Come South!

[16E]

Thanks for the invitiation JM.

 

After a long absence, 7 years or so, we are planning to bring the little red boat south in September.

 

OB will certainly on the itinery but not a full tour of the south.

 

Off on a cruse to Fjords before then,  see you soon.

 

Mal and Chris

[GeoffandWendy]

North or South? It's all a matter of preference on what you enjoy. We love the tree lined rivers like the Ant and places like Coltishall, Ranworth, Horton and even Wroxham. It's like comparing Devon & Cornwall, they both have delightful places to visit and some people prefer one to the other. We like both and try to get down there at least once a year, but there are so many places to visit, you can't cover everywhere in a week. Although we enjoyed our holiday on the Broads, we have decided to cancel our September booking and spend a week in Pembrokeshire, staying around Tenby.    

 

Life is marching on and we will be lucky if we get ten to fifteen more years, where we are able to get out and about together and there is so much we want to see what we can, while we are able..

I am not saying that we won't visit the Broads again, because we will, but it won't be this year again. We prefer change really, by not visiting the same places, year after year. But that is everyone's choice I suppose. We still do love the Broads and yes we were hooked, but not to the point that we want to do it every year. We will still visit the forum, as we enjoy reading some of the topics on here and we have enjoyed all your banter, be it positive or negative.

 

Maybe next time we hire a boat on the Broads, we might give the South a try, just to see for ourselves, what all the shouting is about, but we really did find the North very beautiful. We are not leaving the NBF but won't be on here as much as we have been recently. We still love you all and wish you all many many happy holidays, wherever you choose to go.       

[kfurbank]

Well the upper Waveney is like the M25 today. Looks like you've over done the publicity thing.

[JawsOrca]

It's OK Boats have been getting stuck on Breydon so that negative will kick in soon...  

[kfurbank]

I heard the Spirit of Breydon was being deployed to close Breydon due to The Southern rivers being full. Anybody would think it is Summertime.  Must be more hire boats on the South than the North today.

[JawsOrca]

Sounds good I'm going north shortly!! Side on in Ranworth here we come!

[BroadScot]

Sounds good I'm going north shortly!! Side on in Ranworth here we come!

Oh Alan stop dreaming laddie   

 

 

Iain

[kfurbank]

Alan,

 

I reckon you should be able to have the whole of the front at Ranworth and plug into all three posts if you want. I know the South needs some custom, but they would probably prefer it over the whole season, than all in this one week.

[JennyMorgan]

South this evening:

[JennyMorgan]

Oulton Broad this evening:

[JennyMorgan]

Oulton Dyke this afternoon:

[JennyMorgan]

One brave soul had come South!

Arghhhh, he's trailing his fend-offs! Alright for a stinkie but not a sailie!

[JennyMorgan]

Uncrowded 24hr mooring this evening, sorry about the camera movement.

 

[JawsOrca]

One brave soul had come South!

 

Arghhhh, he's trailing his fend-offs! Alright for a stinkie but not a sailie!

 

That's 1/2 kt wasted

[Oddfellow]

With more than 600 hire boats based up north to less than 100 based on the south, it's only natural for the southern rivers to be quieter - especially mid-week when many of the private boats are tucked up.

 

The Ant is a truly lovely river, but then so is the Chet. The Waveney beyond Burgh St Peter is fabulous too, and get under Beccles Bridge and you've got some of the best river on the Broads and with very few boats too.

 

The Yare from Whitlingham to Brundall is magical too. Nice, big open river, often tree lined and very picturesque. Also, some fabulous riverside pubs down here.

 

What I really mean to say is this; we have availability; come and book a boating break now.

[quo vadis]

Often tree lined

[JennyMorgan]

Fabulous pubs, yes, many of the nicest ones on the Broads! 

[Bound2Please]

Fabulous pubs, yes, many of the nicest ones on the Broads! 

 

I'll second that Peter

[kfurbank]

Have just cruised into Oulton Broad and it is a ghost town compared to The Upper Waveney yesterday. Where is everyone? Seems Beccles is the place to be on the Waveney at the moment. Have dropped the mud weight and I'm the only boat mud weighting. Have some work to complete now and a couple of conference calls to deal with, bet the view from my office is better than theirs.  Had the choice of attending a meeting in Liverpool Street London, or dialling in. Was a tough choice.

[Hockham Admiral]

better than theirs.  Had the choice of attending a meeting in Liverpool Street London, or dialling in. Was a tough choice.

 

Sounds as though you made the right one, Keith!  

[JennyMorgan]

Keith, are you in a very tidy blue hulled, white superstructured sedan style cruiser moored in the North Bay at Oulton Broad? If it's your boat my daughter & I were admiring her this evening. You, if it's you, are moored about 200m from the end of our garden.

[Oddfellow]

The truth is that it is pretty dead out there. Nicky (my wife) met a local and quite prominent broadland shop owner by chance at the cash'n'carry last night who asked how bad our season was.....

 

Few people we have spoken to are crowing about the massive increase in bookings that Hoseasons were talking about a few months ago. 

 

The season is, thus far, nothing to write home about. The north is certainly busier, but you would expect it to be. The South needs your business too. 

[JennyMorgan]

Andy, it's not only hire boats that are tied up, or even absent. I have never seen so many empty mooring buoys on Oulton Broad for example. Granted that the weather, until now, has been pants but the reality is that the rivers are very quiet and even private boats tied up, or even not launched yet. Listening to people there are quite a few who want to sell their boats but aren't even trying at the moment, knowing full well that no one will buy them for a half reasonable price. The costs of boat ownership have become frightening. 

[Oddfellow]

In fairness, the weather hasn't been bad, but bookings seem down across a number of sectors and the knock on is that the support businesses are doing less trade too. 

 

We all need a bumper six week summer holiday and brilliant September. 

[ranworthbreeze]

In fairness, the weather hasn't been bad, but bookings seem down across a number of sectors and the knock on is that the support businesses are doing less trade too. 

 

We all need a bumper six week summer holiday and brilliant September. 

Well Andy that have given the chances of good weather the kiss of death.

 

I do hope you get a good season and all of the yards on the Broads.

 

Regards

Alan