Springer’s Retreat On The Rivers

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, YnysMon said:

That is a wonderful mooring. I think it's called 'Dungeon Corner' and I once spent a very peaceful half hour or so there by myself on one of the Hunter's boats. I wish we'd had the presence of mind to stay overnight.

Funnily enough, I thought of you and your sailing trip when I was there. I thought you’d know it. 

I did ask the girl at the cafe whether it was seasonal, but for the life of me I can’t remember her answer. 

[kpnut]

5 hours ago, kpnut said:

I came back in a drizzly rain with the wind blowing it in my direction. Think it’s set in now for the afternoon

How wrong could I be? A beautiful evening, even if properly chilly in quite a wind. 

I feel like poor little cousin between these two. 😄

[kpnut]

I’ve just watched a Martham Juliette being taken through PH bridge - at speed. A lot of wash and a lot of skill/years of practice. He started accelerating from before the white holiday let by HW blue shed. 
Clearance is just under 5’10” at the moment. 

[SwanR]

It can be quite a thrill to watch a boat being taken under the bridge. I managed to grab one on video, amazed it was 7 years ago! It’s right at the end of this vlog should anyone be interested. 

Hickling and Potter Heigham May 2017
https://youtu.be/4wZEu9p9Elk

[kpnut]

I had a date at Ludham Bridge Boatyard to check that the lengths of ply they offered to cut out for me from the templates of my existing pelmets, fitted. They did, so will now be painted on the back and cut surfaces and Formica’d on the nice face. I think I’ll go with Grendel’s idea of heavy duty Velcro to fit them. That’s a job for Tony and me in late August. My gaffer taped up lights will make do until then. 
I made the most of my stop there by getting a pump out to save me doing so at Richardsons. Good job done. 

I always go slowly on the Ant, ‘cos of the low speed limit but also because I always enjoy this river. But I literally crawled up today. The lead boat of the six I was in convoy with stopped off in the last space at How Hill, one stopped at Irstead, nabbing the spot I’d have gone in, and the others went off across Barton Broad. 
The sun must have brought everyone out as it was the first busy day I’ve had this year. 

I made for Gayes Staithe and moored up on the end facing out, much to the annoyance of a couple of fishermen. Maybe I shouldn’t have been mean and instead gone halfway down the stern-on side but it gets very midgey and I really don’t like it. Always gloomy. But on the other hand, there was space for them to move to the side. They chose to squeeze their rods inbetween me and their boat at right angles to me on the corner. 
Unfortunately it made for a ‘bit of an atmosphere’ but I took Finlay out for a walk for the afternoon, missing the quite loud music they’d been playing from their boat before I went out and showing It’s not just the ‘liveaboards’ at Hoveton.
I should have tried Neatishead moorings first as there was plenty of space. 

The newly thatched roof at Grove Farm looks amazing now the ridge is on. I’d love to look in their walled garden; look at that greenhouse poking over the top of the wall. I have greenhouse envy, until it comes to its annual clean. 

And they’ve sown a very nice verge of a wildflower mix that looks very pretty at the moment.

When I got back, I made the most of the sun by cleaning the windows. It’s been a glorious day, what summer boating is all about.

About time! Just when I’m leaving the boat tomorrow😂

[Mouldy]

Some anglers get a bad reputation for all of them.  The signage states that anglers should give way to boats wishing to moor.  I had a close call with one on The Thurne heading from Potter on Monday, sitting in the reeds and not visible as I approached, but with a 10 metre pole sticking half way across the river.  I genuinely didn’t see it until I nearly dragged it away with the bow of the boat.  I don’t think he was thanking me as I passed!

[dom]

15 minutes ago, kpnut said:

The sun must have brought everyone out as it was the first busy day I’ve had this year.

Womack, Ludham Bridge, Horning Ferry and village all seemed very busy yesterday evening. Even Hoveton seemed reasonably busy, although a couple of boats were clearly "regulars".

17 minutes ago, kpnut said:

And they’ve sown a very nice verge of a wildflower mix that looks very pretty at the moment.

It took me a minute to work out where that is. There used to be a track and hard-standing to the left of that barn, which they must have dug out for stuff to be growing there. It's a very attractive display.

One thing I've noticed recently is that we've had a lot of birds around my area, seemingly more than normal. I wonder if the initiatives to leave areas uncut and to sow more native wildflowers for insects is improving survival rates for young birds?

