A Phantom Holiday

[MaceSwinger]

18 hours ago, marshman said:

It will be this sort of attitude that hinders the Broads, not the increasing tolls!!!!!

During my week afloat I spoke to a lovely couple who were on their first ever visit. We were moored at St Benet's and they'd just picked up from Barnes before cruising down. He mentioned several times about how annoying it was to see so many 'No Mooring' signs everywhere and I share the sentiment. I've always said if I owned a piece of land with a quay heading I'd gladly let anyone moor there as long as people remained respectful.

I wonder how many people just see moorings as a liability; if you've put a sign up saying no mooring and someone ignores and subsequently damages their boat or themselves, are you absolved of any responsibility?

Whatever the answer is, it is frustrating. 

[SteveO]

I think many of us would start off by sharing your sentiments MaceSwinger, but I bet after a few months of moorers leaving litter, setting the grass alight with BBQs, overstaying, being loud, rude and abusive many would change their minds. Sadly these days, if people can do something, they will do it, regardless of whether it is the right thing to do. 

[MaceSwinger]

20 minutes ago, SteveO said:

I think many of us would start off by sharing your sentiments MaceSwinger, but I bet after a few months of moorers leaving litter, setting the grass alight with BBQs, overstaying, being loud, rude and abusive many would change their minds. Sadly these days, if people can do something, they will do it, regardless of whether it is the right thing to do. 

I came back on Monday, and in the week I had I only saw one instance where any of that might have been relevant. Fact is many of these "no mooring" signs have been up for years, along with signage warning of "construction works" in one place that's been there for years, with no visible work happening. Maybe I'm being cynical but it sometimes seems a bit "this is my land, I'm not using it but neither can you".

Obviously it's the landowner's prerogative to allow or disallow mooring, but I must say I get fed up with seeing the signs, and I find it especially irritating when it's just scrawled, barely legibly, across a quay heading. If you're that bothered and take such pride in your mooring at least get a proper sign made up

[Upcycler]

Legal wise I think it's easier to get rid of one of these free loaders who think they can moor anywhere they want, for however length of time just by having a "No Mooring" sign. Otherwise it's like having squatters.

[750XL]

Can't really blame the landowners for not wanting boats mooring on their land for whatever reason it may be. Littering, damaged quay heads, muddy grass, dog poo, noise, the list goes on.

I do, however, find the Broads to be quite unwelcoming with the sheer amount of 'PRIVATE', 'NO MOORING', 'NO HIRE CRAFT' etc etc.

[SteveO]

1 minute ago, 750XL said:

 I do, however, find the Broads to be quite unwelcoming with the sheer amount of 'PRIVATE', 'NO MOORING', 'NO HIRE CRAFT' etc etc.

If you think the Broads is bad, you should try the upper Medway. A few years ago, we bought a boat there as it is closer to home.  It wasn't long before we realised that there is literally only one place where you could moor that wasn't your home moorings.  That and having to negotiate banks lined with abusive fishermen, all of whom seemed to have very long poles and would chuck things at you when you went past soon forced us back to the Broads.

 

[Broads01]

A few pics whilst I'm on WiFi. 

[Broads01]

Wednesday 26th August

We set off from our mooring and squeezed under Wayford Bridge once again. I would have saved myself having to duck down had I made use of the inside steering but outside is such a preferable feel for knowing what's going on. I just kneeled on the cockpit floor and stuck my head to the side to try and ensure we kept ahead. Safely through, we proceeded towards Dilham on one of my favourite river stretches anywhere. As we passed the North Walsham and Dilham Canal entrance I pointed it out to Natalia (who hadn't been over this stretch for 11 years) and she remarked at the comic nature of the sign there "The waterway is open to private individuals, no hired canoes." We laughed together about it, as if my some stretch of the imagination a hired canoe could cause offence. As we arrived at Dilham, the only other boats were, of all things, hired canoes and we turned our 42 foot without issue and moored and enjoyed the peace for a while. A little while later we set off again to retrace our steps down the Ant. On Barton Broad, conditions had improved since the strong winds of the night before and yet when Natalia was at the helm and I was making coffee as we passed the island, the boat rocked from side to side and I held off pouring the drinks until we rejoined the Ant. We'd originally planned to break our journey at How Hill but on the spur of the moment I said to Natalia "Shall we go for a wild mooring instead?" and she said yes. We pulled in almost immediately at a gorgeous spot between How Hill and Irstead, stern tied to a tree stump, bows to a rhond anchor. After a relaxing break, we continued downstream and stopped for water at Ludham Bridge. The traffic was its usual chaotic self there and when setting off we had to be patient to wait for a safe gap in the passing steam of various craft. Our destination for the night was Acle as we had a table booked at The Bridge Inn. We arrived at 1615 and took one of the last available spots at Pedro's moorings (free moorings were long gone, partly due to so many boats insisting on having an unused post between themselves and next door). The meal at The Bridge was superb and, like The Lion, they cater for people like myself who need gluten free very well. 

[NorfolkNog]

Hi Simon, enjoyed catching up with your tale, many thanks for sharing. Cracking photos too. Glad you got moored at Dilham, lovely spot. 

