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1st Week On Evening Shadow

Londonlad1985

By Londonlad1985
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Londonlad1985

Londonlad1985

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I purchased a share in ES in February and Saturday the 17th March was our 1st Outing. I'll probably not write this in daily instalments as the week went so fast I'm not sure what happened. I also forgot to take many pictures in all the excitement.:221_see_no_evil:

Friday night's cycle home from work found me drenched through and battered by hail stones (they don't half sting) with worse to come. By Saturday evening I was wishing for hail. The forecast was for another beast from the east and I wasn't disappointed as I waited for my bargain £6 coach in Stratford bus station on Saturday Morning with the snow swirling. However I kept myself occupied wondering what bus Little Mo (Kasey Ainsworth) who was sharing my bus stop would get on. It was the D8 to Crossharbour.

The advertised 2 hour 25 minutes would have happened had it not been for Norwich match day traffic, this resulted in me missing my bus to Horning not that I fancied looking for the stop tbh it was still snowing and felt miles colder in Norwich than London. So a Gold Star car whisked me to Richardson's for the princely sum of £18 still cheaper than the train from London all in.:1311_thumbsup_tone2:

It was now 2:30pm and Trevor from BCBM arrived not long after me. We talked through the boat  had a general laugh then I got chatting to some fellow forumites on 2 other syndicate boats in the marina it felt good to be back on the broads and amongst enthusiasts. Hello to you all.

Once Trevor had gone I had a few hours to kill as the Crew had delayed their departures due to the weather so i rummaged round ES and had a tramp round the marina in the 2 inches of snow.

They'd totally mis-timed their weather and by 6pm I was worried as they were driving through the worst of it. They eventually all made it. They (being my usual family crew of Mum, El Tel, Hamez & Meat-Soph + Yorkshire Terriers Rosie & Daisy) and were on board by 7pm bringing Wroxham's finest fish and chips so it was drinks onboard and a surprisingly choppy night in the marina for an early start on Sunday.

The early start seemed to evaporate in faffing. Some of which was clearing the snow and defrosting ropes. (Throw them in the water is the tip I've had too late). Some of it was bickering I need to undertake some training with the crew.... They hadn't seemed to grasp that ES wasn't a hire boat and didn't understand why i was picking up every dog hair and crumb. There was also some consternation when I produced 2 very smart auto inflate life jackets. "We don't have to wear them It's your boat" came the reply from grown adults.:2_grimacing:

11am found us at Ranworth with a stiff breeze and a successful 1st mooring next to Silver Cloud our marina neighbours. We (lads) went for a pint while Meat and Mum talked to the dogs or knitted something I imagine.

We didn't stop long as Mum was itching to get to Lathams - so on we pressed to Potter I can't tell you what happened there as I seem to have blotted it out. I know Mum filled basket which Im sure was all essential and then proceeded to try and feed it to us all!

It was a blustery cruise to Ludham Bridge for dinner in the Dog Inn which has improved their food no end since I was in there last. Out of interest why do they have a different electricity card system there?

Monday was a bit of a better day weather wise still freezing and no thaw but brighter and less windy. We had a wander round Howe Hill and Toad Hall cottage gardens and let the dogs off for a run, the cottage museum it's self wasn't open. we lunched on the boat and supped a couple of Bure Golds in the Sutton Staith Hotel after a bracing walk into Stalham just to see if it's doable... it is  25min at a stroll and The Green Stalham is very pretty.

That night was a peacefull wild mooring on the Ant and some spag bol. I had planned on Jonny Crow's but it was taken. So it was another well used spot with a big willow one bend up stream. We played Scrabble as is our boating tradition, ever the traditionalist Mum won again!

 

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Hylander

Hylander

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Thank you for the tale,     loved the photos.        Yes that snow was a bit of a shock but at least you got away and onto the river, unlike us and our holiday in early March.    There is always next year.    Can I just ask what is BCBM.

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ranworthbreeze

ranworthbreeze

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2 hours ago, Hylander said:

Thank you for the tale,     loved the photos.        Yes that snow was a bit of a shock but at least you got away and onto the river, unlike us and our holiday in early March.    There is always next year.    Can I just ask what is BCBM.

Hello Monica,

Here is a link to BCBM for you to have a look around their site.

Back in 2012 we considered using their services for Ranworth Breeze but in the end decided to manage our syndicate by an owners committee instead.

 http://www.bcbm.co.uk/

Regards

Alan

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YnysMon

YnysMon

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Love the tale...especially the bit where you are trying to train up your crew to syndicate standards...LOL!

