April Jaunt

[Hockham Admiral]

Thursday, 15th April

Planned to be away from home by 09.30 but make it by 09.15... good omen for the rest of the week? Alice, an 11 year old who adopted us as Grandparents two years ago, and Jim, our dog are coming too.

Stop of for fuel en-route but arrive at Bells just before 10.00. It's 29 miles from home to boat.

Load food and drinks, well alcoholic, actually, (the drinks) and make Friday Girl all ship-shape and ready to go. Alice very excited and happy to wear her life-jacket. Give her an extra Easter Egg we had and say “That's your lot for today!â€.

Slip our moorings at 10.15 (we don't hang around!) and set off against the flood for Oulton Broad. Very little traffic; all the pubs along the river to Reedham are deserted apart from the odd one or two hire-boats.

Using revs for 5mph in still water we are making 4.3 mph GPS as we enter the New Cut and that then immediately goes up to 5.7mph so back a bit to stick to the 5mph limit...

“Boat close astern†from Mary-Jane and I look aft to see an old Broom cruiser, 'Nikerma', approaching rapidly. Move well over to starbd to let him pass and we are both surprised at the speed with which he does...

'Nikerma disappears ahead leaving a good wake and exits the cut long before we approach the canal boats/new road bridge. Not to worry as we then see what we believe to be a Marsh Harrier!

With the flood now with us we make good time to Somerleyton where we find 'Nikerma' waiting for the bridge!!! Can't help but smile as we motor serenely by...

At last approaching Oulton Yacht Station and again we see the big bow wave as the intrepid 'Nikerma' attempts to beat us to the moorings.

Doesn't bother us as we have booked a stern-on mooring already.

Stern to the pontoon takes two attempts as the NNE'ly is quite fresh and the gap's not much wider than we are! No-one to assist initially as Peter and Gerry are away in Lowestoft mending beach-huts... Waveney lost a couple of hire-boat customers who just couldn't cope with the wind and departed for pastures new!

Moored up and electrics connected by 14.30 and it's tot-time! (Sorry, Barry). Well, glasses actually... cool wine for Mary-Jane, Juice for Alice, water for Jim and a large G & T for me!

Later we walk up to the Red Herring to check our Saturday night booking is OK; well, that's my excuse...

Nice tea which Mary-Jane pre-cooked at home, just the pasta to boil and the Bol Sauce to microwave up. After we'd all had enough Alice finishes the rest with gusto!!

Mary-Jane and Alice settle down in front of the TV and Jim and I head off to the Lady of the Lake for further liquid refreshments........

(More to follow plus the pics.)

[Hockham Admiral]

Friday

Wake up to a foggy morn! Really beautiful and now flat calm. Take Jim for a walk at 07.00 and then back for first cuppa... Jim likes one too!

10.00 and girls still asleep. Mop boat down without waking them! Next-door boat departs and it's shaping up to be a better day.

Alice up and has cheesy scrambled eggs and toast with a glass of juice; I survive with a cheese and onion toasty... Mary-Jane has tea and toast in bed.

Lunchtime and all off for a walk which ends up at the 'Lady' where I'm getting a taste for the Wherry.

Alice buys TWO large packets of Cheesy Quavers and sets down to demolish them. This eleven year old can eat!

Afternoon walks with Jim and then it's off to the Lady for tea. Alice has the all-day breakfast and lots of my chips while Mary-Jane has a very good gammon steak. I have the rib-eye steak but I think it must have come from the same butcher who supplied the Reedham Ferry last year... it looks and tastes like a bit of beaten-flat rump . Unusually no-one comes to ask how our meals are... We haven't been back to the Ferry since.............

[Guest]

Great read., Keep it coming

[Guest]

Hi John

A good read. What boat where you in when you were flying the Junior Service's ensign ? That was some wake at the back of her!

Regards

Jim

Senior Service.....

[Hockham Admiral]

Hi John

A good read. What boat where you in when you were flying the Junior Service's ensign ? That was some wake at the back of her!

Regards

Jim

Senior Service.....

We were crossing the North Sea returning from Flushing in our Antares 760 (25ft, single Volvo TAMD 41P). Some would say foolhardy but we had previously spent 25 years cruising the Channel and North Sea under sail and power.

We crossed over every year from '06 to '09 and that was the only calm crossing we had. All of the other times there was no way we could have even stood up, let alone take the pic!

We gave up sea passages late last year and now cruise the Broads.

I must say it was a great delight when I drove 15tons of Junior Service aluminium into one of your ships one day in the North Sea! : :

[donnygeoff]

Nice one John,

I like the misty shots

[Hockham Admiral]

Saturday

A beautiful calm morning, looks like a good day ahead. Forecast is good for today and better for tomorrow!

Jim out for a run at 07.15 (late today) and then back to the boat to find Alice up and about. Brew a cuppa and make scrambled eggs on toast for us both. Then fetch the Saturday EDP for Mary-Jane.

Out with the sowing machine and attach Velcro to the new port and starboard cabin forward front and side curtains which, along with all the others, I'd made the week or so previously. (Rod, I remember Jeckells quoted you £800 or so for them all? Well, the materials cost me £75 and it took me three days of non-intensive labour to machine them all up!).

Have to move the Velcro bits on the window-frame here and there but eventually got them to fit smoothly. The old ones were fitted with studs and never did hang properly. That's the beauty of Velcro, you can put an extra-wide bit on the window frame and then move the curtain to fit.

Quite thirsty now but we have to wait for Alice's Mum to pick her up at 12.30.

