Springer’s Retreat On The Rivers

[kpnut]

Hm, I’m sure these branches weren’t here on the path yesterday evening!

[kpnut]

I’ve just completed a round of the marsh footpaths. It was beautiful, but hard going in places when the wind caught me. Pretty mud free though and unless my memory is playing tricks, the riverbank path is in more usable condition for this time of year than it was last year. I had spotted in the winter that it had been cut right down so the bank was visible from the river. 

St Benets moorings were  pretty full with sailing boats. They’d all come past me up Fleet dyke earlier.

The views across the marsh are lovely and clear today, not that my little phone camera can really do them justice.

Just by the electric pumping station with the generator parked up next to it, were some willow trees just coming into flower. I hadn’t realised before that the flowers have a very delicate hint of lemon, very pretty and a wonderful fragrance (I just wish the damn trees didn’t shed leaves all over my boat). 

The photo below shows the outcome of drilling winter barley on an area liable to flood. Compare the first photo, on the marsh, with the second of a field nearer the village.

I suppose getting some sort of yield for winter feed for the cattle is better than leaving it, but I’d be inclined to grow a cover crop to reduce nutrient loss over winter and then drill with spring barley. 
 

I stopped off at the staithe on the way back. There are a pair of ducks with a nest in the bushes at the far end, so we quickly left them to it once I realised why they were shouting at us!

And then to round off a lovely walk, the icecream boat (the ice float) turned up just as I was coming back to the boat. She moored up for me to buy a ‘blackcurrant swirl’ and a ‘Norfolk gooseberry’ (for the freezer). What a treat. 

[kpnut]

Sun going down on a windy day

[MargeandParge]

Always used  Safeways or International stores carriers to line our Wellies as kids A bit like inner tubes so when they where replaced always a market for them in antique shops

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[kpnut]

Good idea if I get another wet day before I go home next week.
Might be a bit steamy after a long walk mind you. 

[kpnut]

Sunny, but still breezier than forecast in Horning and it’s not a warm wind now either. 
Busy with dayboats and the river has a steady flow of traffic. 

[kpnut]

I woke early and stayed in bed watching the river flow past. Not one boat passed me. Eventually I stirred and took the dog out before his breakfast.
I was the last boat to leave which isn’t unusual!

I firstly went down to the other moorings to take a look at a potential wild mooring on the opposite bank. I’d seen a boat moored there last night. It looks pleasant but will soon be full of tall stinging nettles. But the key to using a wild mooring like that when overgrown is to know it has solid ground under the trash. Now I know that, I wouldn’t mind mooring there in future and trampling down the nettles. 

I set off towards Horning with three possibilities in mind. Horning staithe, Horning church mooring or Cockshoot?

Horning staithe - electric, sociable but busy with boats and busy with people. Anyway, it was full. 

Horning church - beautiful, quiet, good walks, but can be noisy with bow slap when windy.

Cockshoot - sheltered, pretty but no good walks and can be busy with boats. 

Horning church was empty so that won. After my late breakfast, we walked up to the church, along the path to the right of the carpark, onto the road and back along to the crossroads. Along the lane onto the main road and along the verge to walk down the track to the side of the radio mast. Following the well defined paths across the fields we came out on the lane to the Radar Museum. And then took the diagonal path to Neatishead Rd just up from Ropes Hill crossroads.
I can’t quite believe how quickly the surface soil has dried out in this wind. Certainly the ploughed fields I walked across are just right now for rolling and harrowing to break the clods down to a seedbed.  
In fact, one path was decidedly dusty in places! 

We stopped at Horning staithe for a while before walking along to the New Inn  I haven’t been there for quite a while so thought I’d have a glass of Fullers London Pride while sitting next to the river (see photo in previous post). The tide was still rising and as I sat there, the puddle in the garden grew noticeably bigger.

Another 5 minutes and I reckon people would be paddling through to get out of the garden  

I helped a couple of dayboats having difficulty with the fast river and the gusty wind.
The second boat was missing a mooring line on the port stern cleat and the starboard one was extremely frayed. I can’t see any sensible reason why a boat would be hired out in that state.  

