Norfolk Lady Tales

[Mouldy]

13 minutes ago, Ray said:

Looking good Malc, we are missing being under way too, it's been a long wet winter. We have some work booked with Paul as well.

Once the season is under way it would be nice to meet up for a lunch again if you and your good lady are up for a pint and a bite 🙂

Following some issues I alluded to a while back we both now eat meat and drink alcohol again.... thank goodness 😂

Always ready for food and alcohol, Ray, especially with excellent company.  Yep, great idea and good to know that prior issues are now improved! 😁

[Bikertov]

Norfolk Lady is looking cracking there Malcom

Nice idea about the lights for the bathing platform  - I might have to copy you on that !

[Smoggy]

Mine is also at swancraft at the moment, windows being redone, if not ready by next weekend I may drive up just to refit my water tank (had to re-weld a split seam) just to get an easter head start, also have new hatch to fit at some time to be fully water tight, I'm fully hopeful my hunches are correct and they're a whole lot better than trevor the bodger.

[Mouldy]

Don’t the months fly by?  I’d intended to update this thread a few weeks ago and forgot!  We did spend most of Easter weekend aboard NL, and we were at Beccleson the Saturday night.  The weather for Monday wasn’t looking great, so we headed back to the Ferry House at Surlingham to meet up with our son and his family, who were using our week on Moonlight Shadow!  It seemed wrong for us to use it, as it fell within a school holiday, giving them an additional opportunity to use the boat

We enjoyed a meal there on Easter Sunday evening and also met Smoggy and Mrs Smoggy, who were also moored there.

It was our intention to go again the following week, however strong winds and generally fairly unpleasant weather put paid to that, however we did manage to go last weekend, travelling to Brundall on Friday afternoon.

With our bits and pieces safely on board, we headed out onto the river, proposed overnight destination Hardley Mill.  Under broken cloud, with a few sunny spells, we made good progress, helped by the falling tide, arriving at the mill to find the moorings empty.  Safely moored, Deb took Harley for a walk whilst I prepared dinner.

We watched TV for a while, thankfully Have I Got News for You providing a few laughs, before retiring.

Low at Somerleyton was due around 09:30.  I’d figured that from Hardley it would take around an hour and a half to get there, so we woke and got ready, Deb took the dog for a stroll and had breakfast before casting off.  Again, progress was good, travelling with the current and we were soon through Reedham and onto the New Cut.  The weather was surprisingly good, sunny with a light breeze, but forecast to get stronger later in the day.

My timings were just about perfect, as joined the Waveney and arrived at Somerleyton fairly much on time.  With our airdraft and recent issues with high river levels, I’d hoped that there'd be clearance at the bridge and there was.  We continued on, reaching the pontoon moorings at Oulton Broad just after 11:00.  I’d hope to moor stern on, on the outside of the pontoon facing the broad, but the space there was booked.  There was plenty of room inside the basin (again on the pontoon), so we settled for a spot there instead.

 

We had a wander round the park and to the shops.  We needed some rolls for lunch and returned to the boat to find a couple more boats had arrived.  I’d intended to wash and reproof the canopy in the afternoon, but realised that I’d left my bottles of Renovo at home!  What a plum?  I went across to Jeckells, feeling certain that they’d have some, but only had the proofer in stock.  What a shame?   With that plan on hold, we spent a quiet afternoon reading, before walking over to the park again, where we sat in pleasant sunshine, enjoying a coffee in the cafe.

Any thoughts that we might get a late booking for dinner in the Copper Smokehouse were thwarted, so fish and chips it was, then.  The sun was beginning to go down as I walked to the chippy, but as predicted, the wind had got up and it was blowing across the broad, from the entrance.  I was grateful that the we couldn’t moor where we originally wanted - I don’t mind a little wave action against the bow, but aided by the wind, it would probably have been too much!

The fish and chips were good and compared to others, the price wasn’t too bad either.  Again, we watched TV for a while, but by about 21:30, I was struggling to keep my eyes open.  We had a hot drink and went to bed.  There seemed to be a lot of noise, which seemed to emanate from the Wherry Hotel.  Maybe they had a function going on, but I drifted off to sleep anyway.

We were both up early on Sunday again.  Deb, as usual, walked the dog whilst I made the bed, vac’d the windows and got the kettle on.  With the immersion on, we had breakfast, before Deb went to get showered, before casting off around 09:00.  The plan was again to catch Somerleyton at low which was at 10:20.

