Springer’s Retreat On The Rivers

[kpnut]

Why is there a pop up lightship in Barton Broad? 
And yes, it is 4 wherries

[kpnut]

Well, all the laundry got done on my return to the yard, along with hoovering, cleaning etc ready for 3 guests tomorrow morning. All old school friends and all mad as hatters so I’m in for an interesting few days. 

I had the most wonderful journey back up the Ant this morning. It was very quiet on the river and unusually for me I put a cd on. 3 very lyrical trombone concertos that my son has played in the past, so what with the beautiful scenery and a number of kingfishers about, that will now be a memory for each time I hear one of those pieces in the future. 

After all my housework, I set about trying to solve the puzzle of the diesel heater. Well, not really, seeing as I have zero understanding of electronics, but firstly I found the heater. You were right NeilB, it was behind the sofa, hiding behind a panel, but rather helpfully will be very easy to get to. 
Once I knew the eberspacher model number, airtronic M, D4, 12v I set about reading an operators/service/fault code manual I found on the butler teknic website. I think the heater is doing exactly as it should on start-up until the bit where it says about igniting, then it tries again, then it stops the pump and runs the fan down for a few mins before shutting down.
So I, with the help of far more knowledgable people on the yard have come to the conclusion if could be the glow plug, either coked up or knackered. Very un-usefully, it seems the tool you need to take the glow plug out is supplied in the box when you buy the new one, which I’m loathe to do without confirming  it’s the issue. I’ve been promised the use of a diagnosis machine to get the fault code, and am very grateful for that help. 
I was searching under the dash for the heater fuses, and have also learnt they are somewhere completely different, in the battery compartment under the floor in the bedroom. I’ve come to the conclusion that this boat is a case of ‘once you know, you know’ but until then it’s all a bit of a mystery! I’m learning fast though. 

[Karizma]

I have the same unit and you can buy the glow plug 'tool' off fleeBay (not much money) and certainly worth the purchase if you intend to service the unit yourself in the future

mine was doing a similar thing to yours and I hadn't a clue but decided to take it out, take it home and strip it down. They are very simple units with not many parts and mine just needed a good clean out. Gaskets, filters etc are all easy to purchase off fleebay.

mine now works a treat.

[kpnut]

Ooh, thanks for that Karizma. I can feel my confidence growing that it might not end up being quite so costly as imagined. 

[YnysMon]

Ooh! Trombone concertos sound good.

Harry currently plays 2nd cornet with the Woburn Sands Band. At one time all the family played in their various training bands. The rest of us, all on trombones, never got beyond the ‘B’ band though.  Alec drifted off to Uni, and Graham and I fell by the wayside when we were carers for my Mam. I had thought of returning, but Covid got in the way. 

How it all started. When the kids were young I took them along to a Woburn Sands Band ‘C’ band rehearsal to see if they would like to join. They had been learning to play trumpet and trombone in school but not getting along too well. They did join, and I came away that evening with a trombone and had a one-to-one lessons for a couple of the following weeks until I was confident enough to join in.

It’s a wonderful band, dedicated to teaching music to anyone, providing instruments to all who want to learn (as you progress, the quality of the instrument improves). They are a real asset to the community and we’re awarded the Queen’s Award shortly before the Covid malarkey. 

[kpnut]

Brilliant. The brass band movement is responsible for many of the finest brass players in the top orchestral seats around the world. Their training and development set up is one of true equality. The only differential between people is those who are keen and will practice and those not.  Obviously natural talent comes into it too, but how many of the worlds greats would never have known they were any good without the chance to learn, with access to an instrument on loan?

Saying that, Richard, my son, did not go through that route. When he was three he saw a trombonist on TV and said that’s what he would play. I think he thought everyone played an instrument ‘cos his big sister did, as did me, his mum and his grandma. So come primary school and school music service provision, he started on cornet as his arms were too short for the trombone, but age 8 he swopped over. He was fortunate enough to have a specialist trombonist as his cornet teacher and Pete then stayed as his trombone teacher all the way to conservatoire auditions. He chose Glasgow, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to be precise, after being offered scholarships there and at the RAM in London. And he’s still in Scotland, 11 years on from leaving home for college, still blowing down a piece of brass tubing for a living!!
Covid threw a bit of a spanner in the works for a musician just establishing himself, but after delivering pizzas to the hungry folk of Cumbernauld for a while to pay the bills, he’s back on track. I go up there a few times a year, timing my visits with performances I particularly want to go to. 

You ought to go back to it, says me who lapsed from playing the bassoon many years ago! I sold it to pay for a new trombone for Richard when he went to college. 
 

