Distant Horizon 2 - Day four

Waking up to the sound of rain and heavy grey skies reminded me this was April after all – and made me stand out all the more with my sunburn on a grey day – it seemed quite amazing only yesterday I was in a T-Shirt being gently roasted and yet today it was on with the waterproof clothes and a fleece.

I had a rough plan to leave Acle, stop off at Horizon Craft and pick up an extra blanket for the nights were forecast to be cooler too – and while there get a top up of oil to the bottle that had been provided with the boat – not to say it was out, but at the current rate of use I feared ending up somewhere and not having any to top up with.  As it turned out I did not need use hardly any more oil from this point in – showing that the only reason I had previously was the 7+ hours spent cruising for the last few days.

Horizon Craft really are a great team and asset to Richardson’s if you need anything they are very helpful and when I mentioned about the oil it was a genuine look of concern from one of the engineers who came over to the boat to ensure there was no leak.  There was not – and while he was there put a couple of turns of the greaser for the stern gland to stop it dripping which later proved most beneficial when sleeping in the aft cabin with no drip drip every few seconds.

Departing the boatyard destination was Potter Heigham and Lathams – would they have suncream? I moored at the Broads Authority 24hr moorings and said hello to a boat with a family displaying the Norfolk Broads Froum logo in the window – this honestly is the first time in my travels I’ve seen such and actually been able to stop and say hello

– they too were displaying the signs of sun and like me looking most odd now it appeared the weather had got back to April’s usual mix of showers and wind.  I have to say however the rain had cleared by now and the sun was breaking through the cloud.

Into Lathams and not only did I get some sun cream also picked up some healing cream for burns and the like, together with the usual mix of things you never knew you wanted until you got there and took a chance with some Rump Steak – looked lovely (and turned out to be very nice indeed).

I got back to the boat and as I got onboard I did not much like the look of the after line riding up the mooring post.  You see on this type of boat, with the aft being so high up it means the cleat too is very much high than the bow cleat and if the mooring post is not very high it puts the rope at an angle.  Not long after being onboard, and unpacking the shopping there was a bump from behind.  I thought I’d been bumped into by a boat mooring, rushed out to find it was me who had  bumped into the bow of the boat behind – Rhapsody as it happened from Stalham.  The stern rope was now off the post and thankfully the wind was blowing me onto the bank and I only had nudged them.  I was very embarrassed but the blushes were being well hidden behind the burnt face – oddly they had seen the rope slide up the mooring post, come off and yet sat waiting for me to nudge into them without saying anything, still no damage but I’ll have to be double careful with the stern ropes on posts in future.

Back onboard it was time to have some Hot Dogs.  I’ve not had any for absolutely ages and it was only the fact Weatherspoon have added them to their menu of late that made me think it would make an ideal lunch.  I looked at the tin, I looked at the old fashion can opener – just how on earth did the thing work?  After much struggling and having only made a small hole in the top of the tin (I think now I was using the can opener the wrong way round)  it was time to unleash some ‘man engineering’ on the tin, out with the flat head screwdriver.  Let us just say, it was at time dangerous with jagged metal at every turn, but I do now know how to get into a can with a screwdriver – also noted to get a can opener later when I visited Tesco in Stalham.  The Hot Dogs were actually very nice and with some soft baps and ketchup went down a treat.

Departing Potter Heigham it was not long before I was turning back onto the Bure and heading in the direction of Wroxham.  The wind was once again blowing hard, but the sun was out and now it was getting warmer all the time – perhaps the unseasonal warmth was not going to go away after all.  Past St. Benet’s Abbey ruins and soon the mouth of the Ant was upon me.  When I was hear in March they were working on the banks and re-profiling them with, now with the lack of rain the previously dark earth was now a parched grey colour – yet already there were some green shoots coming though here and there – nature is already taking over.

At Ludham Bridge there was a bit of confusion, I was set to go through when I noticed Broads Sunrise approaching – I stopped and waved them to come through for the current and wind meant I could hold station easier my side of the bridge – only they also stopped and began drifting – I again gestured them to come through and after what seemed an eternity began to creep forward through the bridge – I can’t imagine how on edge I would feel having my boat moored on the approach to the bridge and how at risk of being hit one would be here, especially in high season.

Once the other side of the bridge it was very quiet as far as boat traffic was concerned and as I came through Irstead a lady was tending to her garden – what a perfect place, and perfect (as far as I can see) life to have to tend to the flower beds, and have the river and birdsong for company.  Soon after it was onto Barton Broad, it seems the more I traverse this stretch of water the smaller the scale seems to get – but I have many found memories of Barton Broad – it was always exciting (still is) if you have just taken over a boat and arrive when there is a bit of a swell going on and the breeze is up and many a time have gone over, only to turn about and go back enjoying the slash of the wavelet’s on the bow – today though all was quiet.

I arrived at Richardson’s Stalham yard and despite there being a fair few boats out, there were plenty in – such a shame I thought, all this lovely weather – a Price Band A cheapness and so few had decided to holiday.  Still, for those who had we had some great days and little traffic to worry us and the best moorings to pick from.  I moored next to Eastern Gem – a boat I really can’t make my mind up about.  I like the sleek look, I like the recent re-paint and internal spruce up – but that beam of 10ft 9, only side door access and narrow side decks have so far stopped me plumping for this boat.

I popped into Reception and chanced my luck if Clive may be about, having met his brother at Acle – I got the look of ‘and who are you to ask’ and then  when replied It is Robin, ‘London Rascal’ the look changed to ‘ahh that is ok then’ but alas he had left for the afternoon – maybe another time.  Off to Tesco then where I had to deal with people looking at me – horrible I know, but the face was now about to peel and not very nice to look at one bit – I kept my sun glasses on – at least the ‘Panda Eyes’ would be hidden – however I was now finding it hard to see what it was I looking at.  Shopping in shades ain’t that easy!

So with some beer and wine and a can opener (whose price was steep and quality questionable) it was back to the boat.  It is nice to pop into somewhere full of people, and then pop out back to your floating home to be able to then head off and moor up once more with just Swans for company and have complete peace.  And so it was that back on the boat it was time to head down the Ant once more – not as I had planned to what is one of my favourite ‘wild moorings’ but instead to the one which has it’s own little lawn – that of Johhny Crowe’s Staithe – and having moored sat out on the aft deck with a can of IPA and some bread feeding the passing Swans.  Life can be perfect sometimes, even if I am not tending a flower bed and own a large house by the river.