On arrival back at the boat, Finlay settled onto the sofa for a snooze while I sat on the bench in the sun eating the gooseberry icecream I’d bought yesterday. A couple on an HPC boat called across to ask if they could moor there, so I helped them in too. And a bit later a family walked down to do a spot of magnet fishing, so my observation of Horning church mooring being quiet wasn’t totally true.
There were also plenty of boats this afternoon going past more speedily than is polite, fast enough for the quay heading to get wetted by waves a number of times and the boat to be bounced around somewhat. All seems quiet now. 

[NeilB]

I quite like the Horning church mooring too, only space for 2 boats and walking distance to Horning.  Had it to myself on Saturday night!

[kpnut]

It’s just such an awkward shape though if you go on the ‘back’ mooring. I need to have the stern up against the quay to let the dog off as I don’t like him going off the bow - well I don’t like him bringing muddy shakes in through the bow door more to the point - and to get the stern into the quay there, the nose has to stick out into the river at an odd angle, especially as a Horizon 35 bows out in the middle herself. 
Boats that are either shorter or that can have their stern hanging over the end of the quay look much more snug on that second spot. 

[dom]

2 hours ago, kpnut said:

Following the well defined paths across the fields we came out on the lane to the Radar Museum. And then took the diagonal path to Neatishead Rd just up from Ropes Hill crossroads.

That field is part of the farm which belonged to the late father of one of my best friends at school, who I knew from the age of 4 or so. They were Gedges - I suspect quite likely related to the Jimmy Gedge who used to work for Vaughan.

[kpnut]

I had said I’d help the couple (not spring chickens) on the other boat to leave this morning as they were very nervous, especially about the wind. When I spoke to them at breakfast they were waiting for HPC staff to collect them as the helmsman had hurt his back stooping down to drive. I must say the seat is very high up and the vertical wheel is very low down. He thinks that’s why his back was painful. 
In due course, the lads turned up, one casting off and taking the car back to the yard with the other taking the boat back. 

I then started pondering the best way to leave the mooring myself. Being the only one left, it wouldn’t much matter what I did as it’d only be my boat I knocked, but I was mindful that usually I’d be sandwiched inbetween other boats, so ought to practice getting off with the tide rising towards me and a LOT of wind (forecast was showing 40mph) pinning me to the bank, so I presumed that combination would mean the stern wouldn’t want to go out very readily. 

After a bit of thinking and finding an old thread on here, I decided to see firstly if the back would go out as per normal. Normally as the back goes out, I just walk the bow down the mooring a bit and once it’s out at a good angle, I hop on and continue reversing out. 
And surprisingly, that’s exactly what did happen. I’ve had times before when the stern just won’t leave the bank without fuss. 

Once I was well across the river, I did have to turn the bow into the flow of the tide as that’s what it wanted to do. Then I just needed to turn to go down downstream. 

But if it hadn’t have worked out, I’m still a bit puzzled as to what I would do.
Would I just let the stern off with it going nowhere, then let the bow off, needing to hop on the boat of course, and wait for it to catch the flow of water and turn to a good acute angle angle and then just go forward, keeping at that angle so as not to hit other boats with my stern?  

What would stop the boat being pulled along by the tide into a boat moored behind me before I had a good enough angle to miss the boat in front? Ummm.

Bearing in mind, I’m on my own so have no one to be on the bow keeping a rope slung round a mooring post for a while. 

I bet I’m missing something obvious, so any explanation would be gratefully received. 

I think this might be one reason I prefer wild moorings - no one else to think about, so I can cover up my lack of competence!!

And off I went, up the Ant where so many boats were coming down towards me I bet I was going to have to somehow hold steady at Ludham Bridge while I drifted with the strong wind nearer and nearer to George’s boats in the yard.
Theoretically, I’d have right of way with the tide, but if other people coming the other way don’t know that, I can’t just barge my way through😂

Another ‘worry’ over, there were no boats! 

Further up, between How Hill and Irstead were 5 sailing boats, coaching youngsters but I knew what I was doing and so did they.

And then, lucky day, Irstead on the electric was vacant. The parish moorings have now filled as well, one with a day boat that moored up for a cup of tea before turning round for their return journey, only to find they had no matches onboard. I was able to help them out, only too pleased to help. 

