One lock closes another opens

[Guest]

Hi all

well we spent our last bank holiday on the broads,left brundall sat afternoon for orton broards,wet and windy ,well it was bank holiday,most surprised more boats were not at o/broard,lorraine and i thought the firework display very good,locked out through monford 1015 tuesday,could not get a mid day slot!,anyhow it was sunny and the wind had dropped,as we had 5hr's to get to the river Deben safe water mark,before high tide for our first trip up to tide mill marina,pulled back from our normal cruising speed of 20kn's to 8kn = 10kn+sog very smooth trip plenty of time to mess my plotter up,lost my setting's then it tried to send me back,teach me for fiddling,anyhow only use it for referance as find autopilot get's wondering,entrance was not as bad as we had thought, clearly marked passage up the Deben keeps you focused,lot's of sharp turn's, arrived high water to cross the cill (neaps).the Deben and woodbridge did not disapoint,and as the east coast pilot stated is one of the best scenic rivers on the east coast,(that we have visited)not long after high water a small yacht got it wrong and spent the night on it's side,no harm done as next high water righted itself,skipper did not try to re-enter, must have been an uncomfortable night. After two very pleasent nights we left 0615 thursday on high water,we had planned to go to Brightensea ,but as high water was not till early evening,we had a slow drift to Harwich and moored at half penny pier,were i can recommend the full english breakfast,very helpful and friendly pier master's nick and mick,talked us into staying the night,so we dropped the rid and went to levington marina and brought what must be the must expensive petrol in the county 1.89per ltr.on our way back up the stour we met a very large fly bridge boat he was on the plane and going a lot more than the permitted 8kn speed limit,nearly swomped us ,but made us laugh,after we landed. Friday time to head to our new marina neptune in ipswich,when we arived ,its funny when you look at an empty birth from the pontoon they allway's look bigger than from my boat, we decided that we would reverse down the marina and more up stern to ,all when't to plan.except my new neibour was none to pleased after we had tied up,I went to see what the problem was ,he explained he had only had his boat 2 weeks and that the six meter gap from my bow to his stearn was a bit tight,we then doubled the fender's around our bow, (give him something to bounce off)

well one chapter over and another started, just like to say thanks to all the people we met on and off the broards this last year and half,lorraine and i had a great time,It's all down to the blasted bridge's even when you get out to sea you cannot allway's get back in,as we have experianced at haven.(not able to open as short staffed)!

sorrey for rambling on, hope to see some of you salty one's at Ipswitch . merlyn

[pks1702]

Glad you had an enjoyable trip down.

Hope you enjoy your new home

[mbird]

Carry on posting Merlyn, and some pics for those of us who haven't yet ventured that far would be great too!

[baz1033]

Hi merlyn

We spent an evening with you two at surlingham a short while ago.

I hope your new birthing goes well.

barry and sharron

[MY littleboat]

Hope you enjoy yournew home - right on our doorstep!! Yes Levington has to rate right up there with 'we have to pay for this development somehow' in the fuel sot ratings and Woodbridge and the Deben are great pottering grounds...

..Just watch out for the lobster pots and LONG DRIFT NETS just north of the Deben roughly abeam Bawdsey in the future - most people think they are pots and find out when they find the thick black net that was strung between them when they are unravelling it from their props!!!

Shame you didn't manage to spend a night at Ramsholt though - a definite recco for the future

Dare say we will see you around, enjoy the orwell, enjoy Pin Mill, if you need petrol, pop into fox's, get a trolly and the Shell station is literally right next door and they are used to people filling up for boats!

Take care and happy boating!!

[Antares_9]

No doubt see you around the rivers or at sea sometime soon, BTW if anybody does see any unattended floating nets then please report them as they are illegal. Any floating trammel nets must be attended with a guard vessel at at least one end. I was on the other end of this during my years with “Fishing News†and did not exactly endear myself with the fisherman because of my comments about leaving them unmanned. I have to say that though I have seen many pots with quite long floating pick up lines and floats around there, often in square formation resembling a minefield I have not seen any net floats near or on the surface, mind you, they are only bobbins on the head line so would be almost impossible to see anyway. Untill it's too late that is.

[MY littleboat]

No doubt see you around the rivers or at sea sometime soon, BTW if anybody does see any unattended floating nets then please report them as they are illegal. Any floating trammel nets must be attended with a guard vessel at at least one end. I was on the other end of this during my years with “Fishing News†and did not exactly endear myself with the fisherman because of my comments about leaving them unmanned. I have to say that though I have seen many pots with quite long floating pick up lines and floats around there, often in square formation resembling a minefield I have not seen any net floats near or on the surface, mind you, they are only bobbins on the head line so would be almost impossible to see anyway. Untill it's too late that is.

Yep I thought they were pots too, then saw the line, checked...an... - net!! Position in my gps for next time... was talking in the Ramsholt Arms that night to another boaty and he told me the tale of being tangled!!! Avoid all pots, markers etc is the only good advice, if it wasnt for the fact that the sea was 'mirror like' that day I wouldnt have been so nosey... nor spotted it either!!!!

[Antares_9]

That's very naughty, not to say a bit pointless as floating nets are not going to catch a lot around there as most of the inshore stuff is demersal, (Bass in the surf excepted) so what's the point of surface nets, only makes me think it must be part timers, not that it matters if the things are wrapped round your prop.

[Guest]

Hi Mark

we keep forgetting our camera.got a few pic's on phone have to see if any good.

Hi Barry

That was a good night.we left in the morning came past mid day,were you back in the pub

merlyn