Norfolk Lady Tales

[YnysMon]

2 hours ago, Mouldy said:

there were too many hungry flying things about for us to not close them.

Have you tried Avon ‘Skin so Soft’ dry oil? Works a treat, even deterring Scottish midges. 

[grendel]

I usually take a doble bed sized mosquito net with me, if it gets bad i just hang it over the bed and that stops the blighters.

I am also told that a stream of moving air deters them too.

[Mouldy]

10 hours ago, YnysMon said:

Have you tried Avon ‘Skin so Soft’ dry oil? Works a treat, even deterring Scottish midges. 

Yes, got some, but I find it a bit too oily.  Went to Boots in Stalham and now have some hydrocortisone cream and antihistamine tablets! 

[Mouldy]

Here’s today’s 360 view:

https://kuula.co/share/Nn2WP?logo=0&info=1&fs=1&vr=0&sd=1&thumbs=1

[Mouldy]

And another one!  Getting carried away now!!

https://kuula.co/post/Nn3Y4?logo=1&info=1&fs=1&vr=0&sd=1&thumbs=1

[Andrewcook]

Hi Mouldy those pictures were truly amazing to see . Enjoy this Hot tropical weather phew to dam hot for me .

[Lulu]

Thank you for rescuing our rhond anchor this morning! 

[Mouldy]

2 hours ago, Lulu said:

Thank you for rescuing our rhond anchor this morning! 

No problem - looked rather lonely stuck in the bank, on its own!!  We’ll keep it safe until we see you next!

[Mouldy]

Thursday 14th July

It was bright but overcast when I woke, but dressed and flew the drone again.  The wife took the dog for a walk and returned just as I was landing the drone

We had breakfast before setting off for Stalham, spotting NeilB and Rambling Rosie on our way to the staithe.  We needed some supplies, so headed for the High Street first and the butchers before wandering round to Tesco.  I was tasked with buying the shopping, without the aid of a list.  Very dangerous!  Deb waited outside with the dog and we ambled back to the boat, where I was congratulated on my purchases.  Wonders will never cease!!

By now, the sun was beating down and it was getting very warm indeed.  We moved across to Simpsons for fuel and water. Just 23 litres of diesel, so not bad considering where we’d been.  I paid the bill and we chugged back the way we’d come.  I wanted to go to Watford Bridge, hopeful that the wild mooring just beyond Hunsett Mill was free, but some BA workboats we’re moored there, with dredging in progress just beyond it, almost blocking the river. We turned and headed back towards Barton Broad and had lunch on the way.

There we’re no wild moorings free and predictably, Irstead was occupied, so we headed for How Hill and moored on the bend, near the mill.

We’d spotted Luna Aurora moored near the cottage, so stopped to speak to Graham when we went out with the dog.      Sam was out with their dog but we didn’t spot them on our way up the hill to the gate to the woods.  Deb hadn’t been in the secret garden, but although far from looking their best at this time of the year, we went in and had a look round.  By the time we returned, Sam was back and we had another chat.  It’s great meeting up with fellow forum members and putting names to faces.

Back at the boat, I set the Cobb up and started cooking dinner - nothing fancy, just chicken thighs with salad.  All we really wanted after another bright sunny day.

I watched the sun set, taking a few photos in the process.  It was soon time for bed - Deb keeps telling me (jokingly) that it’s the sea air that makes me tired.  I just put it down to my age!! 😉

 

[Broads01]

I do like your drone pictures, Malcolm. What a shame you didn't get as far as Watford Bridge, I didn't know you could cruise under the M25 on a Broads Boat...

[Smoggy]

On 14/07/2022 at 23:41, grendel said:

I am also told that a stream of moving air deters them too.

So drink more and sleep face down. 

[Mouldy]

6 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I do like your drone pictures, Malcolm. What a shame you didn't get as far as Watford Bridge, I didn't know you could cruise under the M25 on a Broads Boat...

Inevitable spellcheck error!  I have to throw at least one or two in!! 😉

[Mouldy]

Here are a couple more 360 drone shots taken today:
 

https://kuula.co/post/NnQkX?logo=1&info=1&fs=1&vr=0&sd=1&thumbs=1 

https://kuula.co/post/NnQkC?logo=1&info=1&fs=1&vr=0&sd=1&thumbs=1

[YnysMon]

So you managed to moor up at Irstead?