Havd a listen to Ferdinand David trombone concerto and the Launy Grondhal, both played by Christian Lindberg. I’m sure they’ll both be on YouTube. He has the most amazing tone. You might be able to find Ole Olsen concerto as well but it’s not so well known. Richard played the UK premiere with the Hull Philharmonic Orchestra a few years back. 
 

Wierd how as boating thread meanders around through many other topics. Sorry!

[YnysMon]

It was me who derailed it! It was lovely to hear about your son though, so I'm not going to apologise for thread drift for once!

[addicted]

When I was 8 years old I started violin lessons at school. It didn't take long for me to realise that this wasn't really my thing and I asked my parents to speak to the school to get me out of the class. But each time they did this the headmistress told them that I had real talent ad should continue. This was a big fat lie! After 3 years a concert was held so that our parents could come and hear the results of three years fees. Having attended this my father remarked that the school  headmistress had been right and how lovely we had sounded. I was obliged to inform him that  prior to beginning the music teacher had put selllotape over my strings! He roared with laughter.

 

Carole

[mikeyboy1966]

Regarding the heater fault,

Are you getting a fault code?

iirc the glow plug starts the combustion process ,then once combustion temperature is high enough it shuts off and the “burn “ is assisted by the small mesh tube  which by this time is glowing red hot.

the unit probably needs a service.

[kpnut]

No fault code as yet, but have been promised use of a diagnosis machine soon. Then I’ll know what I’m working with. Many thanks for the photos. 

[kpnut]

Thurs 16th June. 
What a day, I’m washed out and ready for bed. Surely nothing to do with the raspberrry vodka and wine for tea!

My 3 friends had all arrived by 12, so after coffee etc we set off, with an ‘on the hoof’ dinner.  Going through Irstead the Jolly Richie passed us and lo and behold, 3 sets of fancy dress and a flag appeared - my friends all togged up - lots of ‘ahoy there’ etc entertained the occupants of their boat while I gestured a sincere apology to the boat moored up at the staithe!!!!!!

A stop at How Hill for the obligatory touristy things and a good run for Finlay who’d spent most of yesterday and this morning dozing in his car crate and on to St Benets. 
It’s interesting seeing the rivers through new eyes with all the magic of the sparkle on the water, the swans etc. 

Too tired to write anything else!
 

 

 

 

[YnysMon]

Love it! Looking forward to a newbies take on the Broads. 

[kpnut]

Bacon sarnies for breakfast, we all agreed a real treat to smell that bacon. Although 2 of my friends had said ‘no meat’, when I’d mentioned the potential food list before the trip, they were suitably tempted. 
With the temperature already rising to the ‘hot’ end, at 9.15 we set off up to Womack. Spaces aplenty and no real queue for water. Not the best stern-on mooring to be honest, what with a bit of cross wind, slightly panicky instructions from my crew who were fending off and terrified as I went even near neighbouring boats which then also made me a bit jumpy. More practice needed between us is needed I reckon. But better that they are worried about other boats rather than thinking it doesn’t matter!
A visit to the baking lady for those Portuguese tarts preceded a walk down the lane to Hunters Yard, down the shady track that leads off to the left, a right turn at the junction coming out at the drainage pump at the start of the Potter Heigham chalets. I was most relieved that the riverbank path had been cut. It snaked round to Womack Dyke end and up past the dyke moorings. Finlay borrowed a bit of space next to a yacht moored in the single mooring near the dyke end for a good swim. There’s a lot of wildlife and livestock out on those marshes which led us to speculate about the amount of shade the cattle can access. With 2 of us from a farming background, I suppose this was natural. 
Back at the boat for a quick pint of water or two before heading for a drink in the Kings Arms. Salad lunch followed and a most refreshing cruise to show the chalets of Potter Heigham, turning in good time before the bridge as I was cautious of the quite stiff breeze, with obligatory photoshoot. 
My guests were a bit perturbed by HW boats doing all sorts of odd things, both under instruction and afterwards when sent out on their own. Maybe the yard really tests handling skills by making them veer across the river and turn sharply to avoid oncoming boats! 
And then we retraced our steps down the Thurne, and down the Bure where there were plenty of sailey boats to think about, to Upton dyke where I was extremely delighted to find the end mooring free. It’s always fantastic to moor there when hot, as the breeze is just right. 
The bench at the end on the grass provided a good spot for 4 slightly more than middle aged ladies to relocate scenes from Last of the Summer Wine, put the world to tights and watch the boats go by with s glass of cider kindly provided by one of them who owns a cider orchard and bottles it commercially. 
With the sun going down over the marshes, we again speculated why the sunsets captured on our phones never look so good as some of very colourful Facebook photos of the Broads at sunset. 
And so to bed in our oven of a a boat. I had hoped my friends wouldn’t be cold on their visit - no chance today, even the fridge is struggling. Tomorrow look a lot different so they will at least not go home with a false impression!  
Their comments -

love the birdsong

why have I never been here before?

