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Lightning Strikes Again


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Well the tide didn't play ball, so we had a relaxing short run to Oulton Broad. The run was a really pleasant one and under changeable skies, one minute cloudy and cool, the next warm sunshine, but all the time we had a steady breeze. We phoned Oulton Broad yacht station to reserve a mooring, which was to be stern on on the inside finger. We arrived at the yacht station earlier than expected and took a mooring, but the board said reserved for someone else. I walked round to the office, but nobody was there, so I ran back to Lightning as I saw anther boat coming in, and didn't want to lose the chance of side on along with views over the broad. We brought Lightning around and managed to get our chosen spot, got tied up, and noticed Sally B tied up on the other side of the jetty. I knocked on the door and out came Rod and Shirley, where we stood and had a chat, but I thought we'd all be more comfortable sitting on Lightning having a nice cup of tea. It's the first time we've had good long chat with Rod and Shirley. After a while we parted company, and Karen and I went across to pay our mooring fee which was £18.50 side on with hook up. OK, it was,nt much less than WRC, but at least the surroundings and local facilities are much better. We then went to find an Indian restaurant we'd been told about, and decided if my brother and sister in law don't turn up, it's Indian for us tonight we walk back to Lightning where I have to make some phone calls and are now just chilling out. I must admit, the idea of a Ruby is very tempting. 

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18 hours ago, Seagypsy said:

It does have a ladder so you can get back aboard after falling in the drink

Let's just hope they don't reverse up to you, once you have fallen in if the boat is in motion, as your legs could be too close for comfort to the prop. The ladder would of been better situated to one side, which I think in a lot of boats they do.

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Well the Indian didn't happen. My brother and sister in law arrived at 6pm. They're immediately impressed with the size and space of Lightning, but they're sailing folk who like the more traditional kind of boat, that's why they bought a Hillyard 12 tonner. After a while I walk up to the chippie and get our order, back to the boat and we stuff ourselves on some very healthy food. We sit and chat for a couple of hours, when they depart back to the campsite, so Karen and I get Lightning squared away and settle down watching Who Dares Wins (great film), and will no doubt be in bed early again tonight. It's been another thoroughly enjoyable day, but then, isn't any day boating on the Broads a lovely day?. Good night all. 

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What a good night's sleep, I slept like a log. We awake to a bright but cloudy breezy morning. We got chatting to guy called Martin on one of Brooms boats yesterday, and he and his good lady (Jane) were up and sitting in their cockpit taking in the air. We get chatting again when Rod returns with their trusty companion "Treacle". We all discuss where to have breakfast. We went to a little place called 142 Cafe and Bar, in Bridge road, soon to be joined by Rod and Shirley, and shortly after by our new found friends Martin and Jane. We all have bacon sandwiches of some kind along with a healthy dose of conversation, so much so that we realised it had gone 11, we'd been in there for over an hour and a half, but had to leave as we were heading towards either Langley dyke or Rockland. With water tank filled we're on our way. We round the corner from Oulton, only to see Peters Joy moored at "The Dutch Tea Gardens", so we quickly Moor up to go and say hello, but we're surprised to find Paul was not aboard, it was daughter Sam and her family, and Paul was later to join them in the week. We get underway again, and enjoy a cruise down the Waveney under changing skies and a fresh breeze, so different to Saturday, yet still dry. We had advance warning that there a couple of rangers moored around the bend with a speed gun, shame they didn't have any interest in the young guys speeding side by side and throwing beers cans around while going past them. As we pass them, they set off and followed us up the new cut, yet turned around after Hadisco Bridge. While cruising up the New Cut, I start to feel the chill of the breeze, so when we reached the wider Yare, I shut down the upper helm controls and carried on from inside, much warmer down here. We cruise up the Yare punching a hard tide, and eventually come to the mouth of Langley dyke. Up to this point Karen had been driving from Reedham, but isn't confident in confined spaces, so I took over from up top. It's much easier from up top, better views, and a better view for navigation. As we turned into Langley dyke, we're following a dinghy with 4 people sailing under head sail alone, along with a paddle, so in and out of drive trying to steer in neutral and ahead on tickover. Eventually, they pulled over to more, but never once said thank you for our patience. We turn before the mooring and reverse in with the kind help from a kind gentleman called Keith, who owns an Aqua fibre Lowliner 38. He knows a few people on syndicate boats, so we get chatting, and invite him aboard to show him around and have a quick chat. He'off at 6 to get back to their mooring ready to go home tomorrow. Now the clouds have lessened, and I'm about to cook my version of pasta amatraciana, and No, it's NOT out of a can. It's looking a bit brighter now, so after dinner, I may settle down do a bit of sweetcorn drowning. I wonder what the evening will bring, could it be yet another record catch, I wonder?. 

