Down the river (and up again!)

[Hockham Admiral]

Yesterday wasn't the easiest to plan the tides for our return to Brundall from Oulton Broad. Slack water after the ebb, at Reedham, was about 04.00.and that's ideally when I would have liked to get there. However, considerations, such as sleep, came into the equation!

 

So, alarm at 05.15 for an 05.30 departure was the best compromise I could come up with.............. I can get up just about instantly when the alarm goes off and i did just that yesterday morning. Kettle on, engine started, coffee for one and the  flask filled up, leccy and warps coiled up, cast off and away at 05.25! (and no-one else awake!).

 

I set 1600 rpm and saw around 5mph which indicated about 1mph of tide against us.Weather wasn't too good, vis down and occasioonal heavy showers a bit later.. but very peaceful!

 

Oulton Dyke floating moorings were full and at Somerleyton there were 13 boats moored up! Four Broads yachts, two rafted, numerous hirers and a couple of privates,

 

Still punching against the tide and now down below 5mph we passed the Herringfleet moorings which were very respectfully crammed full with hardly any wasted spaces!

 

Back up to 5mph down the New Cut and at last into the Yare where I had to pull back to 1100 rpm to keep the speed at 5mph. The moorings were also nigh on full and i counted 15 assorted cruisers there,

 

Reedham Ferry passed by at 07.30 with another 10 cruisers moored there, the Southern waters seem quite popular!

 

Another 6 at the Rushcutter and on past the Beauchamp which was deserted.

 

Finally, as we arrived at the outskirts of Brundall, in glorious sunshine, Chris emerged.. "Are we there yet?"  

 

 

 

 

[Mark]

Good to see folk appreciating the glories of  the South

[kfurbank]

John,

 

One of the minor niggles of mooring at St Olaves is that if cruising just for the weekend it generally means going up The Yare or The Waveney, which normally means if the tide is against you on the way out it will be with you on your return and vice versa. It does have it's advantages though as I often pop down to Breydon and if cruising solo prefer to moor on my port side. With two long stretches of mooring at Burgh Castle and The Berney Arms, depending on the tide I can always make an easy mooring at one or the other.

 

Sounds like you had an enjoyable cruise.

[Hockham Admiral]

Thanks, Mark and Keith.

 

Yes it was enjoyable but the three coffees I had along the way were beginning to show by the time we got to Brundall. My solo bucket & chuckit aren't really on with guests onboard!  

 

Keith ditto us when mooring side-on. We did look at St Olaves a few years ago but like your comments re the tides was what put us off.

[Mark]

Too much info John

What you need is an empty wine bottle that you can re lid once nature has called,   just don't leave it where someone may mistake it for  an interesting  White !

[Broads01]

Whoa! Hang on, I'll stick my neck out on this one, the tides on the south broads are strong, but not so strong you need to plan that much for. Set the alarm for 515 or punch the tide, mmm, I know what I prefer!