Norfolk Lady Tales

[Ray]

Happy New Year to you and your crew Malcolm 🥂

Our dog can't fit in the co-pilot seat so drapes herself across the whole of a double berth and demands biscuits to compensate her for being afloat 😁

[Bikertov]

Looks wonderful and peaceful - Happy New Year @Mouldy

[YnysMon]

Looks idyllic Malcolm, especially as you've bagged a spot on our favourite mooring!

[Mouldy]

Just had a short walk along the bank towards Hardley Dyke with the wife and Harley.  Sadly, the dogs arthritis now prevents us from walking far with her, but she enjoyed it and it gave me the opportunity to take a few photos as the sun went down with a glorious golden light.  One other boat has moored at the other end of the pontoon, but with the factory closed, presumably over the festive season, it’s a lovely, quiet end to the day.

[Lulu]

Stunning photos. I particularly like the second one

[YnysMon]

I'll second that. Some of the best you've taken Malcolm. Worthy of a calendar!

[SwanR]

You've captured yesterday's late afternoon sun so well. First sunshine we have had in a very long time here. I was driving back from Womack Water over Ludham Bridge and almost stopped to take some photos myself but carried on home. Happy New Year to you Malcolm and your good lady.

[Mouldy]

Work on our bungalow had meant that our visits to the boat had been very limited since the beginning of the new year, however we’d arranged to meet a friend at The Lion at Thurne for a meal last Thursday evening, so decided to stay on the boat that night.  The wife took her laptop with the intention of working onboard on Friday, whilst I dealt with the aftermath of the Saharan rain.

We dropped off our bags, as well as putting some milk in the fridge on our way to Thurne and had an enjoyable evening at the pub, before returning to the boat.  It was a very chilly night and we woke to a glorious, frosty, slightly misty morning on Friday.  I was despatched to the Co-Op for a couple of bits first thing, before having breakfast.  The wife set up her laptop and started work and I had a shower before getting ready to set about trying to restore the outside of Norfolk Lady back to an acceptable condition.

It’s fair to say that initially it didn’t look too bad, but once I’d started to hose the boat down, the extent of the sand coverage became very apparent.  It had got into every nook, cranny, ledge and gully and rivers of red were streaming down the decks.  A couple of hours later, she was looking a lot better and I was going to start giving her a polish, but the wife was struggling with a poor internet connection, causing her difficulties with working.  Sadly, we came home just after lunch, but I may have a day on board during the week to finish the spring clean.

I’m hoping that the current spell of good weather extends to next weekend.  We have a carpenter at the bungalow on Saturday to hang two remaining oak doors, but intend to go back to the boat once he’s finished for the remainder of Saturday and Sunday.

 

[Lulu]

I spent ages cleaning Luna a couple of weeks ago. I suspect all my work has been undone. I’ll look out for a rust coloured boat in the marina on Thursday. 
 

 

[Mouldy]

Good luck with that!!  Ours didn’t look as bad as some on the marina, but once I’d started with the hose, it was evident that we hadn’t escaped the worst of it!!

[Broads01]

I like the Silverline logos on their hulls, reminiscent of times past when boatyard flags where the thing. Is that new this year? 

[andyg]

I attempted to clean the wife's car yesterday, I gave up after half hour as I wasn't really getting anywhere. This stuff sets like concrete, my jet wash is broken so I ended up at the local car wash. Quick trip this morning to b&q to purchase new jet washer. Lovely photos

[Mouldy]

7 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I like the Silverline logos on their hulls, reminiscent of times past when boatyard flags where the thing. Is that new this year? 

I think so.  I don’t recall seeing them last year, but I wouldn’t guarantee it.

1 hour ago, andyg said:

I attempted to clean the wife's car yesterday, I gave up after half hour as I wasn't really getting anywhere. This stuff sets like concrete .  . . . . . . . 

I’ve still got to do ours.  It’s largely gone from the roof, bonnet etc, but there are thick deposits around where the tailgate and bonnet shut.  Might give it a go tomorrow.

1 hour ago, andyg said:

Lovely photos

Thanks.  Straight out of an iPhone 13 with no post processing.  Cameras in phones have come a long way.

[andyg]

My wife's Samsung phone, haven't got a clue what model it is takes fantastic photos. When I was waiting for the guys to finish the car yesterday I noticed a definite red tint to the water on the ground. I waited 30 mins in the queue it seems everyone had the same idea lol...

[andyg]

Remember when richardsons took the hoseasons logo off there boats and replaced it with there R.. I don't like the new hoseasons logo it looks daft in my opinion. Very smart from silverline as you would expect from them. A fantastic fleet of boat incredibly well maintained. Even the old CC dual steers they have look fantastic. 

