A Winters Tale

[CambridgeCabby]

Guaranteed to be stuck in your head for ages 

 

 

[unclemike]

classic simon plus im walking backwards for christmas

 

[YnysMon]

Oh my, I go away for a few weeks...

Just love it.

Jay, we all know what a rascal you are, egged on capably by Grace, and now Jean throws a musical spanner in the works to jog things along more merrily. 

Love to be reminded of the Ying Tong Song.

(Must dry my tears...of laughter.)

 

[Gracie]

10 hours ago, YnysMon said:

Oh my, I go away for a few weeks...

Just love it.

Jay, we all know what a rascal you are, egged on capably by Grace, and now Jean throws a musical spanner in the works to jog things along more merrily. 

Love to be reminded of the Ying Tong Song.

(Must dry my tears...of laughter.)

 

Oh Helen you have no idea how much of a rascal Jay can be  But an absolute loveable one. He doesn't take things too seriously but by god if you need him he's there. He'll be along soon to update you all, hold onto your hats 

Grace

 

 

[Guest]

Tuesday 1st January 2019

Happy New Year

Today was going to be a quick journey day as the family was joining me later on and so my day was really already planned out for me.

After a coffee or two to bring me round after a late night (or rather an early morning) seeing the New Year in with the company of my gorgeous little lady, it was time to take the dog for her morning walk around the village.

I made us of the water facilities at the staithe upon my return and then at around 0930 I set off out of the broad and began my short journey to Wroxham, where I would meet up at the train station and have the company of the family for the rest of the week.

My journey started in cloudy sunshine but soon the odd spot of rain came along but nothing much. 

I passed a number of boats and most seemed in a jovial mood as we were calling Happy New Year greetings to each other. Horning was as expected full, the New Inn moorings full with side on moorings, and I spotted our sister boat, Evening Shadow moored up in the basin.

The journey meandered on, under grey skies but the rain had ceased, and by the time I reached Wroxham the sun was beginning to make its appearance, although there was a chill breeze which made it feel cool even in the sunlight.

Spotting the bridge pilot mooring free, I made a 180° turn in front of the bridge and was able to moor up port side to the quay, trying my best to not make an absolute pigs was of it, knowing I was under the watchful eye of the webcam.

Once moored up, it was time to walk to the train station and meet up, and after which we went to the Kings Head for a light dinner and a few drinks before heading back to the boat, where the kids began their week long insistence of games to be played all night long.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Gracie said:

Oh Helen you have no idea how much of a rascal Jay can be  But an absolute loveable one. He doesn't take things too seriously but by god if you need him he's there. He'll be along soon to update you all, hold onto your hats 

Ahh thank you beautiful. You're far too good to me (most of the time )

[SwanR]

So I'm intrigued to know which games are your family's favourites? Monopoly is often the board game of choice when my family gets together, although we have had some great games of Battleships too. This year someone had a Nintendo Switch with them and so we brushed off our old gaming skills (!) for some riotous games of Mario Kart. 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, SwanR said:

So I'm intrigued to know which games are your family's favourites? Monopoly is often the board game of choice when my family gets together, although we have had some great games of Battleships too. This year someone had a Nintendo Switch with them and so we brushed off our old gaming skills (!) for some riotous games of Mario Kart. 

Love Mario Kart 

We have to play Exploding Kittens, with the expansion packs added too and Bears v Babies.

We play rummikub, monopoly empires, uno, labyrinth too although not recently, the kids won't play anything else at the minute.

And they team up against me.

And they cheat.

And they lose 

[grendel]

Just seen a post on facebook announcing the fishermans inn at burgh castle is now open all year round, just thought you might want to know Jay.

[Guest]

Yeah cheers G, someone mentioned it on my blog earlier in December and I did pass and it was open and looked fairly busy.

I will pop in some time when I can and give it a try

[Guest]

Wednesday 2nd January A.M.

Wroxham - Potter Heigham

Over a beer or two the previous evening the kids had decided that they wanted to go back down on the South side of the broads today. As ever it is largely left to them to decide where we end up for the evening hence why when I am not alone, a lot of the same places are visited.