[Broads01]

Thursday 27th August

Today we headed back towards Wroxham as Natalia was leaving me at tea time to be home for work (boo). It was a bright misty morning as we headed upstream, first stop St Benets. I remember Rollie enjoying a run here a year ago so I duely let him loose only to realise with cow pats around the place he was trying to roll in them when he got the chance, so back on the lead he went. It was an enjoyable walk up to the cross and back nonetheless. We thought we'd be early enough in the day to get a spot at Ranworth but at 1100 we were disappointed, not least because of day boats taking up spaces when they could moor in the day boat dyke, always a joy that one. Instead, we headed for Horning and moored at Ferry Marina boatyard, enabling us to have lunch at The Ferry Inn. A year ago I had the carvery there and it was abysmal, this time there was no carvery but the meal was more than acceptable. The decor could be improved though. We sat in the restaurant end and Natalia remarked she felt like we were "on an old people's cruise ship". Later we set off upriver again and plodded at less than walking pace past the Swan Inn behind a slow stream of boats. Natalia was at the helm and with day boats and others swarming behind us and to our left, I remarked we needed eyes all round us like driving down a busy shopping street. It's all part of Broads boating fun for me though. We turned in to Hoveton Little Broad which was an oasis of calm in contrast to the adjacent main river. We mudweighted for a while and enjoyed the peace. Before long it was time to head for Wroxham where we pulled in at Barnes and I said goodbye to Natalia. I opted for a quiet overnight spot and set off again. I initially pulled in at Wroxham Broad Island but the boat moored in front was running his engine at high revs and I knew it was going to drive me nuts. I quickly moved on a short way to Salhouse Spit and moored at the extreme upstream end. There were only two other boats on the long length of mooring and it was a peaceful, if very wet evening. 

[SwanR]

I think I've only moored on Salhouse Spit once overnight. But I do recall that it was a lovely mooring. And not that many boats seemed to use it.

[Broads01]

Friday 28th August

Our last full day and the weather was bright in complete contrast to the rain which had pounded the cabin roof the previous evening. I opted for a visit to South Walsham Broad. It was a beautifully sunny, relaxing cruise and having set off at 0915 I beat most of the day boats out, save for those who caught us up and charged past. Is it me or are there even less people observing speed limits now than there used to be? Whatever the type of boat, it seems almost everyone rushes through 4 and 5mph limits with throttle lever fully forward as if they were on Breydon. Overall, the proportion of people observing limits must be 20 or 30 per cent. I wanted to make a mudweight stop on the Broad so first of all moored on Fleet Dyke to give Rollie and I a chance to stretch our legs. We cast off again and chugged all the way to the far end of the inner Broad and back. Here is another, often overlooked oasis of calm away from the crowds. You can't stop there of course but I enjoyed the opportunity to float about in neutral for a few minutes and watched a heron in flight. Back off the inner Broad I remembered Grendel's description of where he moored recently and found what I think was his spot. It's on the narrower stretch between main and inner Broad, on the left as you face the inner Broad and its like a little cove big enough for one boat. I gently reversed towards the trees and threw a stern line around a tree and mud weighted the bow. It proved to be a beautiful spot with little passing traffic. One craft that did pass was a boat towing a sailing dinghy towards the inner Broad in which sat two occupants, one a child. It didn't look at all safe and isn't the whole point of a sailing dinghy that you sail it? Later we set off back towards Wroxham and I decided to make for the boatyard and eat out on the last night. I turned down Ranworth Dam intending to stop briefly at the island thinking the Staithe would have long since filled up. I was wrong - I counted 5 spaces and took one. The Staithe was as full of activity as ever and a bigger contrast from my previous mooring you couldn't imagine. We set off again an hour later for our final cruise and finished up at the boatyard. For food I tried "Liberty Lounge" for the first time and really enjoyed it. 

[Broads01]

Saturday 29th August

We'd used £75 of fuel which I thought was pretty good for a big boat and a very full week. The long journey home was straight forward.

Overall, a fabulous trip and up there with the very best I've had over the years. It was one of those holidays where everything just clicked beautifully and there were no issues significant enough to spoil anything. I'd spent many weeks hoping, hoping that restrictions would lift long enough to enable the holiday and I think in the end that made me feel even more blessed than usual to be there.

[Broads01]

[grendel]

7 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Back off the inner Broad I remembered Grendel's description of where he moored recently and found what I think was his spot. It's on the narrower stretch between main and inner Broad, on the left as you face the inner Broad and its like a little cove big enough for one boat.

It certainly sounds like you found the spot, its lovely there.

[vanessan]

9 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I'd spent many weeks hoping, hoping that restrictions would lift long enough to enable the holiday and I think in the end that made me feel even more blessed than usual to be there.

I think that is probably the sentiment of a lot of us this year. Cracking photos.

[SwanR]

Thanks for sharing your holiday with us. Lovely photos. And you’re right. Things have been so uncertain for so many people this year. I know that we have looked at things in a different way that we took for granted other years. 

[Broads01]

2 hours ago, grendel said:

It certainly sounds like you found the spot, its lovely there.

The bottom photo shows where I was.

[grendel]

yes i noticed, looks like the same spot