Find Alice on Ken and Rose's boat lovingly handling their African Grey parrot... brave girl! It can mimic them so well that they seldom know who's calling who!!!

Alice's Mum arrives and has time for a coffee and to admire the new boat. I took the whole family out last summer in the old boat in a F3-4 out of Lowestoft and they haven't been too keen to go out again... (they did ASK to go out!!!)

A lazy afternoon in the sun with one side of the sliding roof open which keeps the N'ly wind out and lets the hot sun in. Manage a vino or three each.

19.30 and we arrive at the Red Herring for another memorable meal. I am in low-key mode and ask for their special cheeseburger (Philistine, I know). It is excellent; one of the best I've tasted in a long career of burger debauchery.....

Mary-Jane asks for something exotic which looks and tastes good but she doesn't care for the sauce on it.

Home for an early night as we are leaving early tomorrow morning. Hope to be away before 07.30 to take the ebb to St Olave's and then the flood from Reedham to Brundall.

Sunday

I'm up and about at 06.15 and take Jim for his morning constitutional. Then have lovely cuppa and a cheese and onion toasty to get me going. Unhitch electrics and cast off at 07.20. What a beautiful morning!

Hardly anything about and the first boat I see moving is 'Janet' down the New Cut. Also see the Marsh Harrier again with a stick in its mouth.

Pass through Reedham and see this big Alpha with LOTS of men onboard.. wave at them and they respond!

A mile past the Ferry and I'm suddenly aware of a shape behind my port ear! It's them again, now at 09.30, and they're mostly stood on the roof with cannies....

Get into Brundall at 10.55 and moor outside Bells to wait for our next passengers.

[Guest]

Hi John

hope you & MJ are well

Find Alice on Ken and Rose's boat lovingly handling their African Grey parrot... brave girl! It can mimic them so well that they seldom know who's calling who!!! :clap

love African Grey's i fell in love with the two red macaws at the little farm place near the Pontiac

Jonny

[petersjoy]

Nice write up John, keep it going. How are you both? We will in Oulton Broad on Wednesday 28th. are you about again then?

[Hockham Admiral]

Nice write up John, keep it going. How are you both? We will in Oulton Broad on Wednesday 28th. are you about again then?

Thanks to you all so far with the nice comments. Now waiting for Rachel to bring me the CD of all the pics she took at Surlingham.

Sorry, Paul, not about now until early May. Can you make the Spring Meet?

[petersjoy]

Sorry, Paul, not about now until early May. Can you make the Spring Meet?

Afraid not. But we on the boat from 9th may to 16th with my mum and dad, can only stay local between Beccles and Norwich for my dad to get to the Hospital for Dialisis? Spelling?

[Jupes]

Great read John, keep going!!

Best wishes to Mary-Jane. Looking forward to seeing you both out and about and at the Southern Meet.

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

This is a real good read John, and some stunning pictures . Looking forward to the next installment.

[Hockham Admiral]

Rachel and Ads (Adam) are due to arrive at 12.00 and actually make it... must be a record! Stow their overnight gear and we're off to Coldham Hall, whose moorings are empty, for some Humpty Dumpty, 'Reedcutters' I think. And jolly good it is! The girls manage with Aspalls cider.

I take Jim for a walk and then it's time to head up-river to the Surlingham Ferry, where we've booked a mooring and an evening meal.

Moored up ontime and now it's Wherrytime again!

Back onboard a good bit later, after feeding two visiting swans, me for a snooze and others to take Jim for a walk.

A really good meal at the Ferry; I am brave and try the rib-eye.......... it is superb, about the best I've ever tasted! Well done you all at the Ferry!

Monday

I'm up early again and clear away the debris from yesterday while enjoying a refreshing cuppa!

Rachel and Ads are up and about by 09.00; so we set off for Brundall. Rachel helms, she's a natural and steers small.

We tie up at Bells and tidy up before our short journey home.

It's only been a short break but what a lovely time we've had. Good company, food and drinks! We can't wait until the next time!!!

[Loops]

Lovely tale John and Mary-Jane, feeling really jealous.

We started our kitchen on the 6th April and we're still going strong. It's fought back every inch of the way so far. We can't believe how good the weather's been while we've not been able to get up to the broads. I know full well that as soon as we've finished the weather will change

God, I sound depressed. Oh yes! I am depressed

Lou xx

[pks1702]

Have you moved from Goodchild John?

If so I must have missed that

[Hockham Admiral]

Have you moved from Goodchild John?

If so I must have missed that

Perry, Hi

Yes, unfortunately our mooring there just wouldn't manage a 12ft beam......

[Hockham Admiral]

Hi John and MJ,

Looks like the "shake down" cruises worked out OK and all the snags on FG1V are sorted

Your Guest did not seem to be using muscles designed by Garth to operate the steering so things must have been resolved

Hope to catch up with you later on in the season.

Rod

Thanks, Rod.

Yes, that's about the end of the shake down cruises, totalling 23 days so far!

You may remember we had a bow-thruster and hydraulic steering fitted before we bought her? So it's easy on the wheel now!

Will try to meet up in July over that Summer meet at WRC; I think you will be somewhere nearby? (i.e. on the Southern Broads?).

[RedRover]

Nice Tale John,just got back from 4 days away so just catching up on things.

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

God it`s alright for some eh?. While you lot have been swanning around the Broads, some of us have been digging up tree roots in the garden . Seriously though, i`d be doing EXACTLY the same if i was in your shoes, so good luck to you all . You never know what`s just round the corner, if i can get my finances back up to scratch, i may even put Mistral on the southern rivers . Regards to all ....................... Neil.