Regardless that was the plan for today and with a slack crossing predicted around 1410 we had plenty of time to have a trip along the Bure and head off slowly to Yarmouth.

Or we would have had loads of time, if my phone (and hence my alarm clock) hadn't decided that in the middle of the night it needed an update, causing it to restart and turn off the alarm, that's why when Jean was asking where I was at 0700 that morning as she looked in on the webcam, I wasn't around as I had predicted I would be the day before.

Now we still had loads of time, but the fact that on the way to Yarmouth I was instructed that we must call in to Potter Heigham to visit Lathams and pick up the kids usual box of pastries and buns which have become their tradition on every holiday, I did have quite so much time for a leisurely cruise.

Despite them being so insistent that we were going to Potter Heigham first thing before trundling off to Yarmouth, they didn't fancy getting up and helping me out with sorting the boat and the dog, or making me a coffee, so there I was still all by myself taking the dog for a walk and preparing everything for the day ahead, making a brew and finally, at around 0840 I set off from Wroxham, along the Bure so I could join the Thurne.

It was a cool but pleasant morning, still a little dark as I left the mooring but as I made my progress along the river it wasn't long before the sun began to break through and it became a very nice early morning on the rivers as I wound my way past the properties that line the river in Wroxham.

By 0900 the sun was really beginning it's rise and gave some beautiful reflections on the river. As ever, my photos can't do the scenery justice, but I was in my element as I slowly travelled along, my head out the window in the cool January air.

By 1000, my youngest had decided it was acceptable for her to grace me with her presence, although my request for a fresh coffee was declined as she had messages to catch up on and to take in the surroundings for herself, and so I had to continue on without another caffeine fix.

It would seem I really loved this next view of the sun on the river, but basically the sun was so low and bright I couldn't see what it was that I was taking, and I was also trying to get the boat out of shot blindly too.

Seeing as they are on my phone, I've put them all on here too, sorry 

After the New Year celebrations, it looked like the rivers were getting back to the expected quiet level I had assumed they would be.

There was the occasional private boat around, but not many, Horning was fairly quiet again now too, but with a plan in place (yay, I've made one. Although I guess the kids should get the credit for it) we continued on along the Bure, and then picked up the Thurne towards Potter Heigham.

We finally reached the moorings at Potter Heigham around 1140, and once all secured and ready the kids set off to the shop whilst I gave the outside of the boat a quick clean up before taking the dog to meet up with them outside Lathams when they had finished raiding the bakery.

By the time they came out it was around 1215 so seeing as the healthy diets were already taking a break this week, they nipped across the road to the food van outside Herbert Woods and had cheeseburgers for dinner as we walked back to the boat. 

An all around resounding thumbs up were given for the food too, so give it a try if you fancy, the prices were very reasonable too.

[Guest]

Wednesday 2nd January P.M.

Potter Heigham - Somewhere Down South

Once back on board it was well after 1235 which gave me just over an hour and a half to travel to Yarmouth to hit the predicted ideal crossing. It became apparent that my idea of a sneaky pop into the Bridge Inn at Acle may have to be put to one side.

So off we set, turning around and heading back through Potter Heigham along the River Thurne with the aid of the ebbing tide as the kids began to dig into their buns, and then bearing left as we reached the Bure to travel through Acle.

The skies did keep clouding over as we moved along, we even had the odd spot of rain but it was a pleasant and enjoyable cruise, as the kids did their usual bits of nonsense to entertain us all (no comments about where the nonsense could have been inherited from, thank you very much).

Passing Stokesby I was disappointed to see the staithe was taken up by a BA tanker once again, it would have annoyed me more If I had got the time to stay for a beer in The Ferry, although the other moorings were all empty I suppose.

The Stracey Arms moorings were all also empty, as the works continue, but after passing it was the beginning of a slow journey along the lower Bure as I began to feel the effects of my late departure, as the tide began to slowly impede my progress.

Never mind, I was too busy enjoying myself to bother with such matters and felt confident there would still be plenty of bridge clearance by the time I eventually got to Yarmouth, so turned the music up a little louder and we continued our journey.

Finally reaching Yarmouth, the skies had clouded over and light was fading fast,

but at 1615 over 2 hours later than originally planned (see, this is why I don't bother with plans, I only mess them up anyway) I passed through the bridges and headed out over Breydon Water.