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1 hour ago, Ray said:

Do tell.. I absolutely love Italian food, what's the recipe please? :)

Mine isn't the original recipe, probably not very close either, but the three main ingredients are the same.  1 Diced medium onion, 8oz chopped smoked back bacon, 1 tin Italian copped tomatoes, ground black pepper, 1 heaped teaspoon paprika, 1 heaped teaspoon basil, olive oil, knob of butter

 

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan, 

Add Diced onion and black pepper, then sweat down

Add chopped bacon

Addpaprika stir well and cook for a few minutes so bacon is cooked

Add chopped tomatoes and basil and stir well (you may wish to add a teaspoon or two of tomato puree depending on taste). 

Simmer lightly for about half an hour

Add a knob of butter to reduced any acidity of the tomatoes if required. 

Serve with pasta of choice and top with you choice of grated cheese.

All quantities can be adjusted to taste. 

If you try this recipe, i do hope you enjoy it.............. Neilo

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The Pasta Amatriciana turned out very well and was all gobbled up, and very enjoyable it was too. I usually wash up as I go, and all that was left was the plates and glasses which Karen did. I got changed into some old clothes especially brought along for sweetcorn drowning a got my tackle out :default_norty: and got set up by Lightnings bow. Karen was watching things on YouTube when I called her to look at my monster Roach which must have weighed in at a massive 6-8............. oz. She was going to take a photo, but the poor little thing wriggled out of my hand and fell on the ground. I quickly picked him up and placed him back in the briny deep. I kept fishing for a couple of hours, and caught another three monsters, the the light faded. By this time the breeze had settled, and Langley dyke was flat calm and looked absolutely still and tranquil. I don't know what it is about this place, but for us, in the sun, with flat cam water, and the sight of a Marsh Harrier swooping low over the marshes, it's truly awesome, mind blowing even, but whatever it is, it's one of the most beautiful and relaxing places to be on the Broads. Maybe that explains why I love this little piece of Broadland paradise so much. It's been a fantastic day, not only cruising, but enjoying breakfast with friends, both old and new, making a friend from a stranger who we really hope to see again,  enjoying a home cooked meal, and an evenings fishing. It couldn't get any better, but then, that's just another day on the Broads.  Good night all. 

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9 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Mine isn't the original recipe, probably not very close either, but the three main ingredients are the same.  1 Diced medium onion, 8oz chopped smoked back bacon, 1 tin Italian copped tomatoes, ground black pepper, 1 heaped teaspoon paprika, 1 heaped teaspoon basil, olive oil, knob of butter

 

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan, 

Add Diced onion and black pepper, then sweat down

Add chopped bacon

Addpaprika stir well and cook for a few minutes so bacon is cooked

Add chopped tomatoes and basil and stir well (you may wish to add a teaspoon or two of tomato puree depending on taste). 

Simmer lightly for about half an hour

Add a knob of butter to reduced any acidity of the tomatoes if required. 

Serve with pasta of choice and top with you choice of grated cheese.

All quantities can be adjusted to taste. 

If you try this recipe, i do hope you enjoy it.............. Neilo

Hi Neil,

Sounds OK but I would have to leave out the onion and pasta (or any other carbs for that matter) I might try with adding red or mixed beans.

Regards

Alan

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Good morning all, and what a bright and wonderful morning it is too, and being in such a stunning location makes it all the more satisfying. I got up at around 07.30, to make a cuppa for Karen and I and looked out of the window at clear blue skies, and immediate thoughts turned to photographing the beautiful mornings view. I'l post up some pics at the end of this thread, though there won't be many, as I've taken so many of these locations before. The kettle was whistling, and tea was made. A quick run through what's on the forum, and then I treat Karen to a cuppa in bed. It'll about relaxation on the Broads, so I wonder what lies in store today?. 

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We're up and a out, breakfast done, where Karen had cheese on toast and I had "bruchetta', well last nist left over Pasta sauce on toast. We:re off to Langley Abbey for a quick look, and then for a cruise. Prabaly to Rockland where hopefully, we can hook up to the 240, then Karen can have a shower and use the hairdryer. That'women for you. 

