Broads Newcomers Here!

[RobSwind]

Hi,

we're broads newcomers heading down from Sheffield at Easter for our 25th wedding anniversary (we'll see whether we get to 26 after a week on a boat with our two dogs, Cassie & Charlie!).

We're hiring from Horning Ferry Marina and would welcome any suggestions for us first-timers to go to visit.

 

 

Rob

 

[riyadhcrew]

 to the forum Rob. I'm sure there will be plenty of suggestions coming along.

[deebee29]

Hi Rob & a warm  from me

My suggestion would be take things nice & easy, don't try to get everywhere on your first visit and you'll love it

Horning Ferry is a good central place to start, try to get a trip up the Ant if you can.

But the  main thing is to enjoy yourselves.

Happy Anniversary to you both

[Gracie]

A very warm welcome aboard from me and a happy wedding anniversary

I second Dave's comments regarding the river Ant, truly stunning. A good place to moor to give the dogs a run is How Hill, should be very busy at Easter with lots of boats moored but that just adds to the fun, you will probably get chatting to Broads and Boat fanatics who will only be too willing to give you advice about moorings, ropes and the best pubs etc.

Take it easy and don't worry about messing up, take it slow and you won't do any damage if you do come a cropper. We are all experts on here, of course, have never made a hash of mooring up and making complete fools of ourselves  

Have a lovely time

Grace

[Timbo]

Hi Rob, welcome to the nuthouse forum.

With the dogs coming with you I would hire a dinghy and take a big torch. It opens up a whole new range of spots you can moor and mudweight and still get the dogs to the bank for their ablutions! With the beagles on board I try to moor in places where there is a bit of a walk available so the boys love Salhouse, St Bennets, the Ant, Barton Turf (the church is amazing inside).

As Gracie says take it easy and leave plenty of time to find a mooring spot and you will have a fabulous time.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Rob,

Welcome to the NBN forum and your first time on the Broads, take it easy on the 3 hours plus journey from Sheffield.

Have you checked out life jackets for the dogs? 

Regards

Alan

[SwanR]

Welcome aboard Rob. 

Which boat will you be out on? Ferry Marina are a great yard to hire from. We took Silver Emblem out when it was only our second time on the Broads. If you're nervous about getting your first mooring done then heading back through Horning to Salhouse Broad is a great idea and is what we did. Only about 45 minutes or so from your starting point but that gives you time to get used to handling the boat. And with the stern on moorings in the Broad as well as a long length of side-on moorings along the Spit, you have a lot of choice and a good chance of plenty of space to bring the boat in even when it's busy. You just need to remember that there's an overnight charge for mooring there but in my opinion it's well worth it.

It's so lovely once you've done your first mooring, you can get unpacked, relax and really start to unwind and enjoy yourself. Plus if you moor stern-on you can get the dogs off the boat there with plenty of open space for them.

Ranworth would be another option for that first night - the staithe is often full very early but the Island tends to be easier especially when you have less experience. That is also stern-on with an overnight charge but again great for getting the dogs off.

Lots of options and many people would go further even on their first night ... but I still remember how thankful I was just to get that first mooring done and settled in.

[YnysMon]

Hi Rob,

Happy anniversary!  We've also booked with Ferry Marina this year (Royale Emblem), having hired one of their boats last year.  We were very impressed with the boat and the level of service.  I would second the suggestion that you hire a dinghy, as it will give you the option of mud-weighting should all the popular moorings be taken.  It could also come in useful if you want to moor at The Island at Ranworth or the Island moorings at Womack water and still get ashore to a pub. I would also suggest buying some decent doggie buoyancy aids. Ones with handles along the back are great for helping your dog get from boat to shore and back, or to grab them before they leap in!  We did manage to borrow one from Ferry Marina for our elderly dog last year, but they did warn us in advance that they couldn't guarantee that they would have one available.  This year we're intending to buy one for our border collie puppy.

Hope you have a lovely time!

Helen

[vanessan]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Plenty of good advice for you already but I would like to ask how big the dogs are and how long you are on the boat for? Have you had any boating experience previously? I think that information will help provide even more useful suggestions. 

What a great way to celebrate your anniversary, it's my guess you might even be eager to celebrate your 26th with yet another visit to the Broads. It can be very contagious! 

 

[RobSwind]

Thanks to everyone for their replies so far.

Very interested in the life jackets for the dogs if you have any recommendations.

They are both staffy crosses approx. 18kg in weight.(some pictures of them here https://cassiedog.com/ )

We've hired the Sapphire Emblem.

Interesting advice about a dinghy, we'll have to look into that.

Thanks again

 

Rob

[RobSwind]

Oh, this is our first boating experience (cruise ships aside!)

 

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Rob,

if you click on the Browse tab and look through the various sections of the forum, you can  look for the Richardson's information video's which are ideal for first time Broads crews, advice on mooring, knots & ropes etc.