Now wondering whether to just sit and snooze or get togged up for the blustery showers that keep passing over and take Finlay out. I expect the latter will win eventually. 

[Mouldy]

16 hours ago, kpnut said:

We stopped at Horning staithe for a while before walking along to the New Inn  I haven’t been there for quite a while so thought I’d have a glass of Fullers London Pride while sitting next to the river (see photo in previous post). The tide was still rising and as I sat there, the puddle in the garden grew noticeably bigger.

Another 5 minutes and I reckon people would be paddling through to get out of the garden  

I was at HPC yesterday morning, arriving just after 11:00.  I’d arranged to meet a new owner at 13:00 to give him a ‘familiarisation’ of the systems, electric breakers etc., but also had to re seal the shower tray in the aft heads, where the existing silicone had split away from the gel coat.  When I arrived, the puddle that seems ever present in front of their reception and shed was still there, but I parked my car near Moonlight Shadow, where the ground was dry.

I quickly set about scraping away the old sealant and having cleaned it down with some isopropyl alcohol, resealed it using a good quality silicone.  With that task finished, I tightened the handle on the oven door, that I noticed had come loose and took a couple of photos, for an addition to our very comprehensive boat manual.  My phone rang and it was the owner I was waiting to see, who had been delayed at the Dartford Crossing and then at the roadworks at the Newmarket Puddle.  He estimated he’d be with me by 14:00.

I decided to pop back to Hoveton to get some lunch and a coffee, but discovered that I had to paddle through rising water to get to my car.  By the time I returned from my lunch, it was high water and I found a solitary dry(ish) spot to park, near the boat.

The owner arrived at about 14:15 and by the time I left the yard about an hour and a half later, the water had started to recede.  I’ve been to HPC on at least a dozen occasions since October and have yet to see the yard dry in that time.  I wonder how long it will be before the river levels return to what they were last summer?

[Bikertov]

6 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

... but also had to re seal the shower tray in the aft heads, where the existing silicone had split away from the gel coat.  When I arrived, the puddle that seems ever present in front of their reception and shed was still there, but I parked my car near Moonlight Shadow, where the ground was dry.

I quickly set about scraping away the old sealant and having cleaned it down with some isopropyl alcohol, resealed it using a good quality silicone.  

I need to reseal the joint between the sink moulding and bulkhead in the shower/heads on A Frayed Knot where it has also split away - is there a particular sealant you would recommend ?

[Mouldy]

1 minute ago, Bikertov said:

I need to reseal the joint between the sink moulding and bulkhead in the shower/heads on A Frayed Knot where it has also split away - is there a particular sealant you would recommend ?

I usually use Unibond.  I did all around the vanity unit and behind the toilet in Norfolk Lady not long after we bought her with it and it’s still good now.  Others may have their preferences obviously, but I hate silicone sealant and applying it, as it usually goes everywhere, so if I do it properly and just once, it suits me just fine.

Sorry about the thread drift Kate!

[dom]

45 minutes ago, Bikertov said:

I need to reseal the joint between the sink moulding and bulkhead in the shower/heads on A Frayed Knot

If you've not already got one, buy a sealant finishing tool before you do the job. I bought the blue pack of 4 off eBay for about a fiver and it makes the job so much easier/neater than a finger/spoon/etc.

[kpnut]

51 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

Sorry about the thread drift Kate!

That’s fine Malcolm, all useful information! 

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

I wonder how long it will be before the river levels return to what they were last summer?

I might have some news on that (very tongue in cheek) 

Not sure if I’ve quoted this before - 

‘If the ash is out before the oak, we’ll be in for a soak, but if the oak is out before the ash, we’ll only get a splash’. 
 

So looking at the photos below, it’ll be a dry summer. (Believe me if you will😂).

Doesn’t seem to take into account anything to do with winds, tides, Herring bridge or other such factors though. 

 

In that photo of the oak coming into leaf, it shows the oak flowers too. Not sure I’ve ever seen them before. 