[kpnut]

I love those views. Many thanks.  Keep posting! We may pass tomorrow if you are at Irstead. I’ll keep an eye out. I’m at How Hill heading for Stalham tomorrow. 

[Mouldy]

28 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

So you managed to moor up at Irstead?

Yes, much to our amazement!  The boat that was moored in front of us when we arrived left and the space has been vacant for about 2 hours.  Can’t believe it!!  It’s been busy with Richos on changeover day, but it’ll quieten down soon.

Time to warm the Cobb up now for dinner! 😁

[NeilB]

Currently on that nice single quay headed mooring in Fleet Dyke, also heading up the Ant tomorrow so you should get at least 2 waves

I can make shade on he boat but hopefully there will be a nice breeze on Barton to ride out the next couple of days heatwave!  But, have to be close to the car as I may be summoned down to Sunseeker on Tuesday.

[Mouldy]

Friday 15th July

I was hopeful of a bright, sunny start to the day.  It was fairly bright, but with some broke cloud around.  To keep with recent tradition, after getting dressed, I sent the drone up to grab a few shots before breakfast.

I chanced to look out of our rear doors and saw Luna Aurora leave her moorings, Sam and Graham heading back to their marina. It wasn’t long after that I received a text from Sam asking if I could retrieve their rhond anchor they’d left on the bank.  I had a stroll along to where they were moored and collected it.  It’s now safely in our locker with our two mooring pins!

We weren’t in any particular rush to leave, as I had to call into Horning Pleasurecraft to fit a fender basket to Moonlight Shadow at about 14:00 in the afternoon.

By the time we left our moorings, it had turned into a lovely day, with a clear blue sky.  We had a slow cruise down to the moorings at Ludham Bridge, where we stopped and the wife went to get a few top up supplies.  Despite the lack of recent rainfall, clearance under the bridge wasn’t particularly generous with about 8’4” showing on the  downstream marker, which in reality equated to about 8’6”.

We made it under anyway, carrying on to The Bure and turning right.  I’d intended to moor at Cockshoot Dyke to kill a bit of time, but the moorings at St Benedict’s church we’re empty, we we stopped and moored there.

We had some lunch before moving off and arriving at HPC, Moonlight Shadow’s new base.  It’d clouded over by now, a change from the bright sunshine we enjoyed earlier.  I fitted the fender basket and was just putting my screwdrivers away when Helen, Graham and their family arrived, so we had a brief chat before casting off to look for an overnight mooring.

In the end, we didn’t have to travel far as there was space at CockshootbDyke.  I reversed in and moored up just in time to witness about five or six day boats from NBD pass by all together, the occupants clearly having something of a party. Loud music, accompanied  by spraying bottles of assorted beverages at each other with crew members jumping from boat to boat.  They may have been having fun, but it’s fair to say that the rest of us probably weren’t.

The rest of the evening passed more peacefully.  The sky brightened up again and it was a glorious evening.  We had dinner and watched the sun go down.  Had I been able to see more of it, I think it would have been a beautiful sunset.

As ever, we weren’t late to bed.  It had been another good day and there was the promise of more to follow.

 

[Lulu]

Great to have an aerial view of Luna moored in what we now call “Luna’s Nook”.  Btw that is the second rhond anchor we have left behind 🙄(thankfully we inherited at least 6 when we bought the boat!) 

[Mouldy]

Saturday 16th July

I was awake early.  Not sure why, but I couldn’t get back to sleep.  To be honest, it was no bad thing as it was a beautiful start to the day.  Just for a change, the cameras came out instead of the drone.  There was a mist hanging over the surface of the water and it made for some great photo opportunities.  I’ll post a few more shots when we get home, as anything I download onto my iPad won’t upload to the Forum.  Something to do with the file format, I think.

We had breakfast and cast off.  I was a little undecided as to whether we should head up The Ant or go to Ranworth.  In the end, The Ant won.  I was surprised at the river levels though - there was only about 3 inches to spare as we passed under the bridge, which was showing just over 8’3” at low water.