Regards

Alan

[JawsOrca]

 from me Rob. I honestly wouldn't plan anything.. get on the boat and go left or right.. You can't get lost.. The rivers are best under the low bridges at Wroxham and Potter heigham so if you reach these and can go under then go for it.. But the worse thing you can do is plan anything just go with the flow.. You will be back.. probably every year for the next 10 so you have plenty of time to see most places! 

[Bound2Please]

a warm from me and the wench (some call her Inge) Rob, I agree with Jaws above, no plans go with the flow.

Charlie

[Gracie]

Oh come on Jaws. not everyone is going to fall in love with the beautiful rivers, watching the sun rising or setting in that big old Norfolk sky, watching Kingfishers diving for their breakfast, the fishing, the pesky Otters swimming by and ruining said fishing, the warm and welcoming Boadland pubs, the wild moorings and mud weighting on a Broad and feeling like your the only people on the planet, cheery waves from other boaters (even the flappy thingies) and best of all on a hot summers night, sitting on deck with a nice glass of wine watching one of those sunsets

Nah, not everyone's going to love it

Grace

[SwanR]

17 minutes ago, Gracie said:

Nah, not everyone's going to love it

Grace you forgot that they also might not like slowing down to four miles per hour! 

I was watching a programme earlier about a couple with a large family who were buying a holiday home in Kissimmee near the theme parks ... can't imagine anything worse personally but each to their own.

[Timbo]

26 minutes ago, Gracie said:

sitting on deck with a nice glass of wine watching one of those sunsets

Get some skin so soft from Avon...keep any early biting mozzies at bay! 

[Maxwellian]

Skin So Soft. As Timbo says excellent at keeping the Mozzies away.

[Liberty]

1 hour ago, Maxwellian said:

Skin So Soft. As Timbo says excellent at keeping the Mozzies away.

+1

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Hi Rob, welcome to the forum from me too. My advice is to not plan anything, and take it slow. If you plan ahead, things might not work out, and make you feel disappointed. However, if you just go with the flow, the surprises bring a smile to your face every time.  If this is your first time boating, the only advice i will give would be to stay North, and take it very easy on the easier northern tides.  Have a great time.

[BroadAmbition]

for our 25th wedding anniversary (we'll see whether we get to 26 after a week on a boat with our two dogs, Cassie & Charlie!).    Like it LOL

Plans?    Whilst afloat on the Broads?  Really?

Most of knows what happens to them now don't we?  Usually over the side with the mudweight.

Anyroadup congratulations on your anniversary, Welcome from 'B.A' and her crew to the NBN

Btw, last year me and my MrsG celebrated 30 yrs, and after all that time I have only lately discovered why most brides get married in white, Nope it nowt to do wi being virginous either -  Apparently most kitchen appliances come in white!

Griff

[vanessan]

Told you there would be plenty more advice on its way!

Whilst a dinghy is extremely useful, do remember that you will be having to haul the dogs (who look gorgeous by they way) in and out of it. Boats do take a bit of getting used to (getting on and off etc as well as handling) and there could be a bit of scrambling involved! That said, things usually fall into place (hopefully not into the river!) and there will undoubtedly be someone ready to lend a helping hand. As has already been suggested, lifejackets for the dogs are a really good idea and will give you peace of mind.

Whatever you end up doing, go with the flow at a gentle pace and enjoy the experience.

[Wussername]

Know your dog. Especially on the Broads. It can be an exciting place for them, especially at night. Fox, deer, pheasant, partridge, duck, rabbit, so many smells, so many things to investigate, so many places to go. Places they can go, places you can't go. Places you don't know.

The last thing you want, anybody wants is a lost dog late at night. Keep them on a lead.

Andrew

[Polly]

Hello and welcome!

Good ideas and advice here. I would add, keep the dogs shut in the cabin when you are mooring up, or doing any other boat manoeuvre, you will then be able to fully concentrate on boat handling, rather than a possibly excited and not boat-wise dog becoming a risk to themselves or you.

Maybe bring a small mat from home to help them keep their footing climbing on and off, we wear non slip shoes, they can't. 

[tjg1677]

Hello and welcome to a great forum. Some great advice here, in fact just read Gracies post and now in a total dilemma as on reflection doubts are now creeping and I May have to sell the boat................. NOT !!  .

If you are doing the northern run, one of my favourite places and often overlooked is Black Horse broad, which is just past Horning when heading to Wroxham. I dont know what it is about it as there are no pubs and no moorings, you have to mudweight overnight ( not convenient for the hounds I know but definitely worth a couple of hours for lunch stop ), but for me there is something particularly magical about that broad and yet you hardly ever see it mentioned. It is a private broad and closed during the winter but I believe is open usually between Easter and October.

Hope you enjoy your hols and as everyone has pointed out, prepare to return time and time again.

trev