Jump to content

Riyadh Crew on Carousel 1


Recommended Posts

Well, let's get started..........Day 1

 

Arrived in Gatwick Airport at 9.30am on 20th March and headed for Enterprise Car Rental. I always use these guys in Scotland and England and never had a bad thing to say yet. Last Friday was no different - got a brand new (9 miles on the clock) Vauxhall Insignia Elite Hatchback and off we went.

 

In a previous post, I said I hoped to reach Richo's at 2.00pm and I got there 10 minutes before, so all was well. Carousel was ready for us and as usual, we had a good hand-over and as no trial run was required, we put the suitcases on board and went to Tescos for provisions and some wine and some more wine...........and some Scotch. Once back on the boat, we put away our clothes and food, before setting off down the Ant - heading for Horning. Weather was bright and dry, but very cold, so on went the heating to warm the bathrooms and bedrooms before taking our showers.

 

Arrived at the Swan in Horning (with big sister watching - can't call Grace "big brother") :wave and we went in around 7.00pm. Table was booked for 7.30pm, but the place was busy. LSS (long story short) we got our food at 8.25. Food was good, but the service was slow. No sleeping pills required, as we had been travelling since the night before, so after a night cap, it was "good night from him".  

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saturday 21st March - Day 2.

 

I woke up around 6.00am (9.00am Riyadh time) and it was blo*dy freezing. After leaving Saudi temperatures in the high teens overnight, getting up to <5 degC made my toes curl and I found I had 2 lumps on the back of my neck with plenty of room left in the underwear. :shocked  :shocked . Got the heating and the kettle on and just watched the wildlife on the river. "This is what the broads is all about". 2 boats passed about 7.00am, heading for the yards in Wroxham and both of them were keeping to the speed limit. This was nice to experience for a change, as last year, it was rock n roll time.

 

The girls got up around 8.00am and we all had sausage butties for breakfast. We pootled up river, going through Salhouse and Wroxam broads, before finding a mooring spot in the NBD yard (probably the only one). It's amazing where you can put a 45ft boat when you have bow and stern thrusters,

 

Once showered and dressed, it was off to Roys for the obligatory look around and picked up a few more provisions. Stopped in the Chinese fish n chip shop at the bridge on the way back and got some lovely food for lunch. Really delicious!!!!

 

After washing up and filling the tank with water, it was another slow pootle down to Ranworth Staithe, where it appeared that I had my personal mooring brigade waiting for me. It was Steve (sidestand) and his friends, so a stern-on mooring was a piece of cake and it was nice to put a face to a name on the NBN.

 

We decided not to go out that night and had Pukka steak pies and beans for dinner. Excellent, especially with plenty of wine to wash them down. Not many boats at Ranworth and I think we wre all in bed by 9.00pm. Roll on tomorrow. cheers

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Eric,

 

Glad you arrived back home safely.

 

I agree with you regarding Enterprise, always found them good to deal with. The Swan was slow to serve us, the last time we were there. 

 

Its nice to have the extra toys (bow n stern) on board, I am looking forward to using both also on Broadway, totaly against my principles, but hey, a bit of luxury is nice now and again.

 

The next trip, maybe best to acclimatise up here first :naughty:

 

Keep the blog coming. :)

 

cheers Iain

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sunday 22nd March - Day 3

 

Woke up to a lovely morning at around 6.00am and as there were no boats on my port side, I got the heating on, without fear of waking anyone (heating exhausts on the port side). Cup of coffee in hand and watching life on the water - doesn't get much better!!! Engine started at 8.00am for hot water and sausage butties again for me and the girls and my wife made a lovely healthy salad, complete with Balsamic dressing and then cut up 4 sausages and put them on top. What ever rings your bell I say, but she enjoyed it.

 

Showers had and ready for the off, but to where?? Decided to go up the Thurne and turned up Womak Dyke. Robin's (London Rascal) favourite wild mooring was free and I was going to stop and step on the hallowed ground :bow , but decided to carry on to Womak Water, which was all but empty, so mooring next to the water hose was easy.

 

Went into the little shop and was totally amazed. The guy who owns it has forgotten more about Rock Bands that I will ever know. The amount of memorabilia on sale is staggering and Skye (my youngest)  got an AC/DC beanie and 3 badges for her jacket. The smile on her face was worth every penny I paid. By the way, I got a Mars bar.lol.

 

Next stop was the King's Arms for their Sunday Lunch Buffet and all I can say is WOW. Because my job allows me to eat in some of the best restaurants in the world, I can say from experience that the lunch tasted as good as I've had anywhere, and that goes for the rest of the family as well. A few pints of Wherry was the lubricant to wash it all down and then it was a woddle, not a walk, back to the boat for all of us.

