Brinks Royale - Day Five

It does not matter how I put this, today was not the most interesting of days on the Broads because it was what some might say is the 'long drag' when you leave the southern rivers behind and head north, knowing that there will be a long and winding mud and reed lined passage up the Bure towards Acle ahead.

I did not need to be up too early today because having moored overnight at Reedham I was well positioned to catch the last of the outgoing tide to help me towards Breydon.  What surprised me was the amount of boats who had left or were leaving and whom I knew were heading back north and who would enjoy a rapid transit to hand over Breydon before hitting a brick wall of tide heading against them as they turned at the yellow post onto the Bure.

I waited but there was an air of impatience wanting to get going and knowing one has a long way to cover - I departed calculating that I would hit the tide ebbing still out of the Bure but it would not be too great and I would have good clearance under the bridges.   I left Reedham and took my thinking about all the places I had so far been and done and how I still had some days left to explore the north - what would I do and where would I go I thought, at first the idea was the Ant but I thought I would prefer to if possible stop at Horning but as ever with me, nothing is set in stone.

It was getting warmer but certainly nothing like as hot as some of the previous days but it was none the less dry and bright with hazy high cloud .  As far as the Captain's Blog goes it is days like this where I know there will not be a great deal of interest to capture, just a day of cruising from point a to point b which makes my enthusiasm waiver a little in so far as capturing what many a viewer may consider to be mundane footage.  I was thinking how nice it would be if one day on my travels there was a bit of a strong wind blowing making crossing Breydon Water that much more interesting and exciting.  Alas, it seemed today was going to be another flat pretty windless crossing.

Further along the river and approaching Berney Arms  I realised that the breeze had turned into a constant and increasingly strong 'wind'.  It was coming right on the bow and so perhaps things were going to be a bit more interesting after all.  As you see before you what first appears a mass of posts in the distance marking the start of Breydon Water already the wavelets were getting a little better and there was a nice rocking motion on the boat -  but it was not until I was free from the protection afforded by the banks of the river that the wind really got up and I had a big smile on my face.

It was absolutely nothing to write home about - so I am writing about it here instead, but there was actual 'chop' on Breydon - nothing more alas,  but boat really came alive the hull shape cutting through the waves and as she rolled left or right you could imagine a far greater swell would be no issue for the high sides of the boat and her Class B certification - it was a moment like this the maximum rated 250hp as per the plaque on the helm would have been lovely.

I had a little too much enjoyment with the waves and as a result had crossed Breydon Water a little faster than I had wanted arriving around 25-30 minutes earlier and so having that little bit more of tide to fight against that I otherwise might have.  Still, once past the Yacht Station and out into the wider stretches things improved and continued to with many more boats heading down river to go south than were going north.  There is not much to say between here and Acle, I passed the time trying to do a little sketch to camera about an old man and his wife having hired boats for years and her wanting to get 'plastic' and he stick to the traditional wooden - I could not keep the accent up but probably for the best so not to embarrass myself.

And so I passed the Bridge Inn at Acle, the moorings all taken and thoughts turned to where I would be mooring after all.  I decided not the Ant, but to carry on for Horning after all.  There is a real feeling of being 'back north' when you reach the mouth of the River Thurne, it was interesting to see one of the little Brinks Sonata's moored stern on at the moorings near the mouth of the Thurne, having given up trying to moor side on (they have no side deck at all) clearly thinking the stern on approach was best - but at little over 23ft long it is a in boat terms akin to parking a Smart Car  nose into the curb and nothing sticking out into the road.

Following the Bure round soon St. Benet's moorings came along, then the mouth of the Ant.  There had been some rain but nothing too much - in fact all up the Bure I had skipped the horrible rain laden clouds and stayed pretty much dry.  While I was not filming a great deal I could have some 'time off' and just listen to music and enjoy the trip, Ranworth Damn came an went and then further on still ever closer to Horning and the time getting on too I wondered how likely it might be to find a mooring.   By the time I had passed Cockshoot (pretty full) I knew it was only a short way to go before the Ferry Inn would come into view, and I was pleased to see the moorings on the river front outside Ferry Marina were free.  So much of them were I could afford to carry on through Horning and have a nose about.  The Ferry Inn was busy but not full, but the public staithe was all taken - the New Inn busy but with some space so despite leaving it later in the day there was availability elsewhere.

I turned and came back the way I had come at the Swan and by the time I had got back to the Ferry Inn I could not immediately moor so had to pull over, let a boat past then wait for another coming the opposite way - much of this because I always prefer to turn to my right when I stern moor, it is just a comfort thing however in order to perform this manoeuvre I would have to back up a bit - but not too far - for there was a small dinghy a little way behind me the make a turn towards the mooring.

I had not taken account of the wind pushing me towards an overhanging tree, so as I went to turn my stern caught it - well actually the back of the canopy there was the rustle of foliage then a snap - no not the boat, but a small part of the branch seemed to have suffered and some leaves were now on the seating.  Ahh well, not that anybody saw - apart from the chap in the dinghy who happened to know who I was and captured the far more embarrassing moment after I had moored of be cleaning the windows and 'polishing the deck'  - still I was moored, had free electric hook up and so it was time to head into the Horning - only that did not happen, for I instead popped into the Ferry Inn and had an absolutely enormous meal at a very keen price - and personally found the food to be perfectly reasonable, not top grub but nothing wrong with it either and I especially like the 'chip shop' style chips.

So a long day of cruising was over, but now I was back north things could be easier, less worry about rise and fall of tide and scope to see a lot more over the coming days.