Carried Away By A Moonlight Shadow...

[YnysMon]

Friday 13th

We needed to vacate the boat by 2pm today, so we got up at 7 and started packing and cleaning. Seren stayed in the car whilst we were cleaning.

I had phoned Boulter’s yesterday to book a re-fuel and pump-out but the earliest slot they could offer was 12 noon. With Harry’s help, we were done with cleaning by 10.30, so we popped into Horning village by car and went to the Staithe and Willow for breakfast. During our first three years of hiring, we used to gravitate to the Staithe and Willow for a later breakfast on our final day. We found the food excellent and loved how dog friendly it was. Then it changed hands, and we weren’t so impressed. The menu stayed similar to what it had been, but the quality of the ingredients didn’t match what they had been, despite the prices staying the same. We had heard that it changed hands again recently, so thought we would try it out again, and we are very pleased that we did. The quality of the sausages and bacon alone showed how well it’s been turned around to its former good standard. Graham liked the vegetarian sausages he had with his breakfast too.

We got back to the boat in good time for our appointment at Boulter’s and ventured up the dyke where they are situated for the first time. We started off a bit too early though, so I had a little pootle downriver and turned below Cockshoot Dyke.

I stupidly hadn’t checked out the dyke on Google maps beforehand and wasn’t sure if I would be able to turn around anywhere further up the tyke, which made the job of reversing into Boulter’s doubly difficult. The strong breeze blowing across the dyke didn’t help either. We got in safely anyway, with a bit of guiding the boat on her ropes in places.

Next time, I’ll go up the dyke and turn before attempting to reverse in. Boulter’s fuel was very reasonable, especially in comparison with Brooms, £1.55 per litre and we picked up a loyalty card for the pump-outs.

Boulter's resident ducks.

We returned to Horning Pleasurecraft (HPC) and put our last few bits and pieces into the car. We didn’t quite say farewell to the boat as yet though as we had decided to return to Latham’s to get another set of placemats, as there had only been 4 placemats in the pack that I’d bought earlier in the week. Whilst I was there, I also got tempted by a matching tray as the price was so reasonable, so that has replaced the tray that was on board. So we had another stop-off at HPC to drop off those purchases before making our way home to MK.

Harry took a few final photos of MS before we left. 

We got home by 5pm, and it was lovely to have a relaxing evening instead of driving home in the evening. We watched Sewing Bee on catch-up this evening, as we had been unable to get a signal Wednesday evening.

[SwanR]

What a lovely write up Helen and very interesting too. You definitely have the knack of zipping around in the car for things you want. Amazing how quickly you can get from Horning to Potter by car compared to by boat!! 🤭

[Broads01]

I do enjoy your write ups, Helen. Your Brundall - Horning run sounds like a fun day - except for the carpet cleaning!

I love the IT Crowd - "Hello IT, have you tried turning it off and on again"!

[YnysMon]

Actually the carpet cleaning was a good distraction, as it was such a long cruise. I love taking the helm, but wanted to give son Harry his fair share of helming. I get a bit bored normally if I’m not helming.

Harry is with us for our next jaunt in July, so we’ll be be watching more of the IT Crowd then I’m sure! 

[kpnut]

Does Seren always go and lie in the car when you’re busy at the mooring? Finlay seems to know the engine noise etc when I’m reversing into home at Stalham and it’s the only time he stands by the door when mooring. Then he just wants to go and sleep in his crate in the car, can’t budge him!!!

Sounds like your whole trip was a big success. I agree that the secret garden at How Hill is stunning at the moment. In case you were unaware, dogs are allowed on leads. 

It will be much easier going past Boulters, turning, coming back and reversing in that way. Something to do with the wind down there I think. I still have clammy palms every time I go in, even thinking about it puts the pressure on!!!

Hope to see you again when out and about soon. 

[YnysMon]

Seven loves car journeys, so is always happy to get in the car. Graham put a sun shield on the windscreen, so hopefully she didn’t notice us sailing off to Boulter’s without her. The previous evening we’d heard a lot of plaintive whining come from another boat moored nearby. Presumably the owner had gone off to somewhere that doesn’t allow dogs in. It can’t have been a pub as I think all the Horning ones are dog friendly.

We have taken Seren with us to the secret gardens in the past, it was just that Graham wanted to stay with the boat this time around. 

[YnysMon]

Warren (Tempest) has now uploaded an abridged version of the blog of trip 10 on the Moonlight Shadow syndicate website. https://moonlightshadow.net/syndicate-member-blogs?blog=y 

Thanks Warren!

[Tempest]

25 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Warren (Tempest) has now uploaded an abridged version of the blog of trip 10 on the Moonlight Shadow syndicate website. https://moonlightshadow.net/syndicate-member-blogs?blog=y 

Thanks Warren!

My pleasure Helen

I think its great that our members interact so regularly on the Whatsapp group and are keen to keep submitting blogs and other key information for the website

We are certainly on the up as a group 

[Matt]

Love this. Having had a share in Evening Shadow for a number of years I have a proper soft spot for the Pearl 38s. Proper nice boats.