 

We decided to go back to Ranworth for the night and there were only 3 other boats on the staithe. Went into The Maltsters with SWMBO at around 5.00pm for a couple of drinks and left the girls on the boat. Food was finished at 4, but as we were still full from lunch, that was no problem. Had a few drinks and a chat to Roy, whilst listening to a bunch of locals having a pub quiz. Nice evening with nice conversation and then back to the boat for a night cap and bed.

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds Brilliant.... Our short break starts Monday and I have my fingers crossed we will be able to overnight at Ranworth... always been full before so 

here is hoping!  Oh Martin the guy that runs the shop at Womak is indeed a true gent... he provides a lot of 'official' merchandise for some of the big bands including my favourite.... Status Quo! My son always comes out of there with more badges too!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

my wife made a lovely healthy salad, complete with Balsamic dressing and then cut up 4 sausages and put them on top. What ever rings your bell I say, 

Eric,

 

Just checked, aye wife is here, thought for one minute she'd sneeked aboard with your crew!. THAT is precisely what SWMBO does to her healthy salads! Must be a womans thing! :naughty:

 

 

cheers Iain.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm loving this Eric, I know you are probably jet lagged but cold you please hurry with day 4 Lol and yes it is a girl thing I have also had sausages and salad, we eat the salad so as not to feel guilty about eating the sausages, simples, it's when you have a lettuce leaf with your chocolate you begin to wonder if one might need therapy :naughty:

 

Grace

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Monday 23rd March - Day 4

 

Woke up very early and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The wood on the edge of the staithe was white with frost, so I opened the door to have a look. Needless to say the door was closed again quickly and both heating switches were pushed at the same time. Luckily for us, the nearest boat on our port side was quite a distance away, so no worries about noise. 2 cups of coffee this time and got the tele on for the news. This is another time that makes the broads so different for me, although some people may think I'm a little selfish. Wife and girls tucked up in bed under the duvets and 2 extra blankets - me sitting on the sofa with a coffee listening to the news and the ducks and the geese and the ......... No people, no traffic, no nothing except me. LOVELY.

 

Engine started at 8.00am, girls got up and we had the sausage dance again for breakfast. Where shall we go today was the question and after 20 seconds of deliberation, it was decided by the female majority that it must be back to Wroxham for more chinese. So, Wroxham it was with a short visit to Roys for more sausages and Irn Bru (Scottish soda - yum yum) and then the lunch order placed at the Chinese Chippy. Back to the boat in NBD, lunch eaten, washing up done, showers taken, water filled up and off we go again.

 

This time we had dinner booked in the Bridge at Acle. The run down the Bure was nice and the boats were few, although Horning village staithe was full when we passed. Saw Steve (sidestand) on the way down, 'cause I knew he was changing boats, Arrived at Acle and there was only 1 other private boat, who it turned out was leaving, so that left the whole mooring to us. Good thing actually as we had a 6.00am start in the morning to catch the tide at Yarmouth.

 

Those of us who have eaten in the Bridge know how good the food is and today was no different. Portions were enormous and the service superb. It was another woddle back to the boat for the usual night cap and then to bed.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tuesday 24th March -  Day 5

 

I woke up at 5.30am and as usual, on went the heating and the kettle. My plan was to get Chloe up around 6.00am to help me untie and head for Yarmouth to get slack water. It was raining quite hard and very dark and dull, but over the next half an hour, I could see the clouds breaking in the distance, so I hoped for the best. I started the engine at 10 after six and went outside to look at the river, where the water was slowly flowing out and I was pointing the other way. I untied the bow rope and then the spring, which caused the bow to slowly start drifting around, so I untied the stern rope and got back on the boat. I let the boat turn until we were facing somewhere in the right direction and then we were off. My crew was still asleep so I kept the revs down and still managed 6mph.

 

The trip down river was very quiet and I never saw another moving boat. However, I did notice that half way between the Stracey arms and Yarmouth, someone has installed a pontoon mooring (probably enough for 2 boats). There was no signage as to who did it or what for. I woke Chloe soon after this and she made me a sausage buttie (surprise surprise) and a cup of coffee. When reaching Yarmouth, we started to prepare for lowering the roof and the windscreen, but the height guage was showing more than 11 feet. We went straight through with loads of room to spare (thank god as it was raining) and headed out across Breydon.

 

The other 2 got up at this time and had breakfast and showers. We were heading for Oulton Broad, where we hoped to get a pump-out, fill with water and then go shopping. My memory must be getting bad, because there are no pump-out facilities at OB, so we headed for the WRC. Moored up at the pumps, walked to the reception and asked for a pump-out. Ten pounds per token (it took 2 tokens) and it’s self service was the reply, so I had to walk back to the boat for my wallet and walked back to reception again. In all my 40+ years going on the Broads, I have never had to ‘do it myself’, but there you go. Stuff removed and water filled up, we decided to go to Beccles for lunch.

