the boat over to the next owner. No images

Thursday 24th August. Thurne Dyke to Potter Heigham to Ludham Lunch was a cake and coffee at Bridgestones (of course) following a visit to Lathams. We had booked the mooring at The Little Big Shop on Womack Staithe which worked well for us as we were able to arrive at 5pm (designated time) knowing we would still have a space. Really good meal at The Kings Arms in Ludham.

Wednesday 23rd August. Yarmouth to Stokesby to Thurne Dyke Bought cakes at The Ferry Inn at Stokesby. Moored half way down the dyke at Thurne. Fab meal at the Lion.

Tuesday 22nd August. Acle to Yarmouth Arrived at 11am, only a few boats in, but it filled up later. Lunch was chips from a market stall, ice cream and coffee at McDonalds and dinner at the Kings Arms.

Monday 21st August. Stalham to How Hill to St Benets to Acle Visit to How Hill, the Secret Gardens and Toad Hole Cottage. Stopped to explore St Bennets Abbey, then continued to Acle. BA moorings and meal at The Bridge Inn.

Sunday 20th August. Horning to Ludham Bridge to Stalham Managed to moor on the designated visitor moorings at the entrance to Richardsons. Lovely spot. Ate alfresco at The Swan