[Broads01]

6 hours ago, andyg said:

Remember when richardsons took the hoseasons logo off there boats and replaced it with there R.. I don't like the new hoseasons logo it looks daft in my opinion. Very smart from silverline as you would expect from them. A fantastic fleet of boat incredibly well maintained. Even the old CC dual steers they have look fantastic. I

I remember Richardson's doing their logos, around 2015 I think. I'm not a fan of the Hoseasons one either and I like the idea of each yard being distinctive.

I completely agree about Silverline and I'm looking forward to returning to them next month.

[Mouldy]

We travelled up to the boat yesterday evening, arriving just before 18:30 and hastily transferred our bits and pieces on board.  There was a Herbert Woods boat moored behind Silverline’s shed, with two Woods vans parked nearby and four engineers looking at it.   Deb stayed with the boat, stowing food and clothes whilst I popped up to the chippy to get our dinner.  When I returned, the engineers were still looking at the Woods boat and I wondered what had happened.  After we’d eaten, we settled down to watch tv for a while before retiring to bed at around 21:45.

We woke around 06:30 this morning.  I wanted to give the boat a quick wash down, so having turned the immersion on, had a cup of tea before getting ready.  To be honest, after the scrub down the boat had during our last visit, when I’d cleaned off the Saharan dust, it wasn’t too bad, but had suffered a few ‘bird strikes’ which needed to be hosed off.  Behind Silverline, another Woods van arrived and the engineers were working on the boat again. It was evident that something more serious had happened that required additional investigation.  I hoped that they sorted out whatever was wrong, otherwise there may be a disappointed crew in Potter tomorrow afternoon.

Simon (Broads01) wandered round, having just finished his holiday on one of Silverline’s craft, to say hello.  It was good to meet him and put a face to a name.  We had a chat over a coffee, before he set off for home.

We cast off shortly after, heading out of Hobrough’s Dyke and down The Yare.  The early morning cloud cover cleared, leaving hazy sunshine, but it was a pleasant cruise.  Our intended destination was Beccles eventually, so headed down the New Cut, turning right onto The Waveney.

It was good of the BA to leave three barges moored at Somerleyton, on a bank holiday weekend.  Other than them, the moorings were full of private craft.  We’d seen a few hire boats around, but not as many as we though there might have been.  With room under the bridge, we carried on and arrived at North Cove to find one other boat moored, so we moored up and are currently sitting and relaxing, watching the world go by.

[YnysMon]

Love North Cove, so peaceful, though we haven’t managed an overnighter there yet. 

[SwanR]

Have a great time. It’s turned into a beautiful afternoon. We had a night at North Cove some years ago. Loved it. 

[grendel]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

It was good of the BA to leave three barges moored at Somerleyton, on a bank holiday weekend

those barges were the ones that had been blocking the new cut, doing the piling work, I think they are due back there to close it again in a week or so, so I guess it was the lesser of two evils.

[Mouldy]

Woke to a glorious Norfolk (or should that be Suffolk) morning, a little chilly perhaps, but with the sun already high in the sky, hopefully a sign of a great day in the making.  The river is flat calm, with virtually no breeze and looks quite low about about an hour before low water.

Time for breakfast before we continue into Beccles!  The wife has already threatened to go to the needlework shop, which means I’ll be cooling my heels outside with the dog, whilst she browses!  I can’t wait! 

[DAVIDH]

Where are the drone shots Malcolm?

[Mouldy]

47 minutes ago, DAVIDH said:

Where are the drone shots Malcolm?

Best get one out and fly it, David.  Was enjoying doing not a lot to be honest!

[Mouldy]

Hmmmm!  The plan was to get to Beccles reasonably early, but we had a minor disaster!  Went to start the boat and just a click!  Five batteries on board and it chose that moment for the dedicated starter battery to fail!  To be fair, it was the last one to be changed and it had been on my to do list for this year anyway, but of all the times?

Fortunately, we have breakdown cover with Boulters.  They were duly called and given our position using the What 3 Words app.  Following David H’s comment, I sent a drone up whilst waiting for the engineer, just in time to see Moonlight Shadow cruise past!   It wasn't long after I’d landed it that the guy from Boulters appeared.   He said that he hadn’t used What 3 Words before, but it had led him exactly to where we were and was an excellent way of pinpointing a breakdown.  There is a use for technology, after all.  Following David H’s comment

The starter battery was duly tested and found to be past it.  It was manufactured in 2014, so it probably was overdue change anyway.  Duly relieved of £103 for the battery, we were soon on our way.  I called into Hippersons for some fuel and topped up with GTL (synthetic diesel) at £1.68 per litre, somewhat cheaper than Broom at £2.35.

Safely moored in the Yacht Station, we had lunch before wandering into town to get a few supplies.  Rather than leave and struggle to find an overnight mooring, we decided to stay put, so I called in to pay our mooring fee and we’ve settled down for the evening.  

[SwanR]

Lovely photos. The weather has been fabulous today. Sounds like a delayed start hasn’t spoiled the day too much. Enjoy Beccles!