We moored for a while, Deb went to the shop and I flew a drone before we cast off . . . . . into a train of very slow moving craft.  According to my app we were barely making 3 mph and with a breeze blowing, holding a steady course was not easy.

We eventually passed How Hill, where there were a few vacant space, but I was hoping for something quieter.  Sadly all of the wild moorings were occupied, but as we approached Irstead, it was clear there was a space that we could fit in.  Happy days!!

With Norfolk Lady safely moored we spent the rest of the day watching boats  pass.  The one that was moored in front of us cast off and left and aside from someone who’d clearly just left Richos with absolutely no idea of what he was doing, no one else attempt to fill the vacant space.  Bliss.

I sent the drone up again and captured a few more shots, we chatted for a while to a couple of paddle boarders, who launched their board from the little slipway and generally had a restful afternoon.

We had dinner, watched a little TV and went to bed just after 22:00.  It had been a great day!

[Mouldy]

Tried to upload this to the hosting website yesterday, but the signal was abysmal, so here’s another 360 tour:

https://kuula.co/post/Nntpj?logo=1&info=1&fs=1&vr=0&sd=1&thumbs=1

[Mouldy]

At last!  A mooring with sufficient signal to upload something!  Another 360 view:

https://kuula.co/share/N64XR?logo=0&info=1&fs=1&vr=0&sd=1&thumbs=1

[NeilB]

6 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Tried to upload this to the hosting website yesterday, but the signal was abysmal, so here’s another 360 tour:

https://kuula.co/post/Nntpj?logo=1&info=1&fs=1&vr=0&sd=1&thumbs=1

Ah good, my car is still there!!

[Mouldy]

Sunday 17th July

We had a peaceful night and woke to find another glorious day in prospect.  The only other boat that was moored at Irstead had left by the time I climbed out of my pit at 06:00.

I readied a drone and my cameras and went to take a few photos.  Deb went for a walk with Harley before it became too hot.

We had some breakfast before casting off and leaving the mooring.  I do hope that we don’t lose that one as we have Barton Turf.  I understand that they both fall under the same parish and do fear what may happen.

We needed some further supplies, so headed for Stalham and Tesco.  We had a gentle cruise across Barton and arrived at Stalham Staithe around 10:00. With Norfolk Lady secured, we walked to the shops -  this time I’d been equipped with a list and still managed to forget something.  I blamed the wife - fancy listing butter with fruit and veg!! 🤨

Back at the boat we moved across to Simpsons for water and a pumpout.  The gauge on the black water tank was still indicating that we weren’t close to full, but better safe than sorry.  Paid and with my loyalty card stamped, it was time to find our overnight mooring.  We headed for Gayes Staithe and saw NeilB mudweighted on Barton Broad on the way, but too far away to attract his attention.

When we arrived at Gayes Staithe, both side on moorings were occupied, as was the end stern on.  I thought it may have been Kate (kpnut) in Springers Retreat, so manoeuvred so as to see the boats name.  Kate, by now, had realised who we were and waved so we carefully moved to the side of her boat and loosely moored for a chat.  Kate said that she was leaving soon anyway to return to her mooring, so as she left, we gratefully moved into what I regard as the prime spot at Gayes Staithe.

We had a pleasant afternoon, chatting to other crews, although for a while it did cloud over and become very oppressive.  The new NBD craft (Fair Regal) arrived and moored.  I have to say that she’s every bit as ugly in real life as in the photos.  I’m sure she’ll hire well, especially to folk who like to be seen in the latest hireboat on The Broads, but the cost of one high season week on that will almost buy a share in a syndicate boat.  I know which I’d prefer.

The sun broke through later and there was a cooling breeze too.  It was a very pleasurable way to spend the afternoon and evening.  We cooked steaks on the Cobb, using the griddle plate for the first time.  I have to say, they were the best steaks we’ve had for a long time!

We sat and read, drank some wine and stayed out until it became a bit too chilly, when we went in for our hot drink before bed.

This  was turning into a truly memorable holiday, not just because of the weather.  It really was all and more than we could have hoped for.

[Mouldy]

Just chugged into Hoveton.  I was amazed not only by the clarity of the water on The Bure outside Wroxham Broad, but by the weed growth.  It’s clearly visible and just a few inches under the surface.  The warm weather must be promoting the growth.