[YnysMon]

Excellent news! Both the shares that were available for Moonlight Shadow have been sold. That's quite a change from the situation when Graham and I bought in. There were four shares on MS available at that time (2019) and they didn't shift that quickly. Not sure whether it's the after effects of Covid,  our new engine or the move up north that seems to be making MS more attractive, but I'm really pleased.

[Tempest]

5 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Excellent news! Both the shares that were available for Moonlight Shadow have been sold. That's quite a change from the situation when Graham and I bought in. There were four shares on MS available at that time (2019) and they didn't shift that quickly. Not sure whether it's the after effects of Covid,  our new engine or the move up north that seems to be making MS more attractive, but I'm really pleased.

I think it's the new website....

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[YnysMon]

19 minutes ago, Tempest said:

I think it's the new website....

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

Of course!!

[addicted]

22 hours ago, Tempest said:

I think it's the new website....

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

I think the reason for the quick sale could well be that you and others who use her write such enjoyable accounts of your trips on her it makes the prospect of having a share very atttractive indeed.

 

 

Carole

copuld well be

[Aboattime]

On 24/05/2022 at 17:24, YnysMon said:

Excellent news! Both the shares that were available for Moonlight Shadow have been sold. That's quite a change from the situation when Graham and I bought in. There were four shares on MS available at that time (2019) and they didn't shift that quickly. Not sure whether it's the after effects of Covid,  our new engine or the move up north that seems to be making MS more attractive, but I'm really pleased.

For us it was rhe dates that were available, my grandson is in his first year at primary school and this year and next we have his summer holidays, hopefully in 2024 we will be lucky in the draw or be able to swap.The boat really sells itself, when we viewed her she looked stunning,the move North was a bonus for us,but we were more than happy to explore the South in detail.

     Kevin

[YnysMon]

That’s a lovely thing to say Carole, especially as we try to give an honest account of our trips, including encountering ‘issues’. All boats suffer from those from time to time.

Thanks!

[YnysMon]

Welcome Kevin!

There’s a fair amount of swapping allocations that goes on, so hopefully you’ll be able to get school holiday weeks. At present, Graham and I try to avoid school holidays. We swapped so much this year that we have a huge gap between this July and February next year. 

[Matt]

You may already have one but when you move over to the otherside of the yard next to the hireboats I suggest you get a small padlock for your electric socket- the hireboaters don’t seem to be able to read labels 😃

[YnysMon]

Thanks for the tip Matt,  much appreciated. I’ll pass this on to our other syndicate members.

 

[YnysMon]

I'm so happy! 

Not only do we have another trip on Moonlight Shadow mid-July, but we will be back again in September. Whoopee! I had been thinking we'd get Broads withdrawal symptoms in the Autumn, as we have a big gap in our MS allocations between July and February next year. However, Dave (JanetAnn) has offered us the use of Water Rail. We feel especially privileged as she's not a boat that can be hired. Dave is just letting us use her out of the goodness of his heart - for free! Isn't he kind. 

Thanks Dave. You're a star!

p.s. I wonder what the river levels will be like in September - it would be lovely to be able to get under a certain bridge.

[ChrisB]

15 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

 

p.s. I wonder what the river levels will be like in September - it would be lovely to be able to get under a certain bridge.

The Autumnal Equinox is on 23rd September. Accompanied by the Equinoctal spring Tides which are often often the  " Highest of Highs & Lowest of Lows" of the year.

However, the Equinox is often a time of low pressure and strong wind, all of which have a bearing on water levels.

You can be lucky ( which I hope you are ) or not have a prayer.

[YnysMon]

12 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

The Autumnal Equinox is on 23rd September.

We'll be there from the 12th to 23rd (a whopping 12 days ), so I'm thinking we'd best get up north the first week!

[YnysMon]

I had said a few posts back that we had a big gap between our July 22 and Feb 23 allocations. That gap has now got narrower. Due to our change of boatyard our winter maintenance can’t be done at the beginning of the year as originally planned, so those members who had the first two weeks of February were asked if they minded changing their weeks. We were fine with that, but the other couple decided they didn’t want their week, so we now have a bonus. Potentially a fortnight on the boat from 30th December. Isn’t that good! I’m looking forward to being on the boat for the New Year.

[YnysMon]

And, it gets better…the OU closes for a week over Christmas, so I now have a three week Christmas/New Year holiday to look forward to. 

and no doubt

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Helen I understand that Moonlight Shadow will be joining Ranworth Breeze on our side of the marina.

Regards

Alan

[Mouldy]

3 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Hello Helen I understand that Moonlight Shadow will be joining Ranworth Breeze on our side of the marina.

Regards

Alan

HPC want to keep the syndicate boats together to make it easier for turnaround servicing etc.  Where we are now was always a temporary mooring whilst they made arrangements to move a couple of boats and clear a suitable space.