[grendel]

Kate, I usually loop a line around a post and back to the boat from the front outboard cleat round and back to the cockpit, then i turn toward the quay heading and engage forward on tickover, with the shape of water rail I can turn in quite a lot the rope just stops me sliding too much down the quay heading, once the back is far enough out I generally flick the rope off the post and reverse away from the mooring, the rope neednt be too tight, oh yes as i get aboard I give the back a good shove too, sometimes thats all thats needed. i have never yet had the stern impossible to swing out to reverse out.

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

usually loop a line around a post and back to the boat from the front outboard cleat round and back to the cockpit, then i turn toward the quay heading and engage forward on tickover,

Am I presuming in that case you never have to try to come out forwards? So my query earlier would not be necessary. 

I never have done so yet, but do occasionally have to be quite cross with the stern before it’ll go out when I’m pulling the bow round from the bank, pushing it away a number of times before I succeed. And that can mean I’m further down the bank than I’d ideally be. Maybe I’m not patient enough. I’d be hesitant to have the boat in gear while not on it. Visions of me losing it and it ploughing on wherever it goes, like a tractor I was driving once did, straight through a hedge!!!!

I’m not sure where the front outboard cleat is, would that be one quite near the edge, halfway up the bow? 
I only have one cleat, in the middle of the bow and one at either stern corner, none centrally. 
So would looping round a post and back on to the centre of the bow work as effectively as me pulling the bow round from the quay?

What I do often forget to do is turn the wheel towards the quay, so probably I’m working against myself some of the time. Thanks for that reminder. 

Next time I’m on my own on a mooring somewhere I’m going to try doing what you say. Be on board with rope looped round post, in forward tickover, with wheel turned backwards, having pushed the back out before I get onboard. I’ll just have to be quick gathering the rope in and back to the helm as I move off! But then I currently have to hop on and get to the helm pretty sharpish anyway. 

[grendel]

the outboard cleat, the one further away from the quay heading ie the one you would use for a spring line- gives you a better angle on the post, so the middle cleat gives you a halfway house solution, the rope is just there to limit your sliding along the quay.

in your circumstances I would just bring the end of the line after it goes round the post to the side window, it doesnt need to be fastened, you can just hold it.

having tried getting out forward only on a few occasions (usually if I am at the end of the quay heading that allows that), i dont find it that effective, you cant get the back round easily to get away from the side, so generally I will get the back swung out and reverse out once the back is a good way off the bank.

often you can just flick the rope off the post with a quick move like snapping a whip. if there is nothing in front you often dont need the front rope.

by going into forward with the rudder steering the bow into the bank, the stern will naturally pull off the quay, even in a strong wind. then its just reverse out into the middle of the river and you have all the space you need.

you have the advantage of the open cockpit at the front for me its a lot more faff as the front of the boat is higher than my deck.

[kpnut]

4 hours ago, kpnut said:

Now wondering whether to just sit and snooze or get togged up for the blustery showers that keep passing over and take Finlay out. I expect the latter will win eventually. 

Well, of course, the walk in the rain won. I wandered off along various lanes and across field  paths, ending up by the fudge lady, who didn’t get my custom this trip. I love her grainy coffee fudge, proper homemade texture, but I eat far too much of it considering it’s virtually sugar and butter. 

We stopped at the Neatishead moorings as it’s nye on impossible to resist. It was more or less full, early afternoon.

And then the pull of the pub was too much for my lack of willpower. I had the Humpty Dumpty Swallowtail which was a bit ‘over bitter’ for my taste. 

We left in steady rain and after walking as far as the New Victory Hall I decided that the splits in my wellies would let too much water in now that the road was more puddled, and the field grass would be soggier, so I retraced my steps, still managing to resist the fudge, and went towards Gay’s staithe, which was very quiet. 
That thatched roof they’ve been working on for ages has its ridge finished now. 

And for interest, I took pictures of various wildflowers on the way back. 

primroses

English bluebells

Just before the right angled bend after walking past the Barton Broad boardwalk entrance, there’s a wood that’ll be a riot of bluebell colour very soon. Finlay spotted two muntjacs in there too, but they saw us and ran off before I could snap them.  
 

Cow parsley, which is just beginning to flower, quite early I think. That means the carrot fly will be about early this year then as after the cow parsley finishes flowering, the flies move from them onto carrot ground to lay their eggs.