Glad to hear you think he food at The Dog at Ludham has improved. We weren’t that impressed when we last visited in May ‘17, so time to try them out again.:default_biggrin:

Helen

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Londonlad1985

Londonlad1985

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Tuesday was back to Horning to drop Hamez and Meat off with Rosie. The Inverter was playing up that morning which was kind of fortuitous it happened then as while we lunched in the Ferry it was sorted (reset) very quickly which was reassuring. Back on board it was just Mum, El Tel and I and we headed to St Bennet's for an early mooring and a quiet evening. The sunset was lovley sadly I only remembered to take a pic after the most spectacular colours had diminished.

As we sat there admiring the scene, in the distance V shaped wave after V shaped wave of what i assume were geese were flying inland there must have been hundreds all roughly to the south heading into the setting sun I found it mesmerizing.

We had a lazy Start to Wednesday and took a leisurely cruise to Wroxham to meet my boss to show him round ES (he introduced me to the broads).

We moored and lunched at the Wroxham hotel I had hoped to try the "The Shed" but it wasn't to be this time as it doesn't open until 5pm midweek. We departed to Ranworth for shore power and water in the morning. The new quay headings are complete and looked quite nice however the grey stone aggregate is quite fine and seemed to even stick to plimsolls. It looks like a dry portland cement mix. There was £1.79 on the eletric post and we used 70p over night.

Thursday morning revealed a disaster - the remaining Yorkie Daisy had been ill thankfully on a replaceable mat not the carpet. So it was off to Lathams to buy a new mat. I hope I don't become "That member of the syndicate".

Daisy seemed to perk up as we cruised to Stokesby which is my favourite mooring in the northern broads (I'm not sure why).

We had a pint in the Ferry which was suffering a power cut, luckily the Ghost Ship doesn't need anything but the willing arm of a barmaid. So it was all to the good and loafing by the fire it was very pleasant afternoon. Had the powercut not affected the electic post we may have stayed the night as it was we made our way back to Acle for our last night and 3 excellent courses in the Bridge Inn.

Friday was a late start after the previous nights indulgences. As this was our last day we'd decided not to sleep in the marina and go home that afternoon. So we packed up cleaned up and headed to Southgates for a pump out and diesel. I'd originally planned on Boulters for price but the wind had picked up and their dyke looked busy so basically It was my 1st week and I bottled it.

Back at the marina we gave her a good wash down as the snow seemed to have deposited a fine dust over everything. Almost like she's been out to sea then headed back to Stevenage in the luxury of El Tel's car to catch a train and tube back to the Wild East.

 

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SwanR

SwanR

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Lovely photos. I never tire of seeing where everyone has been, even though it all looks so familiar now. Once you mentioned the weather I remembered which weekend you meant! Interesting to hear about Stokesby. That's another mooring that's always been full when we've headed down there, usually trying for a lunch stop in the pub! When's your next week away? I'm guessing this is only the start of what will be a very happy first year of being part of a syndicate.

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Guest

Guest

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Lovely photos mate, great that you had a good time on your first outing.

I know all about bottling it on your first week. It took me most of the first day after I bought into shadow to pluck up the courage to even think about removing the lines and back out into the river :default_biggrin:

Hope it doesn't seem too long before you get out on her again.

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ranworthbreeze

ranworthbreeze

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Hello Londonlad1985,

We have all been there with your first week on a boat that you own or have shares in, you are conscious that you could make a mistake cause damage and in the case of syndicate you are aware that the boat belongs to other like minded owners.

With regards to Boulters if you contacted them they would always help you in, when we were moored at Ferry Marine their fuel station and workshop used to be at the back of the site unlike on the river as it is now, Boulters to us was a better option and their help was invaluable.

Regards

Alan

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Londonlad1985

Londonlad1985

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55 minutes ago, Matt said:

Many happy memories on Board ES! Tell us about the boat..... 

She is very comfortable and feels very homely. I'm not particularly techy in boats but she handles well and I'm chuffed to bits with her, she is in great nick generally. The abundance of cabin space means that a decent size group can have some peace and quiet. And reading in the bunk birth at night felt really cozy.

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2 hours ago, Londonlad1985 said:

I'll be out on Siesta on good friday. Say hello if you see us. 

Will keep an eye out for you from Friday mate. Are away for the weekend or all week?

We are heading t'up north early saturday morning

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