As the light continued to disappear, it was time to switch on the navigation lights, and head down the Waveney River. I thought my phone was doing a grand job of taking pictures in the dark, these ones make it still look quite light.

As has been mentioned previously, I passed the Fisherman's Inn, and it most certainly was open, and from my view from a boat passing along on the river, it looked brighter and busier than I can remember it being, so I certainly plan to pop in, in the near future and check it out.

Continuing along it was pitch black well before I reached St Olaves but with a good foot of clearance I continued to press on under the bridge and further along the Waveney. It was time to give up with the phone though, these ones the last that would show anything from here on in.

I know many people when speaking about night navigation have spoken about using spotlights and such, and the loss of night vision for other boats, but is the great white outdoor light at St Olaves Marina new? It shone so bright in the dark I couldn't see a thing as I was passing the last few moorings before reaching the entrance/exit of the New Cut. I don't remember seeing it before but it certainly made for a confusing moment before it got hidden behind buildings and I could partially see once more.

Anyway...

Passing the old bridge standing in the water before Herringfleet, I made the last of the days journey as I reached Somerleyton at just after 1810, using the light from the electric post to help moor up on the otherwise pitch black, and lovely moorings.

Once secure it was time to head off up the lane, to the pub, and have my first beer of the day. That must be some sort of personal Broads record, and not one I aim to ever attempt again.

We sat in the pub having a few drinks, chatting, laughing and playing with Exploding Kittens and then Bears v Babies where we were building monsters to beat armies of babies with (seriously, they are good fun really) before finally heading off back to the boat for final refreshments (I had some making up to do) and then off to bed once again.

[Gracie]

Brilliant stuff and the photos stunning as usual. New Years Eve was amazing, thank you babe 

Grace

[SwanR]

Wow, what a long day's cruising. I had realised at the time that you'd made it from Wroxham to Somerleyton and thought that was a long way but without knowing you'd also been to Potter Heigham.

Great photos as always, amazing what a phone can do!!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Gracie said:

Brilliant stuff and the photos stunning as usual. New Years Eve was amazing, thank you babe 

Thank you Grace, I enjoyed it too 

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, SwanR said:

Wow, what a long day's cruising. I had realised at the time that you'd made it from Wroxham to Somerleyton and thought that was a long way but without knowing you'd also been to Potter Heigham.

Great photos as always, amazing what a phone can do!!

Thank you Jean. 

I love the full day cruising, we had originally hoped to get to Oulton Broad, but with the light gone we settled on stopping at Somerleyton instead, one of my favourite spots as it happens 

[vanessan]

That is a good distance to travel as a lone helmsman Jay, well done! Lovely pictures as usual. I do think you are a little soft on your crew though. I can’t imagine you as a Captain Bligh however, so maybe you could model yourself on Captain Pugwash. 

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, vanessan said:

That is a good distance to travel as a lone helmsman Jay, well done! Lovely pictures as usual. I do think you are a little soft on your crew though. I can’t imagine you as a Captain Bligh however, so maybe you could model yourself on Captain Pugwash. 

I can be very hard too Mrs V, very hard indeed 

[vanessan]

2 hours ago, Jayfire said:

I can be very hard too Mrs V, very hard indeed 

I don’t believe that for one minute!

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, vanessan said:

I don’t believe that for one minute!

Well I'm hardly going to feel I have to prove it to someone on an internet forum am I Mrs V 

[vanessan]

Now come on Captain P, you know you don’t have to prove anything anyway. We all accept everything you tell us - even if we don’t believe you. 

[Guest]

[vanessan]

2 hours ago, Jayfire said:

Looks like a very young, blonde Ann Widdecombe! 

[grendel]

10 hours ago, Jayfire said:

I can be very hard too Mrs V, very hard indeed 

its comments like that, that cause my companies internet filters to go into meltdown and declare this thread to be adult content you know.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, grendel said:

its comments like that, that cause my companies internet filters to go into meltdown and declare this thread to be adult content you know.

Maybe your company needs a better internet filter, that doesn't decide innocent comments are deemed adult content then