Brinks Omega - Day Four

Having spent a lot of time boating alone, it takes some adjustment to having female company on board – the heads taken over with lotions, conditioners, shampoos and shower gels not to mention hair products and bags with makeup – then my clothes neatly taken from hanging space to drawers. Far from annoying it was nice that the boat had a ‘lived in’ feel.

It was a bright morning, and while there was a crispness to the air it was not too chilly.  It had the feel of a good, sunny and mild day ahead.  As time passed and after dogs were walked, we were off in convoy towards Potter Heigham.  I find it special – a sort of  charming and happy feeling when you are in the company of friends all heading off together down the river, with radio banter along the way and everybody enjoying themselves on the water and today was one of those occasions.  

Before long we were at the mouth of the River Thurne, and on the starboard bank one could see a lot of dredging had been carried out and it would be a short time before the chalet bungalows would begin to appear lining the river.  There is something unique about this – perhaps the eccentric English ways, but you really feel like this is a river ‘high street’ with rubbish being collected by boat and all that is needed for their homes delivered with a boat.  It only needs a small stores along the way with launches moored up outside to make the ‘river street’ complete.

Shiela of course found this fascinating spending a lot of time in sunshine outside taking photos and filming.  Despite her being in the UK for over three years, most of her time has been spent in London so to see these wide open skies, boats, odd single story homes and the like which many of us take for granted was of course all new to her.  Before long it was time to moor and Broad Ambition placed herself majestically outside Herbert Woods showing everyone what a proper boat looked liked.  I turned and came in to moor behind Cheshire Cat and then it was time to have a walk.

We had a look at where the old hotel once stood, its tiled floor part of the car park – me wondering what reason it was not rebuilt after its fire, then over the medieval bridge and then seeing the new Lathams tackle shop – despite things being a bit ‘sleepy’ for ti was not in full swing and high season, it looks a lot more alive, and smart than I can remember seeing it for years.  With Herbert Woods yard now looking smart and welcoming, the Broadshaven Pub with specials on the board and even the bright yellow bus that came over the bridge – it had the sense of things going on, a community.

We popped into Lathams – I stopped myself buying something I did not know I needed for 99p or less, though was dearly tempted with the electrical tape for some reason.  Shiela on the other hand was stopping me excitedly saying how cheap fabric conditioner was or that if you had a garden how you could stock it with everything you could need.  We could have walked out with a combination of ‘man tools’, plants and laundry sundries but alas we managed what had previously been unknown – walking ou empty handed.

It was then over to Waterside Marine sales to look at boats – some that looked ok in photos proved in person to need about as much as they were for sale spent on getting their exteriors up to scratch, others however looked very smart.  It was by now a glorious day and as we walked back over the old bridge and surveyed the scene around us everything felt just right.  Little did we know things would soon be getting even more excited!

I had seen Griff coming over the bridge – and did not think too much of this since he was going to give a quote for tiling a boat and would be collected, but in fact he called me over to say there was 6ft 8” under the bridge.  Could I have a word with the pilot to see if this was expected to reduce, stay constant or decrease within the next couple of hours.  

I’m not sure if the chap I spoke to was the pilot, he was doing up a day launch in the back of the pilots office – but was a typical Norfolk chap, friendly and full of conversation and once I had told him how many times I year I pop up to the Broads and of spending my childhood messing about in Hickling with a rented Caravan – I’m told by one Mr Turner who used to work at Herbert Woods – we got on and chatted for some time and the outcome was that the levels should have decreased because this was ‘high tide’ but had remained the same all day.

I had a good idea that this news would mean upon Griff’s return we would be heading under ‘that bridge’ – so I got on the radio to Geoffrey and thought it would be rather nice since we had not already, to have a late breakfast – and if I was cooking for two, it would make sense to cook for four and invite everyone onboard.  And so Sausages, bacon, beans and eggs were duly cooked up and we put the table out in the rear well and found 2 dogs and 4 people could all fit.  Lovely it was too.

And then we washed up and time to meet Broad Ambition who now had moored behind us and so it was that we boarded her and without any messing around cast off and were heading astern lining up for the bridge.  I grabbed the Blog camera but rather was taken with the scene unfolding in front of me than doing justice to the filming.  Approach was steady and then a few metres away the Beta was opened up, you could really feel the torque as the 4 bladed prop gripped the water and Broad Ambition was propelled forward at every greater speed – and that bridge sure looked low!  Griff, as if he had done this day in and out took her through spot on centre and then it was over, we were through and everyone was noticeable happy – the sound of beers being opened shortly after filled the air and we glided up towards Heigham Sound.

Sheila was allowed to have a go at helming Broad Ambition, but she was more responsive than Omega in steering and so the old over and under correcting took over – not to mention of course this was amongst new people – I am not sure if she realised how fortunate we were to be here – how many boats hire or otherwise these days make it this side of the bridge.  You did get the feeling you had almost come through to a new secretive world not only were people looking, recognising and admiring Broad Ambition, but I got the sense of look – its a boat from ‘the other side’.

It did not take too long and the wide expanse of Hickling Broad was before us, the sun was high and although the wind was bringing a chill it was very special to be here – the last time I was here on a cruiser was 1992, and it was 2012 since I was last here on a day launch.  There is something to this place, maybe the sheer size and amount of water – or the fact it is so often not possible to reach these parts by many cruisers, alas we would go to just before the staithe, turn and make our way straight back to Potter Heigham.

Once we were back heading towards the bridge, the height under the bridge had reduced – only by an inch, but an inch is a big deal when you’re dealing with bridges and I love the fact Griff said “well it will have to be enough” and it was, but as your see in the video clip it was tighter returning than when we had passed.

We then went our separate ways, Broad Ambition off to Womack Island, Cheshire Cat stayed put and Shiela and I headed for – well a rough plan would have been towards Horning because she was returning to London the following day and so the closer we got to Wroxham today the less early we would need to be up in the morning.  As it happened along the way I realised she could catch a number 12 bus from Ludham Bridge and be in Wroxham in minutes this would save much time and fuel for me to cruise to Wroxham to drop her off.  With this in mind, How Hill was our new destination and so it was we arrived just before 5:00pm and went for a lovely walk along the river before returning with the sun setting and dinner to be cooked – what a lovely end to the most exciting day!