[kpnut]

26 minutes ago, dom said:

One thing I've noticed recently is that we've had a lot of birds around my area, seemingly more than normal. I wonder if the initiatives to leave areas uncut and to sow more native wildflowers for insects is improving survival rates for young birds?

Getting a diverse range of species still relies on the vegetation being short enough for all the smaller, weaker species to compete. Just leaving it completely uncut results in a tangled mass of grass, nettles, brambles, thistles and docks. These are all useful in their own way, but the mix doesn’t promote a wide range of invertebrate and bird species. 
I saw quite a good set up in Horning the other day. I think it was on the housing estate that is probably more council/sheltered/social residences. Each pocket of grass in front of a few houses had been left mid length. What LizG calls ‘low mow’. The pockets had a thriving number of wild flowers. They weren’t exactly colourful as in the pictures above, mainly yellows and whites, but doing a good job. 

I got fed up with my lawn at home being killed off by the dog weeing on it and the dry summer spells over the past few years. I reseeded it as a clover lawn and now it’s green all year and as long as we cut quite high, we get loads of clover flowers and bees etc. 

[kpnut]

44 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

had a close call with one on The Thurne heading from Potter on Monday, sitting in the reeds and not visible as I approached, but with a 10 metre pole sticking half way across the river.  I genuinely didn’t see it until I nearly dragged it away with the bow of the boat.  I don’t think he was thanking me as I passed!

I had a similar event today. There is one particular fishing ‘notch’ that shields the resident angler completely. Lines and poles/rods are sometimes very difficult to see from a boat. Must be the angle we view from. All down that stretch, I try to give the bank an extra wide berth, but it’s difficult if you have a boat being overtaken coming towards you, plus one overtaking you as well as happened this morning. 

[Norfolkangler]

I really fail to see why the fishermen seemed un happy. Surely if they had a boat it would not be unreasonable to expect them to fish from that? As for the loud music, that's the last thing propper fisherman want. 

[grendel]

the advantage of heavy duty velcro is that it can be stapled as well as glued for a better adhesion, but even with that fixing the two parts are still able to be separated, and yet still remain hidden.

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

the advantage of heavy duty velcro is that it can be stapled as well as glued for a better adhesion, but even with that fixing the two parts are still able to be separated, and yet still remain hidden.

I’ll use some strong contact adhesive as well as the backing glue that it’ll no doubt come with. Many thanks. 

[kpnut]

11 hours ago, Norfolkangler said:

I really fail to see why the fishermen seemed un happy

It takes all sorts. 

[kpnut]

This morning I had a wonderful sunny cruise on tickover from Sutton staithe boatyard to Richardsons. My boat is quite good at staying in a straight line for a while, so I was able to go into the front well and look over into the water. No photos,  but I saw numerous white water lilies, a kingfisher catching a fish, a couple of frogs who jumped into the water as I passed, a water snake, a moorhen, a family of swans and countless dragonflies. 

I went via Coltishall when I left the boat at lunchtime as the traffic was backing up a bit in Hoveton. I stopped at the Rising Sun to take this photo of the dredger boats halfway down the common. So sometimes the signs they put up about navigation being impeded for a while are correct. I wonder how long anyone would need to wait until they could pass? 

It’s hidden in the photo but there was a Richo’s bathtub moored up, evidence that Wroxham bridge has certainly had the odd occasion recently of being passable 🫤

Fingers crossed it gets more reliable as the weather slowly fairs up. 

[Turnoar]

On 17/07/2024 at 21:05, dom said:

One thing I've noticed recently is that we've had a lot of birds around my area, seemingly more than normal. I wonder if the initiatives to leave areas uncut and to sow more native wildflowers for insects is improving survival rates for young birds?

My neighbours garden has not been mown this year and has a good mixture of wild plants. Hardly any insects though, seen just two butterflies all weekend, no bees or wasps, no moths, no midges, no flying ants. Was up North last weekend on the concrete raft at brockholes all day,  forgot my mosquito repellant but no need for it.

Had a teenage blackbird and a Robin hopping round me for grubs this afternoon whilst doing some landscaping prep., plenty of slugs!

Wondering if the birds have gobbled up all the flies.

