Broad Ambition - Underway on the H2O

[BroadAmbition]

and Labrador,    -    Macie dog well miffed at that remark.  She is a Golden Retriever not a Labrador, the two are very different!

I did try to converse with you as you drifted past, a whole lot quicker than the last time I took part in the 3R'R' I must say.  Respect to you for dedication drifting past under a rag with rain and very cold too

 

Anyroadup, a brief debrief:- Onboard for 2300-ish Friday evening.  It was cold, but the Mikuni plus the ceramic fan heater soon had things toasty.  We sailed Saturday forenoon, straight into river ice outside Broadsedge / gate. Horrors of horrors.  Thankfully it was proper thin, the mudweight and very little use of the throttle saw us through it, it stretched for about 200yds then we were clear.

I had a mate onboard, he is in his late 50's and a genuine Broads Virgin.  Horizontal snow / hail combined with white horses on Barton Broad met us.  He was on the helm as soon as we cleared the ice (Michael is a farmer and can just about drive anything with an engine) then had to navigate Barton with much reduced visibility.  I think being on the helm took his mind off the wx / water conditions, soon as we entered the Ant and by Irstead the wind has ceased completely and the water was mirror flat.   We stopped before Ludham Bridge for two reasons. The airdraft I need to get 'B.A' through without taking the canopy and wheelhouse sides / windscreen down is 7ft8" - giving me a whole 1" clearance - we had 7ft2" available and it was raining not to mention Arctic outside.  So a good time as any for a brunch. Brunch completed, rain ceased and through we went.  LBBy  hard standing / carpark was now LBBy Broad.  Onto the Bure, turn to Stbd and off to Malthouse Broad.  we berthed side on, just because I could do.  I had to lower the fenders right down to water level to get them between the quay-heading and the side of 'B.A' as the water was so high.  A DTS was enjoyed in the Maltsters. We had about 4 x pints each.  Michael asked about the rules concerning drinking / helming whilst afloat on the Broads - I told him that it was compulsory!     It was then onto Horning.  The Ferry was proper flooded, as high as I can remember in recent times.  The lights were on but no one inside that I could see.    At Horning Green I had to ask a boat to move along a tad so we could get berthed up on the green.  We arrived in the darkness with the Nav lights on.  My Broads Virgin not only was afloat for the first time ever on the rivers and on the helm but he was also night navving too - Show off!    Plugged into shore power, dinner in the Swan, a late night onboard chatting / watching a DVD.  So ended our first full day, it was great to be back, I had not been afloat since our Lads Week back in October and only now was I realising just how much I have missed the rivers and 'B.A'  

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

having to post this in sections as the screen typed words are now taking for ever to appear after I have hit the keys on the keyboard

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Saturday morning, and a proper cold morning it was too.  The Mikuni heater was doing a grand job, it had been left on all night, in fact since it had been turned on Friday evening when we boarded and it had not been turned off and would remain on until we disembarked once back in the wet-shed.  Breakfast was prepared / consumed, non of your nancy cereal stuff in these climates, only a F.C.E along with a Mug of Whisky with a splash tea in it would suffice - That turned out be be our standard fare every morning too as it turned out, can't think why.     Jbx5 came calling via car and arranged to meet us in Wroxham, in fact he became our advanced boarding party reporting back via txt that there was room to berth outside the Hotel Wroxham and was there to take our ropes for us too - Nice man is that there John, no matter what other folk say of him   Michael yet again was on the helm whilst I became galley slave keeping the tea and cakes etc in full flow.  The river was yet again very high and there was only 5ft10" available under Wroxham Bridge.  I can get 'B.A' down to 6ft3" at her very lowest so a passage through the bridge was well and truly out.   No one in the hotel that we could see but plenty of evidence of tradesmen materials on view.  A walk round to the Kings Head, another DTS then back onboard.  We didn't slip and proceed till well after 1400 if not later.  Plenty of bankside work being carried out by the properties opposite Hotel Wroxham (Photo),  En-route we cruised through Wroxham Broad and let 'B.A' stretch her legs and warm the gearbox / lump up for a few minutes.  Then cruised at a sedate pace round, more bankside work in evidence occurring here too (Photo)   By the time we passed the mouth of the Thurne, the Nav lights were turned on (I had talked to them in a smooth gravelly Yorkshire gigolo voice )  We came about at Acle Bridge so as to execute a bow to tide berthing procedure.  There was only 11ft6" airdraft under Acle Bridge too, that's as low as I have seen it that I can remember.

