Norfolk Broads - LIVE!

So it was an early rise around 6:00am at Reedham and I witnessed something rather special.  It had been a worry that I was directly behind a lovely kept Princess 45 boat at Reedham - thinking when I come to depart in the morning with the tide running I would have to be very on the ball not to drift into her stern. As it happened just as the dawn began to break she started one of her engines - but you certainly knew all about it a deep throaty growl and with navigation and deck lights on certainly looked something.  You know someone is serious about boating when they have two revolving radar antenna on the 'radar arch'.  Once out into the main river she held station and within a few minutes the swing bridge had began to swing and off into the murky morning light she slipped.   That was good to see I thought and now I had bags of room when it came to leaving the mooring too.  It was just before 7:00am I slipped the moo...

So are you ready for a feature length Captain's Blog?  Fancy going to Norwich by river...Me to, alas I had noticed in the night that my throat had got rather sore and my nose was rather stuffed up - not a good combination and only mean one thing that a Cold I had tried to avoid getting prior to coming away I had indeed got after all. It was an early start up at 6:00am and waiting not for sun to rise but now for the fog to clear enough to make safe passage to Yarmouth.  By 6:30am it was a lot better and by 6:45am had cleared enough to depart Stracey Arms and head south for Yarmouth.  I was surprised how many of the boats moored the previous night had left already and clearly when the fog was at its thickest.  It worked out well for me though as there was still a good ebbing current under me and a glorious light show with the sun rising in the sky and the mist working together to form a very warm comforting light spectacle. It w...

Now I should point out to those following along watching the Blog that accompanies this that things are going to get better – think of it as a slow build up to a special crescendo. So I was awoken in Barnes Brinkcraft’s yard by an odd sound that seemed to be getting louder shortly followed by the boat jolting.  Up like a short I found Trinidad who had moored over the way from me in the basin was making an early start and using me and some of Barnes Brinkcrafts boats as a sort of floating guide to bounce off of and make for the river.  No visible damage done thankfully and since I was now up thought I would get ready and have a coffee. I had intended to go to Roys to get the rest of the weeks provisions but being Sunday and since that meant not opening till 10:30am I thought I could make do and instead would make my way to Ludham Bridge – thus I could see for myself the sing erected on the River Ant ‘The Corsican Was Here’ and see if The Corsican h...

I had remembered that I need to change trains at Norwich for the Great Yarmouth branch to get to Acle, and not the Sheringham branch for Hoveton & Wroxham as is more usual.  However, I had not taken on board the number of stops before Acle came up neither did I really take much notice of the stations as we came in and departed – all of a sudden I thought ‘This is it’ and got up took my suitcase and only found that I was in fact at Lingwood (one stop before Acle) as the train departed. What a start to the trip!  Fortunately the station information board had the number of a local taxi firm and within 10 minutes I was on my way by road to Acle – via Budgens to get the basics.  Upon arriving at Horizon Craft, a warm welcome awaited – much like coming back to old friends, good banter, and laughter all round.  I was shown to my boat Mystic Horizon 1 and very nice it was too. After a quick show of the various things to be found on...

A five night short break on Tideway 2 from Richardson's Boating Holidays , together with footage from the Norfolk Broads Forum annual meet at Ranworth Island.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May, I hired Belmore from Barnes Brinkcraft in Wroxham.  A lovely boat she is too and with the discount offered over the weekend, meant it was a very good deal.  So settle down and watch the feature length edition of this Captain's Blog for a full rundown of the boat and review, together with events as they happened over the weekend.

  I am not sure about others, but for me the last day of a boating holiday is always one of reflection – where it all began, how the boat which is now your familiar home was once unfamiliar and new. It is also a time for taking things at a slower pace – as it was today. I woke and after getting read began to do the more tedious of things just so it was out of the way – packing my case and checking I had not left anything in one of the many shelves and drawers this boat has.  After that it was time to depart Womack Dyke and I headed down the river Thurne to where it joins the Bure.  The Broads Authority ‘Thurne Mouth’ moorings were free, the wind was kindly blowing towards the bank so I knew mooring here would be easy – and it was a mooring I had not stopped at previously.   Once there I remembered why I much prefer overnight moorings on the quieter, narrow rivers – for here on the exposed Bure the wavelets were hitting the bow of ...