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Well what a shame. We haven't moored at Langley for a few years, and when we got to the Abbey, we found out it was closed to the public about four years ago. We walked back to Lightning and got underway. Our plan was to go to Rockland for the 240 hook up, but wile en-route, I suggested we carry on up the Yare to our home mooring at Brooms, where we could jump in the car and get the last few supplies for the last few days. We got home so to speak, and shopping bought, along with some rope hangers for Lightnings stern ropes, which either live on the side decks, or in the aft well. We're back aboard, and Karen has a shower. We wanted the 240 for her hair dryer, and straighteners, plus our home mooring hook up is meter read so we didn't us a card. I fill up with water, fit the rope hangers, and we're back under way. We have lovely cruise down the Yare, where our plan is to Moor at Hardley Mill, somewhere we've never moored at. We pass the sugar factory and find the mill moorings (or should that be pump?) with three boats on them, one at either end, and the smallest boat there moored slap bang in the middle, allowing only small boats in between. Oh well, time for plan B, we carry on to Reedham. As we approach Reedham, we're following two other boats, the second of which took the only mooring space big enough. Thinking we may have to opt for plan C, which was Loddon for two nights, Karen see's someone  pulling out, leaving a massive gap, sorted. Things didn't go too plan when mooring up, I didn't realise the tide was running so fast, and as I turned the bow into the mooring, the tide pushed our stern into the boat behind. It was only a slight tap.,but it is still someone's pride and joy. We tied Lightning up with springs, and I went back to apologise and take all blame, it was me on the hel, and I should have taken a few seconds extra to check the tidal flow. I've moored at Reedham in fast tides before, and have mostly shown a clean pair of heals. Oh well, I asked the other owners aboard to inspect their boat, but all was well, with only my pride taking a bashing. We get chatting to the other owners, who start complementing us on the good condition of Lightning, and saying how spacious she is. Just as they depart, our new found friends Martin and Jane come upriver just in time to see another boat leave, so they pull in and Moor. Again, we get chatting, over a cuppa. Karen and I have already decided to use up what food we have left, and agree to meet up with M and J for a drink in the Ship. We use up the last of the potato's so kindly given to us by the Admiral, along with some cold pork and salad, me?, healthy eating, whatever next?. We get to the Ship, meet our friends, only to hear they could only get fish n chips as that was all they had, and at 7.00pm. Not good for a pub with a supposed good reputation. We sit chatting til 10.30, and make our way back to our boats, where as typing this post, I'm listening to Owls calling in the distance. It's one of Mother nature's wonderful night time sounds, and a sound that will hopefully help me drift off in bed. But that's just another normal night time  sound on the Broads.  Good night all. 

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We woke up this morning, and it was actually bloody cold, more like late autumn, that was a shock to the system, so much so, we actually put the heating for an hour.  It soon warms up, with patchy cloud in the distance. We have breakfast, then get Lightning squared away, and water tank filled, disconnect the 240, and we`re ready for a long trek this morning, all the way to ............... Loddon again. Before we set off, we say cheerio to our new found friends Martin and Jane, and off we go. We`re off to Loddon because we want to go to the Chet Vinyard for a look around, and for Karen to taste some wine. Our cruise up the short stretch of the Yare was even shorter, as we`re going with the tide. We enter the Chet, and i`m sure the river is getting narrower, and a bit more twisty. We`re following one of Richo`s Gems (an Alpha 32), and he `s taking it really slow. I know it`s 3 mph at Loddon, but all the way up the whole river?. We arrive at the staithe, this time with plenty of space, and get moored up in front of a pylon which still had some credit. All hooked up, we have a cuppa in Rosie Lee`s, wher Caroline orders a taxi for us. The vinyard is only about 3 miles away, yet still costmore than £25 return, are taxi`s really that expensive, or did we get ripped off (bloody tourists comes to mind :default_laugh:).  The vinyard is really well worth a vist, though in the near future, it will be much better, as it is still being developed. They do make some stunning locally made wines from their own home grown grapes, and YES, they`re grown a couple of miles from Loddon. You can have a look at the vines, and taste the wines, even though i`m allergic to alcahol (or alcahol intolerant), i did have a taste, but only a tiny amount, which did`nt seem to affect me, as when we got back, i drank plenty of fluids, well, tea anyway, to water it down. We got back to Lightning, where i started to do a bit of repair / refurbishment of her central shower compartment. The oak trim was coming away, which was allowing water to get into the edge of the laminate under deck skin. I`d already bought the oak capping down her at home, and shaped and varnished it, so i all i had to do was the remove the old, clean and re-prep the surface, stick it on, and re-bead the edges. I took a good 3 hours, but ended up ding a lot more that i`d noticed when doing this piece. After i`d done the first stage of the work, i decided to do an hours fishing. result, one tiny silver Bream, hardly worth the effort, but i suppose they`re all worth it in the end. Karen and i wanted to go to the White Horse, but heard earlier in the weak that one of their ovens had gone bang, so also considered the Raj again. When we got there, all was ok, as they had a new oven fitted the day before.  We had a superb meal (as is usual from The White Horse), and settled in for a quiet evening back aboard. I did a bit more refurbishment, and finally hit the sack at around 11pm, i was watching re-runs of Porridge but started to nod off, so gave in and joined Karen.  It`s been a great day, and doing something different made the day something special, even though Karen did spend a fortune on wine that i liked the taste of, yet i dare not drink. I did tell her i`l have my own treat by spending the same amount or the restoration of the Daytona 1000. Good night all.

