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The New Year Freeze Part 1


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Part One

Christmas is now over and getting anxious to get up on Happy Jax II, it’s been a month since we were up on the Broads.

Lou had made arrangements to go to her parents for dinner on Sunday, Oh No! I thought, two wasted days. Any way, had to agree to it, show willing and all that. Sunday morning woke up, decided, to go up to the boat after the dinner in the evening, to get the boat ready for the week ahead, lou, the dogs and the boys, Jay and Connor could follow up on Monday morning.

Left Lou’s parents at 5pm and drove up to Wayford. Arrived at 6.30pm and to my surprise, my old mate John was on his boat. We agreed to go over to the Wayford Bridge Hotel, later in the evening for a few beers, but first the task of getting the boat ready. The outside temperature was about 2 degrees so fired up the old faithful

Webasto, (that reminds me, must remind David Anteres9 to post up how to service the Webasto).

Met up with John and walked over the Hotel, had a few drinks, warmed up next to the fire and went back to Happy Jax II to open up the Rum bottle. 12.30pm John went back to his boat.

Got up early on Monday morning to get a few chores completed before Lou and the Boys arrived. They arrived at 10.15am. Got the dogs, Buddy & Hobbit on board. Lou has to go back to work on Friday and as we are booked into the Swan Inn on New Years Eve, we decided to take her car down to Horning so she can drive home on New Years Day.

Got back to Wayford, back on board Happy Jax II and set sail for Ranworth Staithe. I must say, it was bl**dy cold but a beautiful clear day, so we decided to lower the canopy and rap up warm. We stopped briefly at Ludham Bridge to purchase some electric cards, slight problem though, Ludham stores was closed. We had 3 spare cards so we should be ok until we get to Horning. Our friend John was also taking his boat down to Ranworth and we caught him up at the bottom of the River Ant. We moored up at the Staithe at 2.00pm and were very surprised to see 5 boats already moored. Comforting to know we were not the only fools braving the cold. We then set on the task of finding the electric post with most credit on it, don’t laugh, we all do it. Managed to get through the whole season on just two cards, Hmm, does that make me tight? Any way found one with 52 pence still on, so plugged in.

Very quickly the temperature dropped and ice was forming on all the boats and dykes on the staithe. Got talking to another boat owner who had just heard the weather forecast and told us it was dropping to minus 6 overnight. Fired up old faithful, and warmed Happy Jax II through for the evening. We invited John on board to join us for Turkey soup and a few drinks. We all decided to have an early night in preparation for New Years Eve. Let the dogs out to do their bits, I noticed that ice was now forming on the broad. Back on the boat and bedded down approx 10.00 pm.

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