 

Had lunch in Prezzo which wasn’t bad at all and then a look around town before heading back to the boat. By the way, there was no attendance at the yacht station, although the web site said there should have been. We decided to go back to Oulton for the night, but stopped at the pontoon moorings in Oulton Dyke to watch the sun go down. Now I know why all the clothes were brought, ‘cause my wife was posing for photos in the sun set. This is a lovely quiet mooring and there is no worry about ropes going tight or slack.

 

Morning was the usual rise, eat, shower and then to Oulton. The lady in charge let us moor side on (the wind was blowing quite hard) and when I asked her about the shopping in Lowestoft, she said “Go to Norwich”. So, off to the station for a train to Norwich. A couple of hours shopping, a nice lunch and then the train back to Oulton, simples really. We had dinner booked in The Priory Farm Restaurant at St. Olaves (wedding anniversary dinner), so off we went up the river. Dinner was lovely, as usual and a nice bottle of Moet to boot. Next was night caps and bed.

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thursday 26th March – Day 6

 

Hoped to get up later this morning but as usual, 5.30am and I was wide awake, so up, kettle on and heating switches pressed. The plan was to depart St. Olaves at 7.00am to get slack water at Yarmouth and the weather was not so good. The girls got up and complained about the “ploop ploop” on the bow of the boat for half the night. Wind and an ebbing tide were to blame for that, but there was nothing I could do about it. Fed and dressed at 7.15am and more than 10ft showing at the bridge, so engine and thrusters to the fore and after a good about turn, it was under the bridge and on the way.

 

Arrived at Yarmouth a little early (but not too much) and the markers again showed more than 11ft, so no need to drop the roof and through we went and on up the Bure. Our destination was Neatishead, but I wanted to stop off at Ludham for water and another reason. When passing Ludham last Friday, I had seen Griff and BA, so a quick hello was said and I promised I would call in again before we took the boat back. Anyway, moored at the Ludham water hose, the girls went to the shop and I went to LBBY to say hello to Griff. It was nice to speak to him and he and his friends were obviously working very hard on BA, which was looking good. I’m sure that when she goes back in the water, she’ll look like a million dollars.

 

Greetings completed, it was a slow pootle up the Ant, across Barton Broad and up to Neatishead, where we had a dinner booking in the White Horse. A lazy afternoon was had, apart from doing some packing, as the boat had to go back in the morning.

 

Here is a time where I must agree 100% with Robin. The White Horse pub has been transformed and with the log fire on full flame, the place was very welcoming. The four of us had 8 different dishes and each and every one was delicious. The beer was also nice and again, it was a woddle back to the boat, albeit by torch light as there is no street lighting to the staithe. No need for a night cap and it was off to bed for all of us.

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad you all had a great time,agree we went to the white horse last summer big improvement to the pub.We to were on the water from Friday to today,moved to greenways at Chedgrave,sad to leave Brundall,but welcome a new change.i am sure like us you will look forward to your next trip on the river.

 

Best wishes ian

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friday 27th March – Day 7

 

I was up at 5.30am and it was a beautiful morning, but as usual, very cold on the boat. There were 2 other boats on the Staithe, so I waited till 6 o’clock before firing up the heating (no boats on my port side). Got the girls up just before 7.00am, started the engine, untied and off we went to return the boat. No breakfast this morning, as we would stop somewhere on the way back to Gatwick.

 

Back at the yard, there were a few mooring spaces right next to reception, so retrieved the car, loaded the cases and started the final cleaning of the boat. This is the time when flying in is a disadvantage, because we filled a bin liner with all the stuff we can’t take back with us, like salt, pepper, coffee, tea, ketchup, sugar, etc., etc. With the agreement of the yard, we left the toilet rolls, kitchen roll and a few unopened cans of this and that.

 

Techi bits.

 

I said to the returns guy that I hoped he had plenty of fuel in his tank, because there wasn’t much left in Carousel. He started to fill up and had to reset the pump at 150 litres and start again for another 31 litres, so we used 181 litres in total. I put half of that down to the heating, as my cruising down south was almost all with the tide.

 

The boat performed flawlessly, but I did point out one thing to them:

The wind blows a hooley down the whole inside of the windscreen where it meets the sliding roof and can be easily resolved with the addition of some draft excluder on the roof where it meets the screen.

 

Conclusion:

Boat – brilliant

Heating – very good

Yard – can’t fault them

Fuel – heaters are thirsty, but that’s what’s needed to warm a big boat.

Will we use Richo’s again – FOR SURE.

 

BYE ALL and thanks for all your kind comments.

BACK AGAIN ON 26TH SEPTEMBER 2015

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again Eric for a great write up.

Sounds like you had a great week even if it was a little cold.

Won't be long till September, maybe we,ll bump into you at Richardsons ( though not literally) as we pick up on the same day.

Happy Anniversary to you both, can't think of a better place to have spent it

cheers

David

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Sponsors

    Norfolk Broads Network is run by volunteers - You can help us run it by making a donation

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

For details of our Guidelines, please take a look at the Terms of Use here.