The Chet

[mbird]

Just a couple of snaps from my Iphone. We went up the Chet to Loddon on Thursday for the first time in Secret Lady. I'd forgotten just how narrow it gets in a couple of places! Luckily the river was quiet and we only passed one other boat. Depth was also a concern to me, but the shallowest we saw on the sounder was 1.2m so just enough water.

We had a decent curry in the Dilraj, but having seen the menu at The Swan, I think we may try the food there next time we are down that way!

[RedRover]

Yes a bit tight in places Mark,you don't want to meet too many boats going the other way.

[ranworthbreeze]

It is a good journey to Loddon and is a refuge out of bad weather, but as you both say quite tight, I seem to meet boats on every corner rather than on the straight sections and of course a lot of these boat are a lot wider than Ranworth Breeze.

Plenty of pubs in loddon, yet to try them all, but working on it.

Regards

Alan

[Guest]

It is very narrow indeed. A few years ago I took Blue Macaw (Broom 35) down there. She had the advantage of looking like a block of flats to anyone coming the other way, so fortunately everyone else saw sense and moved over, but it was a bit worrying, especially in heavy rain and limited visibility!

The BA were doing some work then that narrowed the river even more. Presumably that's all finished now?

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Bruce,

They finished the work last year or the year before, it was mostly at the River Yare end and there is a lot of bends in the Chet now.

The banks could be better in places on the run up to Loddon and there is a number of these yellow wooden posts to be found.

The grassy area under the trees up from the staithe provides good mooring if you can not moor at the staithe.

Ranworth Breeze is about the same length as your boat but not as wide we can see everything like yourself from the upper helm the problem on the bends is that the other lower craft can not see you, it is then time for using the horn and hoping for the best, and pulling well into the bank.

Regards

Alan

[TedNewman]

Went down the Chet a couple of weeks back with the Alpha Rapide which is 42 X 12 so not small - yes we had to breath in a couple of times but otherwise OK and we went by several boats going both ways.

[mbird]

It is ok except for the very bendy bit at the Yare end and all the metal posts they put in a few years back. There is another very twisty bit near Hardley Flood which is quite lovely. The problem is meeting something on one of those bends, but that's the advantage of being on the flybridge as you don't get suprised! A couple of the bends are too tight for Secret Lady to turn on rudders alone so some jiggling with the engines is called for to actually get round them. Still a lovely river though!