Those fishing rods are very long

i feel so sleepy

-and on that note, having just dropped the phone through falling asleep myself while writing this, I’ll call it a night. 

 

[SwanR]

It is indeed a different morning with a few showers forecast. Sounds like your friends had a lovely first day afloat Kate. I love the image conjured up of you all on that bench. Hope you all have another great day. 

[Mouldy]

8 hours ago, kpnut said:

With the sun going down over the marshes, we again speculated why the sunsets captured on our phones never look so good as some of very colourful Facebook photos of the Broads at sunset. 

Much manipulation of white balance whilst taking the photos to enhance the colours of the setting sun and a good deal of post processing in a programme like Lightroom or Photoshop to enhance them further.

There is a free version of Lightroom available in the App Store to try, if you feel inclined.  I use it and although it’s functionality is restricted a little against the subscription version, it still can help,  but the control over the actual exposure of the photo is limited on a phone against a camera, which does restrict what it can do, to a degree.

[YnysMon]

Sounds like you had an idyllic day again. I love that circular walk around the Ludham marshes, it’s one of our favourites, and isn’t Upton a lovely mooring when it’s hot. 
Thanks for posting.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, kpnut said:

Not the best stern-on mooring to be honest, what with a bit of cross wind

Was it your terrible stern mooring that angered the wind or was it already in a bad mood? 

I am enjoying keeping up with your travels, thanks for posting 

[kpnut]

Saturday 18th June

Where did I leave off? Ah yes, Upton Dyke in the heat. 
Returning to the thread with much changed weather conditions. I gave Finlay a bit of a training session, as I often do on that nice grassy bank at Upton Dyke. We then pottered to Acle after breakfast as I wanted to see if I could jog Sue’s memory of the Acle Bridge Inn many, many years ago on a young farmers’ exchange weekend that our club had with Acle young farmers. No recollection, not surprising really as many of those weekends passed in a bit of a haze!

A walk to stretch our legs to Acle Dyke and back was followed by a caffeine fix at the Dunes cafe. A shame that the forecast rain started just then so fearing the inevitable, we retreated to the kiosk, but it soon stopped again and actually stayed dry until we reached the boardwalk moorings for Hoveton Great Broad, opposite Salhouse Broad. 
On the way, Viv had had some rather sad and shocking news so we debated whether to continue our explorations or head straight back to Stalham. As an ex police officer, she very practically decided there was nothing she could do if she rushed home, and wanted to continue. The tern chicks pestering their parents for food on the broad cheered us up and we used Cheska’s many ID apps to identify various flora and fauna species. I would highly recommend this nature trail as a fantastic intro to the Norfolk Broads ecology, for newbies and old hands alike. Signboards are plentiful and informative, the boardwalk is in good condition and the bird hide provides binos. I may have already done this promotion earlier in the postings, apologies if so. 
Leaving here rather later than planned, we had to get straight back to Stalham with no stop at Gayes Staithe for fudge. All was not lost though, as we had a booking at the White Horse at Neatishead, so a quick detour by car found us buying up the fudge lady’s stocks! We were relieved to find the boxes still on display at 7.15pm. 
 

Another filling meal in the pub. Their menu is comprehensive and there was plenty of choice for one of the group who is not only gluten free but also diabetic. Even gluten free beer and she was so delighted by this that she gave the barman an a mighty kiss- he was most surprised, poor young man. We speculated that if the sexed had been reversed, the ‘culprit’ would have their day in court next week!!!! She apologised to him. 
I have noticed that most pubs, perhaps only on the Broads, but probably everywhere, seem to have morphed into mini restaurants. Gone are the days it seems of finding a table, ordering a drink at the bar and asking for the menus. You seem to need to book in advance, be shown to your table and waited on. I’m other words, restaurants in all but name. Little time for a social drink and then ‘shall we eat?’ I wonder if it’s to do with staffing issues in the kitchen, so table orders need timely planning. 
Back to the boat for homemade liqueurs and the last night of our little party. 

Maybe i shouldn’t post photos like that! but I reckon the illusion of being sensible is shot now anyway.