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

(This ere waiting for the words to appear on screen is proper doing my head in   Plus having to input this section of the tale in more than one post now    )

Once alongside I popped into Pub with Macie dog, just to book a table and make sure the beer hadn't run out or gone orf you understand!  Luckily for a change the pub wasn't heaving so I managed to have a sit down with Phil and get caught up with each other.  Then Phil Introduced me to Ryan from the newly formed Broads Boating Company at the former Horizon yard, So we had a chat too, like one does in riverside pubs

1930 Me, Michael and Macie dog are sat down for dinner then chatted away till closing time.  Onboard for a nightcap etc and lights out by 0100-ish, not that I was clock watching or caring much either!

Griff

 

[MauriceMynah]

Try using "Word" then copy & Paste. Maybe that'll help.

[BroadAmbition]

I tried that a while ago now but it mixed up the paragraphs / sentences I seem to remember.  However now we have moved servers / upgrades and the like, I'll give it another go

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Ok, herewith Wroxham bank works

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

And the moorings at Salhouse

Griff

 

[LondonRascal]

The copy and paste from Word is working, you might find though that the paragraphs are 'double spaced' between them so need to click on the first letter of each paragraph, then backspace to clear the blank space between paragraphs after pasting.

 

[Hockham Admiral]

13 minutes ago, LondonRascal said:

The copy and paste from Word is working, you might find though that the paragraphs are 'double spaced' between them so need to click on the first letter of each paragraph, then backspace to clear the blank space between paragraphs after pasting.

 

Thanks, Robin, I'll try to remember that one!   

[deebee29]

Also when you paste text from word etc. into thr reply box there will be a message stating that what you are pasting contains formatting do you want to remove it. Click yes and the text will converted to the regular forum formatting.

I'll do a screen grab later and post it here

[Hylander]

We went up to Wroxham in the boat provided with our holiday cottage and noticed all of the work going on,  looks a right mess at the moment.       On going through the bridge we noticed (well you couldnt help but notice) the huge building alongside the bridge.    Is this going to holiday apartments.     How on earth did they get planning consent for that it is so close to the bridge.    Looks like an eyesore.

 

 

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Monica,

That is the new Bridge Restaurant if you are talking about the building on the port side when going through the bridge.

Regards

Alan  

[Hylander]

Much nearer and the song 'the train came through the middle of the house ' springs to mind.

On the web cam it looks like a Sheerings coach going over. Mind you I am due to see the optician.

 

 

[deebee29]

11 hours ago, deebee29 said:

I'll do a screen grab later and post it here

Here we go

First type your text in your chosen text editor

then copy your text and paste it into the forum reply box

Here you see the formatting option, if you then click Remove Formatting you get the normal forum text with the Double Spacing and as Robin Said you can put your cursor at the start of each line to remove the extra spacing.

Hope this helps.

 

[deebee29]

for some reason the last two images have been added & I can't delete them

[BroadAmbition]

Chuffin 'Eck, two images added and not able to delete them by a member of the 'Tech Team' ??  There really is no hope for me then!

Griff

 

[Jbx5]

Hi Griff

it was good to have catch up again which was over due

it must have been well dark by the time you got to Acle.

 

regards John B

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

it must have been well dark by the time you got to Acle

It was and then some but hey ho and who cares? - Not I, Besides night navving is magical and it was worth it just to catch up with thisen if nowt else

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Now where was I? – Oh yes Monday morning 16th Jan.

I intended to get away earlier this morning, it didn’t happen of course, rarely do plans work out to the minute when afloat as per the norm, but then we all know that one don’t we.    The temperature had risen somewhat since yesterday, we had again left the Mikuni on all night and to be honest it was a tad too warm overnight, but we managed a good nights sleep all the same.  Now every morning Michael commented on how much the boat was rocking and moving around during the night giving him a fear of rolling out of bed (I told him to take a Viagra tablet – should stop him rolling out of bed at night).  This of course was nonsense, I pointed out how calm / flat the river was during the mornings let alone during the night.  My theory was the amount of libations consumed during the day might have had something to do with it.

