Water Rail April/ May 2021

[grendel]

Well after a quick uneventful trip up the A12 to oulton broad, we are still resolving a few minor issues(such as a fuel return line developing a leak at the banjo fitting), a new line is being prepared, ready for me to set sail later. All my gear is aboard and stowed away, and apart from the fuel return we are all ready.

[grendel]

Weather has ranged from bright sunshine to hail, which stopped as I arrived earlier.

[CambridgeCabby]

Have a great break afloat 

[JanetAnne]

Bon voyage 

I hope the little madam now behaves herself for you mate

Boats eh? Who'd ave em! Especially naughy ones 

[grendel]

Well she behaved as far as the wild mooring just up river from the waveney river centre ( totem pole mooring) which was where I had planned to moor up if it was free, of course, all the ropes were set up on the wrong side of the boat for the receding tide, so nose into the reeds, sort out ropes, and rhond anchors, and then back out and come into the mooring against the tide, step off with the ropes, get a rhond anchor set with the stern rope loosely attached, set the front anchor then back to the stern to properly set that anchor, as the front anchor was in very soft ground, I then added a third rhond anchor amidships.

Set up for the night and tea cooked, it's still a bit chilly, so on with the thermal long John's and vest, not planning on being cold tonight.

[floydraser]

9 minutes ago, grendel said:

Set up for the night and tea cooked, it's still a bit chilly, so on with the thermal long John's and vest, 

So you build up the mental image with a fine description of the mooring, then shatter it all with the last sentence!

Should we have a separate thread for discussing our own  underwear? 

Have a great time! 

[NeilB]

19 minutes ago, grendel said:

Well she behaved as far as the wild mooring just up river from the waveney river centre ( totem pole mooring)

When we went past a couple of weeks ago it looked like one of the totems had gone missing.  Are they both still there?

[LizG]

Enjoy your weekend on my favourite boat!

[grendel]

only 1 and a log awaiting carving

 

[grendel]

will do Liz

 

[YnysMon]

Since when did Broads vlogs exclude underwear? A very essential subject when boating . Our Spring weather is so unpredictable that I’m packing both cosy PJs and cool nightie. Hot water bottle also packed, just in case the nights are chilly. May weather...unpredictable.

[grendel]

2 degrees overnight, on an unheated boat, i was toasty warm and snug in my sleeping bag, but awoke early (as usual) to a glorious sight of the sun rising over the marshes. kettle on for boat coffee- I forgot to bring a big mug with me, so thats on my shopping list, as are teaspoons. i will make up some cheese and bacon turnovers for first breakfast (did you know I am a hobbit, hairy feet and all).

 

[grendel]

newsflash. (no not that kind of flash- I know what you were all thinking)

i have started the day in jogging bottoms (because thermals under shorts would look silly, this will be the first morning I have worn long trousers this year, though I am sure i will break out the shorts later when it warms up.

[grendel]

The steps towards a cheese and bacon turnover breakfast, just waiting for them to cook now (25 minutes)-

[grendel]

And ready for eating.

[Mouldy]

8 hours ago, YnysMon said:

 . . . . . . . . May weather...unpredictable.

Just May???  This is the UK!! 😉😉

[ChrisB]

2 hours ago, grendel said:

And ready for eating.

" Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much doing as simply preparing a "coronary-on-a-plate breakfast" whilst messing about in boats"

(Ever so slightly plagiarised from Kenneth Grahame)

[unclemike]

10 hours ago, YnysMon said:

I’m packing both cosy PJs and cool nightie.

tooo much information helen 

[grendel]

well a quick stopover at Beccles Yacht Station, where water was topped up and shopping was done (at the same time while mooring I knocked, my hat off, it lander on a mooring line on deck, then i grabbed the mooring line to moor up, result, wet hat. anyway I met up with Broadland Grebe, and Dave came out and topped up the diesel (having forgotten to Yesterday}, and brought the mop (also forgotten yesterday).

Then it was on to another favorite mooring, the staithe at Gledestone. I had just moored up and put the kettle on when i heard some shrieks, yes a young lady out paddleboarding  had fallen in and though she had a wetsuit, the water is still cold, she was struggling to regain her board even with the help of a friend, so I advised of a shallow section near the bank should they require it, eventually though she managed to get aboard her friends board, and from there managed the transfer to her own, and then the rain started, as I am now moored up for the day this didnt bother me, but it was fun watching the campers setting up tents opposite.

[grendel]

[LizG]

She's looking very smart!

[grendel]

she could have been looking smarter, but lockdowns prevented her haul out and refurbish last year, awake bright and early as per normal, watched the sun rising, still pretty chilly, as I sit here with my legs still in the nice warm sleeping bag sipping my coffee, cooking breakfast in a minute will warm things up though, as i am nearly out of battery on the laptop (it gets charged using the inverter while under way).

[grendel]

departed Geldeston staithe, 7.45am breakfast in hand, aiming to be at reedham by 11 am to take the tide down the waveny and up the yare, was a bit late as I hit the beginning of the incoming tide at somerleyton, so it was a bit of a slog down the new cut, made the boat behind laugh as they watched my antics getting the canopy up on the new cut when it started raining, lovely in the sunshine, bitter when it went behind a cloud. up the yare, and headed down the chet, unfortunately no 4 in a queue of 5 we were stuck behind a hire boat doing less than my tickover minimum speed, so when we got to a straight section, both the privateer in front and myself took the opportunity to pass them, all i can say is when the overtaken boat moves further into the middle of the river on the chet, that doesnt leave a lot, brushing the reeds down one side and thanking goodness i wasnt in a 12 foot wide boat, we safely passed, still within the speed limit, they must have sped up after that because we had barely got moored up at pyes mill when they turned up, having collected a further 3 boats and a ranger, who appears to be busy just downriver from pyes mill moorings in the reeds. moored up using a spare line from the centre cleat to secure the boat prior to laying out the mooring lines, then found there was a missing post and moved down a post to get a front line out.

[SwanR]

Cruising as slow as you like is part of the charm of boating. But in the situation where you’re struggling to keep back and maintain any steering because you’re on tickover bordering on reverse, I always wonder how the boat at the front is able to go quite so slowly. It’s usually an old Richardson’s bathtub drifting along!

The weather is changeable. Lovely when the sun is out but quickly cools down when the clouds come over. Have a good afternoon Grendel. 

[grendel]

had a late night, stayed up to watch the youtube live event from travels with geordie, where he did the first sea trial of his new engine, i watched it snuggled half in my sleeping bag, but it seems that it wasnt as cold last night (or i am getting used to this} as i woke this morning toasty warm, now looking up tides and making plans for todays travels.

i will say despite being unheated Water Rail is a comfortable boat, i tend to boil a kettle last thing before going to sleep, this warms the cabin slightly, and the cooling kettle gives out its heat over the next hour or so. still breakfast is in the oven, and my second coffee is being prepared.

the one item i am glad i packed for a early may holiday, has to be my thermals.