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Happy Christmas 2019

JennyMorgan

By JennyMorgan
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JennyMorgan

JennyMorgan

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Why I like this picture, not just that it is my beloved Broads, is because it tells a meaningful story. It's Breydon Water, always a must do adventure, the mud flats are uncovered meaning that it is low water. The flow around the red post on the right shows that the tide is flooding so I suspect that the tide hasn't long turned. There is a mass of majestic sail meaning that the fleet has caught the first of the flood, that they are working the tide as sensible folk do, the flood will probably be with them all the way to Norwich or Beccles, maybe Oulton Broad. The picture has a warmth which suggests an early start, best time to be out on the Broads. The wherry on the extreme left is running before the wind, the skipper was probably hoping to have arrived at Yarmouth at the turn of the tide so that it would carry him through the bridges but maybe he left it it a little late but hopefully he still made it. No motor boats, either there were non about, around about 1900/1910, or their slowful crews were sleeping it off after the night before, nothing much changed there! The Broads at its best, love it!

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Vaughan

Vaughan

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1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said:

Why I like this picture, not just that it is my beloved Broads, is because it tells a meaningful story. It's Breydon Water, always a must do adventure, the mud flats are uncovered meaning that it is low water. The flow around the red post on the right shows that the tide is flooding so I suspect that the tide hasn't long turned. There is a mass of majestic sail meaning that the fleet has caught the first of the flood, that they are working the tide as sensible folk do, the flood will probably be with them all the way to Norwich or Beccles, maybe Oulton Broad. The picture has a warmth which suggests an early start, best time to be out on the Broads. The wherry on the extreme left is running before the wind, the skipper was probably hoping to have arrived at Yarmouth at the turn of the tide so that it would carry him through the bridges but maybe he left it it a little late but hopefully he still made it. No motor boats, either there were non about, around about 1900/1910, or their slowful crews were sleeping it off after the night before, nothing much changed there! The Broads at its best, love it!

I am so glad you posted this, as I have been wanting to do something similar all morning, but I didn't want to hi-jack your thread!

This is a wonderful painting since the detail is accurate, so it is a real piece of history. As you say, these boats have all been waiting for the turn of the tide on Breydon and have all left Yarmouth together. The yachts have already started to overtake the wherries, which are mostly loaded "down to the binns" and have their side decks awash.  As they round the curve onto the long straight, they might get one long tack across Breydon but that westerly wind is all wrong for the Yare, so I guess they may decide to wait in Reedham for better weather, probably at the Cockatrice, which was very popular with the wherry skippers in those days.

The wherry coming downstream is very late on the tide and the skipper must be wondering whether he can still "punch" it as far as Yarmouth. But he is on a "dead run" so as long as the wind holds he should make it to the coal wharf, where he will round up and lower the mast. Then, he can drift stern first through the Yacht Station with the mud weight trailed over the bows and he can raise the mast again somewhere after the old Smiths Crisps factory.  He will have to do a lot of tacking up the Bure with the wind as it is, so he will have trouble to get as far as Stracey arms before the tide turns against him.

I see that one of these is a "Lowestoft" wherry with a brown sail. Apparently this depended on the blend of tar and fish oil that was used to "dress" the canvas and those dressed in Yarmouth tended to be darker. There was always speculation as to whether the Albion ever had a brown sail, as she was a Bungay wherry, whose builder came from Oulton Broad. She did carry a brown sail for a few years in the 70s but that was a modern material, not canvas!

Another lovely picture from your amazing collection, Peter and thank you very much for sharing it with us.

Happy Christmas!

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addicted

addicted

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Well we are nearing the end of 2019, it has been a bit of a life changing year for us, having recognised that we are a bit too long in the tooth to continue  boating, which occupied our life between  the months  of April and mid November for more than 30 years, so this coming Summer is going to be  something of a voyage of discovery sadly not literally though. Although we would have laid the boat up for winter by now, I'm already missing her.   No more regular trips to  Norfolk to check on her that we took every couple of weeks during the winter months. And the point of counting down the weeks to April that started immediately after Christmas is no longer there. I find reading the activities on this forum very helpful. I've especially enjoyed the stories of the Winter trips some of you made and the photos. Winter cruising was something we never quite got round to organising although we discussed the possibility.  I  was always a bit wary of icy pontoons. I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New  Year and to those of you lucky enough to be able to spend  it boating - make the most of it and keep writing the  blogs that give me a much needed" fix". Best wishes to you all

 

Carole

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JennyMorgan

JennyMorgan

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1 hour ago, addicted said:

having recognised that we are a bit too long in the tooth to continue  boating

I know the feeling! At least one more summer for me but when us ancient mariners become a liability then it is time to consider dropping the mud weight for one last time.  Both my wife and I are crocks now! Maybe the warmth of spring on old bones will trigger a change of heart!

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Vaughan

Vaughan

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1487383894_RussDrivingLicence2.thumb.jpeg.412cfb23fc534677f0dfd909c6694fd0.jpeg

A very happy Christmas to you all, with thoughts of the season to come!

I am sure the background in this picture is Postwick Grove, on the Yare, where there used to be a sandy beach.

No doubt Peter (JM) can comment on the rest of the scenery on view!

Very best wishes to all on the forum, for Christmas and the New Year,

From Vaughan and Susie.

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