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Friday morning see`s us waken to a nice bright morning. Loddon is always nice, but when you look out on a sunny morning, it`s magic. We`re up and about by 08.30, and we`re eventually ready for another delicious breakfast at Rosie Lee`s. We see Caroline for the last time this visit, and with breakfast done, we`ve no need to do any more shopping, so get back to Lightning, and get ready for the off. I`d been trying to contact Paul (Peta`s Joy) to see where they are, and if passing, could stop off and say hello. I managed to speak to him on the phone, but in a completely garbled form, from which i could`nt make out what he said. Somehow, i thought i heard the word Rockland, so assumed He and Elaine would be there. We got underway, and found ourselves punching an unexpected hard tide on the Chet. I can`t remember ever having to push a tide this hard. We reached the Yare, turned up river, and now the tide is with us, and we`re flying along. The river is quite busy today, as no matter where we were on the river, we could always see another boat, who said the rivers are quiet these days?. After a while, we pass the Beauchamp Arms, and are soon approaching the lower entrance to Rockland Broad. A quick chug through the Broad and into the cut, and there was Peta`s Joy, GREAT, we`ve at long last got the chance to meet again. We get moored up, but don`t really have much time, as we have to have Lightning back at Brooms for refuel and pumpout before they close at 4.00pm. We got chatting to a guy on a boat called "Wombat", beside us, and say our goodbyes as we have to find Paaul and Elaine, only to turn round and he`s there. We all walk over to the pub, where we meet Elaine for the first time, and she really is a lovely lady. We also had the chance to meet Alex and Lorna aboard Braveheart, and another one of their friends Richard (i think?).  We have a drink, where i made a toast to "absent friends", and had a chat. We wanted to stay longer, but time and tide (pun intended) wait for no man, and we had to get back. We set off and 25 minutes later, we`re mooring up and pumping out. We did`nt use much fuel, and only one of the toilets needed pumping out. We`re eating in the Yare tonight, so start to get packed and doing the majority of the laundry at Brooms facility. We`re giving Lightning a thourough clean inside and out, and time ticks on. We have our meal in the Yare, though not Gordon Blue, it was really nice good honest pub grub. Back aboard and the clean up and packing continues. It took longer than we thought, and just before midnight, we get to bed. I`m over tired, and find it difficult to sleep. That`s the joys of syndicate ownership. Good night all.

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After a restless night, I'm up about 06.30, and need the loo. We've had the loo pumped out yesterday, so we have to use the berth holders loo's ashore, which means quickly putting some clothes on. A right pain in the **** I know, but I don't think the next owners would be happy taking Lightning over with a "dirty loo". Back aboard, and we get showered and dressed, and start cleaning Lightning and loading up the car. We're just about finished and Martin and Jane bring back their hire boat. We had a chat for a while, and eventually get things finished, and say our goodbyes. We're leaving our lovely boat once again, and say cheerio to her and thank her for keeping us safe and warm, who said boats don't have a soul. When in the Yare, I asked one of the bar staff if they did breakfast in the mornings, and was told no, but there was an excellent tea shop in the village, so we headed there for breakfast. The lady asked what we wanted, And as  usual, the "eyes bigger than stomach" scenario kicked in. I had the mega Brundall breakfast, and didn't want to lose face, I felt completely stuffed. Back to the car, fill up with petrol, and the journey home begins. By the time we get to the M25, I'm really struggling to keep my eyes open due to a late and restless night, add to that the hypnotic effect of continuous motorway driving, so we pulled in to South Mimms where I rested my eyes followed by a coffee. The rest of the journey home was as laborious as usual, and at 3.00pm, we arrived home. Our holiday was over. The ironic thing is, where and whenever we go on holiday, it always rains on at least one day, it may only be a few spits as we had in Devon 6 weeks previous, but it will rain. This week, we didn't have any, except for when we came home. Yes it was just a few spits. I think for once the God's have smiled on us.  Good bye all, September 14th isn't far away. 

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On 01/07/2019 at 08:42, vanessan said:

This may of course be the first ever picture, taken before any of those somewhat necessary items had been added. I saw this boat at WRC about 2/3 weeks ago and certainly had to have a second and third look! For the life of me I can’t remember if it did have any rails added but somehow I can’t believe it would be left like that. Woe betide anyone who sleepwalks!!

This is still in the same mooring position I saw it in more than a month ago, I have yet to see it out and about. (That’s not to say it hasn’t been though!) There are definitely no rails at the stern. Maybe it’s design is not appealing to people?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Great to see a Silouette Mk111 still going strong. Brings back many memories. 

In my impetuous youth I crossed the Channel in one of those all 17ft of her and yes, she too was Seagull Century+ powered.

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