By the time we had consumed B’fast, cleared away, walked Mace dog and the like it was well past 1030.  The river levels had dropped but still way above their normal heights.  We sailed up the Bure, I wanted to show him some sights and bring to his attention some landmarks / points along the way.  We cruised up the Thurne, called in at Womack Water, did not stop, just came about in the Broad then back out onto the Thurne, got to Potter Heigham and there was only 5ft2” showing under ‘that’ bridge, there would have been less yesterday.  The fish barrier at H.W’s was in place as one would have expected. Again we didn’t stop, turned about close to the bridge, then carried on our way downstream.  Approaching the Ant a River inspector came out of the Ant onto the Bure, we exchanged pleasantries – See - they do indeed patrol during the winter months.  Turn to Stbd (One short blast on the horn to let the local wildlife know what we intended) and up the Ant full throttle with the wash well over the banks with the river being swollen above normal levels – Really? – Nope we were meandering as no rush as per the norm.     A phone call to George at LBBy confirmed they were open but well flooded in the car park etc and they would have to move a berthed craft to allow us alongside for diesel / pumpout, it meant a bit of faffing about so I decreed we would go to Sutton Staithe instead.  We still had to stop alongside the Port bank though well before the private moorings to get the canopy, windscreen lowered so as to safely clear Ludham Bridge, the height indicator was showing 7ft8” which was too close for comfort, at least this time I could see the footpaths under the bridge unlike Saturday forenoon when they were underwater good n proper.  Macie dog looked out for the black Labrador that charges up and down the river front garden at Irstead but she was disappointed as no sign of it

Onto Sutton Staithe for a pump out (£12) and take on diesel (£1:00 per Ltr).  Depart for Richo’s, relieved to see no river ice around Broads edge / gate and back safely into the Wet-shed and at last turn off the Mikuni – It had enjoyed a proper work out over the past three days.  Then it was the normal clean through, stow gear and depart for home.

So finished my Winters weekend cruise.  Very enjoyable it was too.  Michael is now fully appreciative of what the Broads are all about although he only saw a small part of them.  Next time afloat for me is early Feb for ‘B.A’s bi-annual AMP.  More open wallet surgery, and 18 x Hr days approaching us once again.

Griff

[Hylander]

Yes you are right the Rangers are about all of the time , 17th - 24th Jan we saw him every day at Wroxham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Fish Barrier in place at H.W;s

Griff

[LondonRascal]

In order to cruise the rivers you need a Toll, and so this year it has fallen upon me to pay so a simply job I thought, use the online system and it would be sorted out in a jiffy.  Alas, this is the Broads Authority and the day before the deadline so who was I kidding that it would all go smoothly?

Due to the fact Norfolk continues to operate in both a different time zone to the rest of the country and in a distant decade where it appears everyone at work sits around drinking cups of tea and Hob Nobs paying Broad Ambotion's Tolls has proved difficult.
 

Firstly the online Tolls Payment site stopped working, then locked me out completely and so  began the game of trying to talk to someone at the Broads Authority. 

 

Many hours of trying to get through followed but eventually the phone was answered by a lady - her name apparently was Joan.  Joan sounded like a Grandmother who was helping out in the afternoons at Yare House serving the management cups of tea and Hob Nobs.  When I began to explain about the 'Tolls online payment website' she interrupted me and say "Oh, dear I am sorry but that really is beyond me and the men are not in the office until after lunch" - this was before 12:00pm London time.
 

At 2:34pm I eventually got through to one of the men.  He did not give his name, but my image of him based upon how he sounded was a gentleman in his 80's, sat back in a winged leather armchair smoking a pipe - perhaps with a fine single malt on the desk.  It took us a while to work out what £514.00 plus £2.00 came to (for two pocket tide tables) because he wanted to do it his way, I assume this may have involved an old Abacus but this was nothing compared to  when we got to dealing with the card machine.

 

I could hear the bleeps as buttons were pressed but he gave up and called a colleague over for help.  He seemed annoyed. I think his Hob Nob had broken mid-dunk in his cup of tea and been lost forever. Many minutes later the machine did its thing "My it's worked" he proclaimed, but really should have said 'By jove my boy I think we've done it'.
 

Suffice to say today Broad Ambition  is now fully tolled for another year. Charlie is going to get the receipt sent to him by post,  I did ask about it being emailed  but I gave up, they will also send you the two tide table books.
 

I thought Eastbourne was slow, but Norfolk really takes the biscuit!

[ranworthbreeze]

To be honest Robin, I did not have a problem speaking to the tolls department earlier in the week.

Regards

Alan

[LondonRascal]

But you were sensible Alan, you called 'earlier in the week' and that can make all the difference