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Got A Bit Of A Boat! (sorry, I Mean A Share!)


YnysMon

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Whoopee! Graham and I are now confirmed members of the Moonlight Shadow syndicate. We are very much looking forward to our first week on her during the August bank holiday week. (Oh! Er! Never been on the Broads before during school holidays apart from a day boat above Potter.) 

It’s all thanks to SueH really. She and her husband were kind enough to show us around Moonlight Shadow back in 2017, when we happened to moor behind her at Norwich. It’s taken us a while as we had my Mam to look after in 2017 and over the past couple of years I’ve been quite restricted in the weeks I could take as leave. 

Given we’ve not been on the Broads during the summer madness before, can anyone offer advice on good (I.e.likely to be available) places to moor? The tides are good for getting through Yarmouth, and although I know it will be more busy ‘oop north’, I fancy having at least a couple of days on the northern rivers as we’ll be restricted to the south on our next allocated week in February. 

I made the mistake of listening to the Mike Oldfield song on YouTube last night. Can’t get it out of my head. Am driving Graham mad too, as I keep humming it. 

Still, I feel like dancing!

:default_biggrin::default_biggrin::default_biggrin:

:55c8f94983015_default_happyparty:

:default_party0042::default_party0042:

:default_party0018:

:default_stinky:

 

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Congratulations! Don't listen to the doom mongers who talk about the North Broads in the summer as if it's a complete no go area. It's true the hot spots get full but if you're prepared to be flexible about where you stop you'll have no issues. How about a run up to Coltishall Locks (most people don't know it exists) or an Ant wild mooring. Acle Bridge can be a good bet and you can even get in late if you're prepared to use Rhond anchors upstream of the Pedro's moorings. There's always the mudweighting option too, more opportunities on the North. 

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Stay in the South, go North, get the Captain's hat, the Pirate flag, drink wine and have a ruddy good time 

The North in the summer is just the best, loads of people out on the rivers having a whale of a time, sit with that wine and watch the goings on, it's better than the telly any day of the week

Congratulations Helen and Graham :default_winko:

Grace

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Congratulations! It's all good, wherever you go you can do the other bits next time and the next time...

Once the Bank Holiday Monday itself is over you may find it not quite so mad, as it's the last week of the school holidays the main rush will have passed (hopefully, although still busy)

 A nice place for a wild mooring we have found if everywhere is very busy is on the starboard side as you go downriver after St Bennet's before you reach Thurne mouth.

There are quite a few spots along there where you can use rhond anchors and although they don't look that great from the river there is plenty of river traffic to enjoy watching especially yachts and if you just walk a few feet up the bank there are paths for a good walk along the river.

Last time we stopped there we were treated to watching a white owl hunting (Snowy?) it was beautiful!

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This is fantastic news ... congrats to you and Graham! 

As for August Bank Holiday ... closest I have come is a midweek break first week of September ... the children were back in school but all the private owners and adult only hire crews were out and about.

I would aim for Ranworth Island and Salhouse Broad as there are quite a lot of moorings and as you have to pay, they aren't most people's first choice!! If you check back on my holiday tale on Moon Beam you can retrace my steps, we had amazing weather but the popular moorings were very busy. :)

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Congratulations guys! Hopefully I'll catch you on your trip up north!

I've found the best mooring strategy developed from my natural sleep pattern. As soon as I get on the boat I can't help it, but I'm in bed early and I'm up early. So by the time the slugabeds are just leaving their moorings in a morning I'm mooring up for lunch. By the time they start looking for an evening mooring...I'm already moored. 

Having said all that...I noticed the other week that it was a lot quieter on the Northern Broads than usual.

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Congratulations both.  I’m sure you’ll have many happy holidays on Moonlight Shadow.  I hope we get to meet you at the AGM in October, if we don’t bump into you (metaphorically speaking) before.  We intend to be on Norfolk Lady over the Bank Holiday weekend so will watch out for you then.

Happy cruising!!!

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We were at Acle last week (having lunch at The Bridge Inn following a viewing of Moonlight Shadow). I though the river was remarkably quiet, even taking into account that it was a Saturday, and handover day. Maybe a blip, but it doesn’t seem that it’s a good season for the yards. Even Hunters Yard’s booking are down this year.

The Bridge was absolutely heaving, but mostly with locals listening to a jazz band. Their car park was full, even the overflow section. We ended up parked on the verge near the entrance.

Helen

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We arrived at Ranworth at around 4pm on sat. Mud-weighted for about 45mins before a space became available. By dusk there was around 18-20 boats mud-weighted on the Broad and the island looked busy as well. Sunday up to Gayes staithe and actually managed to nab one of the side on moorings at lunchtime. Gayes and Neatishead full up by tea time with many boats arriving and trying their luck over the course of the evening.


Sent from my iPhone using Norfolk Broads Network

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On 03/08/2019 at 20:07, Ray said:

nice place for a wild mooring we have found if everywhere is very busy is on the starboard side as you go downriver after St Bennet's before you reach Thurne mouth.

Great tip, Ray, thanks. I've not moored there but I've often seen boats who have so I'll give it a try. 

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