[kpnut]

I think establishing a wildflower area by not mowing in a domestic setting is easier than ‘in the wild’ as hopefully you’re not starting off with nettles, brambles etc. 

I wonder if the relatively cold and wet weather through late June and July till a few days ago has reduced insect numbers eg butterflies and moths. Bit concerning if no buzzy insects on the wildflowers. I’m sure the ants will start their flights with a bit more hot weather. I’m always pleased to see them ‘transition’ as it means they’re off somewhere other than my lawn!

I haven’t noticed fewer midgies around the boat late evening, but even one is too many for me! 

Yes, certainly plenty of slugs lurking in my cauliflowers and lettuces. And loads out on the riverbank paths, those big black ones and orange ones. 
 

40 minutes ago, Turnoar said:

Was up North last weekend on the concrete raft at brockholes all day,

I haven’t been to Brockholes for years. I think I’ve only been to the Lake District twice since I finished walking the Wainwrights in 2005. That needs rectifying. But I like my boat too much😄
 

[dom]

35 minutes ago, kpnut said:

I wonder if the relatively cold and wet weather through late June and July till a few days ago has reduced insect numbers eg butterflies and moths.

The weather must surely have had a major impact on numbers. It's a bit hard to tell in my area though, as the relatively newly established Ouse Fen nature reserve is starting to have a noticeable effect on local wildlife of all types.

I don't agree with everything the RSPB do, but it's nice to see the positive effects in this case. I even saw a flock of Little Egrets today, which I didn't even realise was a thing. I'd always thought they were solitary.

[NeilB]

On 17/07/2024 at 20:58, Mouldy said:

Some anglers get a bad reputation for all of them.  The signage states that anglers should give way to boats wishing to moor.  I had a close call with one on The Thurne heading from Potter on Monday, sitting in the reeds and not visible as I approached, but with a 10 metre pole sticking half way across the river.  I genuinely didn’t see it until I nearly dragged it away with the bow of the boat.  I don’t think he was thanking me as I passed!

 

On 17/07/2024 at 21:46, kpnut said:

I had a similar event today. There is one particular fishing ‘notch’ that shields the resident angler completely. Lines and poles/rods are sometimes very difficult to see from a boat. Must be the angle we view from. All down that stretch, I try to give the bank an extra wide berth, but it’s difficult if you have a boat being overtaken coming towards you, plus one overtaking you as well as happened this morning. 

Same happened to me yesterday on the Thurne after leaving Womack yesterday.  There were several as I left the dyke so I kept to the middle of the river, after a while there were no more plus I had a boat catching me up so I eased over but I was still only a third of the way across.  Few minutes later had a fisherman hurling abuse at me as I was too close, the fact he was hidden from view seemed to escape him.

Some were wearing camouflage but I'd suggest a Hi Vis would at least give us a chance plus not hide behind reeds etc. 

[grendel]

a red o(or any colour flag) sticking above the reeds would be a good idea, as then we could stand a chance of seeing them, a black pole sticking out horizontally across the water is as near invisible as anything could be.

[kpnut]

Boat time again tomorrow. Keeping everything crossed that the fine weather lasts, I’ve had my share of rain this year. 

[Andrewcook]

As some of the Wild Birds are making a come the Norfolk Broads Barn Owls seem to be on the increase What about Kestrels are they coming back in Numbers? What about Otters on the Broads are there many of them now?

[kpnut]

17 minutes ago, Andrewcook said:

What about Otters on the Broads are there many of them now?

Funnily enough Andrew, on my last trip I thought to myself I hadn’t seen so many otters this year. Maybe I’ve just been in the wrong place or wrong time? 
I have seen loads of marsh harriers this year, and of course my two special (to me) Bittern sightings. 

[SwanR]

1 hour ago, kpnut said:

Boat time again tomorrow. Keeping everything crossed that the fine weather lasts, I’ve had my share of rain this year. 

The forecast is looking pretty good for this week. Hope you have a lovely time. 

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, SwanR said:

The forecast is looking pretty good for this week. Hope you have a lovely time. 

Thanks Jean. I’ll have a friend on board who’s seriously in need of a bit of relaxation. And if I remember rightly, she’s pretty nifty at helming so I might get some time out too 😄

[ExSurveyor]

The forecast is not bad for next week. Possibly some rain on Wednesday and thursday but high 20sall week, allegedly.🤞