As it happened, it did matter, as the bridge was open when we arrived, but there would have been plenty of clearance anyway, although less than the previous day.  I guess the wind was playing a part in that.

Progress back to Brundall was good.  I had a shower as we went up the New Cut, giving the dubious pleasure of helming through that exciting stretch of waterway to the wife!  There were a few craft moored at Reedham, although still space for anyone wishing to moor.  The rest of the cruise back to Brundall was uneventful, although the river levels looked high as we went past Cantley and we arrived at the yard shortly after 13:00.

Last winter and the associated rain had seemed never ending and despite the wind, it had been a really pleasant, relaxing weekend.  We were both grateful to have been back out on the water again.  

[NorfolkNog]

6 hours ago, Mouldy said:

The fish and chips were good and compared to others, the price wasn’t too bad either

Hi Malcolm, did you use the chippy just past the Waveney and old Spar shop on the right hand side? 

Can't remember the name of it, was it the Mermaid at one time? 

[Mouldy]

16 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

Hi Malcolm, did you use the chippy just past the Waveney and old Spar shop on the right hand side? 

Can't remember the name of it, was it the Mermaid at one time? 

Hi Howard, yes and it’s still called The Mermaid.

[Broads01]

Thanks for writing up, Malcom, you've made me want to be back at Oulton Broad.

I'm hiring Belmore TC in September and intending to pass through Somerleyton. I've never had to request the bridge open before - is it worth us being there around low water like you did so we don't have to?

[MargeandParge]

Hi Mouldy which do you think is the best boat to handle Moonlight Shadow or Norfolk Lady. 

We struggled with the high free board when handling a Broom Sedan. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[Mouldy]

52 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

I'm hiring Belmore TC in September and intending to pass through Somerleyton. I've never had to request the bridge open before - is it worth us being there around low water like you did so we don't have to?

If you’re approaching Somerleyton from the New Cut, I’d aim to be around low water, especially if the river levels are high at the time.  If, however, you head straight across Breydon and onto the Waveney, you’ll have to get to St Olaves Bridge at low anyway.  I believe Belmore has a quoted airdraft of 8ft 10ins, so clearance will be even more restricted than ours.

I try to arrive at low, to save any delays waiting for Somerleyton to swing, but they are contactable by phone now, so it is easier than perhaps it used to be.

[Mouldy]

Just now, MargeandParge said:

Hi Mouldy which do you think is the best boat to handle Moonlight Shadow or Norfolk Lady. 

We struggled with the high free board when handling a Broom Sedan. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

Norfolk Lady does have a high freeboard, which can make access difficult when moored side on, although we can step onto the bathing platform at the stern from the bank.  Mooring stern on, makes access easy on the northern rivers, but at low water on the southern rivers, it can be a challenge.

Moonlight has no bathing platform, so it can be a stretch if the river levels are high, but possibly easier if they’re low.  Personally, I think it’s a case of swings and roundabouts for access.

As for handling of the boat itself, Moonlight has a bow thruster, but we have no girly buttons on NL, which can make her a bit of a handful in a stiff wind.  On balance, MS is probably easier to handle overall.

[Ray]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

 girly buttons 

How very dare you.... 😂😂😂

🍺🍺

[Broads01]

By coincidence, when I arrived at Barnes last month to board Encore, Belmore TC was moored adjacent. Can you tell from this picture which of the two might be very slightly higher than the other? 

Talking of high freeboards, for Belmore I think I'd better take a stepladder.

[YnysMon]

One of the things I like about Moonlight Shadow is how the gunnels (or whatever they are called, I mean the outer ‘walkways’) slope down from bow to stern, which does help when the river is particularly low or high.

[Mouldy]

7 hours ago, Broads01 said:

. . . . . . . . Talking of high freeboards, for Belmore I think I'd better take a stepladder.

Access when stern on looks to be good, as the bathing platform is central, so the raised sides would be helpful at somewhere like Rockland where there tidal rise and fall make access for us a little awkward sometimes.

However, where we benefit from the bathing platform extending to both sides, is when moored side on.  At most locations on the northern rivers as well as a few on the southern side, it’s easier to step on to it from the bank.  As I said, swings and roundabouts - as with all boats, there’s always a compromise somewhere.