Norfolk Broads - LIVE!

I'll post more details - they may change after all - but Tuesday April 23rd from 3:00PM is the time you need to be on this website - watching live as we depart Yarmouth heading out over Breydon Water and on into Norwich - all broadcast in real time live. You will be treated to outside audi o and multiple camera views along with a live chat room so you can get involved with proceedings. Below is an idea of what to expect - let's hope for good weather and a nice mobile data connect ion :)    

  I t seems that the ducks at Cockshoot Dyke are especially loud and tame – much the same as at Womack Water – and so it was they who woke me and appeared very keen on any food going, and as is always the way you feed one and the whole neighbourhood turn up. Today looked gloomy and felt cooler than of late and there was talk that in the coming days rain and snow would return – quite a difference to the mild sunny weather that had graced me earlier in the week. Because today was my last full day I planned on doing less and would over night at Sutton Staithe where I could pop into the Sutton Staithe Hotel for dinner and take my time packing things away and cleaning the boat. With that in mind how would I spend today? Well first off it was out of the dyke and on the Bure towards Horning – this is such a pretty stretch of river and despite the quietness of place, the public staithe still had two boats – then a further two outside the Swan – the most b...

On the Tuesday evening I found myself indulging somewhat in some rather nice Chillan red wine whilst at the same time having a chat in the Norfolk Broads Forum’s weekly ‘Tuesday Night Chat’ in the chat room.  This is where technology can be wonderful – me moored up in on the River Ant and yet joining in a good banter online with others. So morning came of the third day and I found while my tastes may like the wine, my head was feeling rather fragile – I therefore did not rise too early and my plans for the day were going to be rather sedate – cruise down the Ant to Ludham Bridge, take on water – then head up the Bure to Wroxham for lunch. And so having departed for Ludham Bridge it was once again a lovely day, cooler than of late and with more cloud but none the less it was good to be on the water – and I arrived at Ludham to find another boat at the moorings taking on water themselves.  Now despite it being the third day, these forward steer...

Having previously looked at the weather forecast I knew that Tuesday 5th March would be the best day – mild, with clear sky and sunshine forecast for much of the day.   With this in mind I had an early night on Monday and rose about 4:45am on the Tuesday. It was cold to begin onboard, but once the engine was going, warm air heating on things were just toasty – this is why I also like out of the way moorings or being on your own because naturally there is no one to disturb – not that today would be a problem as there were nobody about for miles anyway. After a shower and a coffee I was ready to brave the cold morning and it was very icing outside – I used the bucket and some hot water to melt the ice on the decks and I was on the frozen ground just as dawn broke – it was magical – to my right the moon was still out, yet to left the glow of the sun on the horizon had already begun – but it was not just the light that was putting on a great show, the birds w...

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?

It has been a while since I have written here, and so wanted to give regular followers a taster of what is to come this year. First off Norfolk Broads - LIVE! will be continuing in the featuring of the holiday tales and Captain's Blogs - and not just be about  the live broadcasts.  This will give those who have a passion for the Norfolk Broads a single point to come to be it to watch the You Tube videos, read up on the day to day events or watch the live broadcasts. Talking of the Captain's Blog they will be changing too.  I am going to try and feature more details about the boat and produce a more formal review.  I will also be featuring more 'river action' and less commentary - or to put it bluntly more interesting things and less me.   This will all begin sometime in March - dates to be confirmed - when I shall be producing the 'Budget Boat Review'.  This will be a four night break on one of the cheapest boats one can hire on the No...

And so the day began, much as a Sunday would for most people – that ever growing realisation this lovely time was fast coming to an end, the feeling when you know you have to go back to work on a Monday morning is much the same as the taking back of a boat and the things you have done now suddenly turn to memories. It had suddenly turned a lot more chilly and the wind too had got up so as far as the weather was concerned it was a good thing we had the best of it and were not some of the hirers who had just take over their boats the day before.  An easy start to the day, and a lazy cruise up the Ant, over Barton Broad and on to Nettishead.  This small stretch of water is lovely and has its own feel whatever the time of year – and as the leaves were falling and those which remained were going through their spectacular change of colour it felt like one was exploring a newly found waterway where one did not quite know where it would end or what would b...