 

Honesty

Forget-me-nots

and some flowerpots. I’ve had one of these on the boat for a couple of years now and it’s still as good as new. I keep a spider plant in it. 

As I reached the staithe, I waved to Robin on Trixie as he went past. But I don’t think he either saw me or recognised me. I did get a photo for him though. 

[kpnut]

14 minutes ago, grendel said:

the outboard cleat, the one further away from the quay heading ie the one you would use for a spring line- gives you a better angle on the post, so the middle cleat gives you a halfway house solution, the rope is just there to limit your sliding along the quay.

in your circumstances I would just bring the end of the line after it goes round the post to the side window, it doesnt need to be fastened, you can just hold it.

Great idea, thanks. 
I’m going to practice this in the morning when I leave Irstead. 

[Roy]

1 hour ago, kpnut said:

Well, of course, the walk in the rain won. I wandered off along various lanes and across field  paths, ending up by the fudge lady, who didn’t get my custom this trip. I love her grainy coffee fudge, proper homemade texture, but I eat far too much of it considering it’s virtually sugar and butter. 

We stopped at the Neatishead moorings as it’s nye on impossible to resist. It was more or less full, early afternoon.

And then the pull of the pub was too much for my lack of willpower. I had the Humpty Dumpty Swallowtail which was a bit ‘over bitter’ for my taste. 

We left in steady rain and after walking as far as the New Victory Hall I decided that the splits in my wellies would let too much water in now that the road was more puddled, and the field grass would be soggier, so I retraced my steps, still managing to resist the fudge, and went towards Gay’s staithe, which was very quiet. 
That thatched roof they’ve been working on for ages has its ridge finished now. 

And for interest, I took pictures of various wildflowers on the way back. 

primroses

English bluebells

Just before the right angled bend after walking past the Barton Broad boardwalk entrance, there’s a wood that’ll be a riot of bluebell colour very soon. Finlay spotted two muntjacs in there too, but they saw us and ran off before I could snap them.  
 

Cow parsley, which is just beginning to flower, quite early I think. That means the carrot fly will be about early this year then as after the cow parsley finishes flowering, the flies move from them onto carrot ground to lay their eggs.

 

Honesty

Forget-me-nots

and some flowerpots. I’ve had one of these on the boat for a couple of years now and it’s still as good as new. I keep a spider plant in it. 

As I reached the staithe, I waved to Robin on Trixie as he went past. But I don’t think he either saw me or recognised me. I did get a photo for him though. 

Hi Kate I’d say our gardens are about 1month a head hear in Norfolk in February I had snowdrops and a forsythia and rhododendrons out all at once in a garden I work in very strange to see these together flowering it’s the warmer damp weather.

Roy  
 

[kpnut]

31 minutes ago, Roy said:

Hi Kate I’d say our gardens are about 1month a head hear in Norfolk in February I had snowdrops and a forsythia and rhododendrons out all at once in a garden I work in very strange to see these together flowering it’s the warmer damp weather.

Roy  

I was surprised to see a couple of rhododendrons flowering in that colourful garden of the house next to the How Hill property. I had taken a purposeful look out as it’s my signal to go and visit the Secret Garden. Toward the end of my next trip it’ll be at its best I reckon. 
 

Superb growing weather at the moment. With having more time at home while I couldn’t use the boat, I managed to get ahead on the allotment. Reckoning it was going to be a fairly frost free spring I’ve started stuff I would normally have waited for till April. 

Now I’ve gone and done it. My potatoes will come up and you watch, we’ll have a bad frost!!

[dom]

52 minutes ago, kpnut said:

I was surprised to see a couple of rhododendrons flowering in that colourful garden of the house next to the How Hill property. I had taken a purposeful look out as it’s my signal to go and visit the Secret Garden. Toward the end of my next trip it’ll be at its best I reckon.

I saw pictures of rhododendrons in flower up at Sandringham earlier. Some up there are more like trees. There's a drive through the woods into the back of the car park, which is beautiful at this time of year. It seems to have been constantly closed since the queen's passing. I'm hoping Charles follows his mother's example and keeps it open.

Sheringham Park was always stunning at this time of year. Apparently the rhododendron collection is "nationally important".