Today, after 2 guests departed, Sue and I had a car trip to the seals at Horsey, walking across the fields to the beach from the national trust car park at Horsey wind pump. While there, we got a text from the others saying how surprised they were to get to Acle so quickly, seeing as it had taken ages by boat! 
And as a last sightseeing visit to round off this little intro holiday to the Norfolk Broads, we drove to Burgh Castle where I just knew that Sue would be wowed by the big skies and low horizons over the water and marshes from the viewpoint by the castle. 
 

All in all, a lovely few days spent with rather zany company, but I can report that all 3 are hooked on boating and the broads. Am I daft to invite them again ‘en masse’?  Too late, I already have!

Tomorrows job is to get the boat back together, everything back in its place and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet!

[CambridgeCabby]

An excellent tale of your adventures , please keep them coming !!!

[YnysMon]

Hmmm, young farmers’ events. I’ll say no more! 

[kpnut]

Just found the first tick of the season on Finlay, already dead due to his tick tablet. 
He picked it up on the walk to the beach from Horsey Windpump. This time last year he came back from there with 7. 
So a timely reminder to all dog owners to keep their tick treatments up to date. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, kpnut said:

Just found the first tick of the season on Finlay, already dead due to his tick tablet. 
He picked it up on the walk to the beach from Horsey Windpump. This time last year he came back from there with 7. 
So a timely reminder to all dog owners to keep their tick treatments up to date. 

Funny you should say that, I found the first tick on my dog yesterday and it was all whiteish coloured which I believe means it has fed and is about to give up it's annoying hold on the poor pooch. 

Well, I wasn't hanging around once I knew it was there and removed it carefully with some specialist  tweezers before igniting the little bugger in a heatproof jar.

Boom it went very shortly afterwards, and oh how we danced around that jar 

[kpnut]

That phrase ‘oh how we danced’ got in my head, thinking it’s part of a song I used to know. Just remembered ‘oh how she laughed’. Part of ‘under the lilac’, old campfire song. Thanks for the memory. 

I hate ticks! The possibility of Lymes disease manifesting itself months later scares me, so I give him his monthly dose of pesticide, even though I really don’t like that idea either!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, kpnut said:

That phrase ‘oh how we danced’ got in my head, thinking it’s part of a song I used to know. Just remembered ‘oh how she laughed’. Part of ‘under the lilac’, old campfire song. Thanks for the memory. 

As I was writing my post I thought, I do hope that this will bring back some memories for someone, so you are very welcome 

[kpnut]

Monday dawned bright and early - too much so for my liking, so head back under the covers for a while. When I did venture out, I realised we’d had another bout of Saharan dust That must have been what the beautiful sunset was all about last night. 

After a set-to on the interior of the boat, I decided my plan for the day was to get some spare keys cut for the back door, then head off somewhere remote enough to not have to socialise, after my hectic time lately. That makes me sound a right misery! I am very happy in company or with just my own company, nothing to do with getting older, always been like that. 
How difficult can that be? The keys wouldn’t fit, even though they looked identical and I think had been cut well. I did a little bit of filing to no avail, so took the lock to pieces to see if I could see what was rubbing. An interesting learning experience. I never knew they had a load of ‘leaves’ on springs that the key notches fit in between. Very ingenious! I am well versed with 1930’s rim locks having refurbished every door in my daughters house, but hadn’t seen inside other locks before. Sorry if I’m boring you with stuff you know!

Eventually I took the keys back and was cut some more, with the same outcome. Frustrating, to waste about 3 hours getting precisely nowhere, apart from learning what’s inside of course. 
I oiled the mechanisms a bit and put everything back together. It can wait for another day. 
Shall I or shan’t I set off down the river, at 5.30pm?
I have 2 more spare days before heading home so the answer was a resounding ‘yes’. 
Tried the nice stretch of mooring beyond Hunsett Mill on the way to Wayford Bridge but it was full of the workboats for the dredging being done in the area. So that’s out of action for a while. Every wild mooring between the Dilham turn and How Hill was taken, not really surprising given the time of day. It was so peaceful on the river, a few holidaymakers fishing from hire boats but I only saw one private fisherman. I made my way back  up through Irstead which was alive with kingfishers, I saw at least 4 individuals. They must have small territories, maybe the fishing is so good they don’t each need a larger area. 
Resigned to returning to the yard and going out first thing, I popped into Woodsend staithe and was in luck, so in the end, I’m about as remote as I could get. 
Tomorrow morning I’m going to finish that epic walk and go find the head of Catfield Dyke. It’ll niggle in my head otherwise. 
What a peaceful end to the day, chirpy birdsong and a couple of swans to keep me company, along with Norfolk’s largest midges!