The overnight rain had meant for a less settled sleep, the fact that the aft cabin of Distant Horizon has a lower ceiling over the double bed seems to make the noise of the rain hitting the outside deck above all the more loud – or maybe it was that special Norfolk rain. When I woke and peered out the window the wet scene that greeted me did not make me want to rush to get ready – so I took my time and had breakie and listened to the radio – these two simple things are both things in the morning at home I usually skip – more a case of a slice of toast and out the door to work.  By now the rain had stopped and there were some breaks in the cloud, perhaps today was going to be another sunny day after all. And so I left the mooring at and slowly headed down the river Ant – my intention being to stop for a top up of water before the bridge and dispose of my rubbish.  Just after I had filled up with water a couple walked past – they asked me about h...

After a lazy start and a breakfast the sun was soon out and I could tell today was going to be another scorcher.  I toyed with heading into Norwich for it was not too far along the river – but I felt pretty certain if I did this I’d miss the tides for the return crossing over Breydon Water – so instead opted to get something to sooth my now very poorly skin at Reedham. Brampton Common is a very nice over night mooring and the scenery here is lovely – I however do think that it would be better to hire on the southern rivers to explore this area more than come here from the north to do it justice and soak up the area.  That way one can enjoy without the need of having a long slog back to your boatyard on the northern rivers. Shortly after I left the moorings I did a sensible thing – went below and used the inside helm almost all the way to Reedham.  It is funny how the night before I was going along here feeling a tad tense wondering if ...

It was an early start – around 5:30am.  I had not intended to be up at this time, but I could not seem to rest easy thinking a lot about the day ahead – when should I leave the mooring to get the ebb tide to Breydon?  Where and how was I going to place the cameras and would the new cables I’d bought work for those who would come and watch live later and where exactly would I be making for as an overnight mooring? Breakfast was had and after a couple of coffees I was feeling much more clear.  The usual messing about with cables and cameras resulted in the also very common issue of none of them working when they were plugged in and had power – a lot of choice words and configuring software later everything was set and working.  Time to chill out and go for a walk. It was a glorious morning, but the wind was just as bad today as yesterday.  I walked along the dyle to the River Thurne and just sat down by the river and let all the worries eb...

So it was time once again to leave London and head to Norfolk – Acle in fact to take over Distant Hoirzon 2 from Horizon Craft – part of  Richardson’s Boating Holidays.  I had hired with them before, the most recent being in October 2012 and knew the welcome would be first class and the boat tip top.  I’d arranged for a new taxi service to come and collect me from the station, wait while I popped into Budgens and then drop me at the boatyard – great service, lovely Ford Galaxy people carrier and a reasonable price – his name is Rupert and his number is: 07754 327 388. After completing the paper work, meeting the usual friendly staff (and Paul Richardson as it happened) it was time to set off with the destination of Womack Dyke.  While the boat class I was used to (having previously hired San Julian) I had no idea what this Distant Horizon 2 would look like internally, since there are no photos of it online or in the brochure.  I was impressed.  Huge wi...

First of all you may remember early march was not ice and wind, but mild and sunshine - if you like tranquil waters, amazing winter light then the above link to the Captain's Blog may make your day.  It was beautiful. I took a short break on San Selino, and in my opinion this is the best fitted out and most comfortable boat in this class – when compared to the likes of Magic, Gold, Bronze  and Clear Gem – all the same boat style and length and all sleep the same number of people.   So the question had come to my mind what would it be like having one of the cheapest boats that one can hire on the Norfolk Broads?  Would you really have to make do without and would one find things internally very dated and a large gap between the budget end of the market and the prestige cruisers and high prices they attract?

Our first broadcast shall be a crossing over Breydon Water on Sunday 1 st April and all being well shall begin sometime between 12:15 and 12:30pm (subject to tides check Twitter for updates).

This February sees the start of test broadcasts streamed live from aboard a hire cruiser on the Norfolk Broads. If successful it will again be used in March and again in April.  The technology behind the live broadcasts is provided through  UStream , one of the webs first personal content live streaming sites which offers some of the highest quality streaming capabilities.