Monday 3 July
Tuesday 4 July
Wednesday 5 July
Thursday 6 July
Friday July
Saturday 8 July
Sunday 9 July
Berney Arms
Berney Arms to Somerleyton
Somerleyton to Lowestoft
Lowestoft to Southwold
Southwold
Southwold
Southwold
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Mike whiled away the day reading “A Voyage for Madmen” by Peter Nichols, at one hit. It is the story of the 1968 Golden Globe round the world single handed race that was won by Robin Knox-Johnston in his 32ft ketch Suhaili. Just a bit of research for our next trip! And a gripping yarn.
Maureen has been doing art.
This afternoon we went for a pleasant walk along the flood defense wall in the direction of Breydon Water. At least it was pleasant on the outbound leg with the wind behind us, but it was diabolical on the way back in the face of a force 6 or more! However we did see several egrets on the marshes, but the normal array of marsh birds seemed to be keeping a low profile.
The tidal range today is 2.1m, which means that at the moment (low water) we are well below the sea wall and sheltered from the wind. Earlier in the day we were being battered by the winds and bounced up and down quite a lot.
We have had time to contemplate our three weeks on the Broads and have come up with our ten tips for happy boating on the Norfolk Broads.
Berney Marshes
High water
Low water
We passed by Berney Arms and our mooring at about 09.30, and continued up the Yare to Haddiscoe New Cut and turned left. The cut is die straight for two miles and joins the River Waveney at St Olaves. Our intention was to see if there were any moorings at Somerleyton and if not to go back to Herringfleet. As it turned out, there was plenty of space to choose from, though within twenty minutes of our arrival there were no spaces available.
At 12.00 we wandered up to the Duke’s Head pub and managed to get one of the last unreserved tables for lunch – an excellent and huge portion of roast lamb washed down with plenty of Abbot’s bitter.
After that we needed to go for a walk and headed into the village, which was delightful. There was a very pretty village pond, complete with ducks which had a habit of wandering en masse out into the road; and a decent sized village green where they were getting ready for the fare next weekend. The advertised attractions included a hog roast and ferret racing. It seemed a thriving village, though a plaque informed us that the population was 300, down from 627 in 1851.
Some more ruminations on the Broads – our thoughts on the high points…….
- Windmills and windpumps in picturesque settings
- Giant Norfolk strawberries – but only obtained once
- Anchoring overnight on a Barton Broad surrounded by water and no one else
- Exploring the shallower broads, byways, dykes and reed banks in the dinghy
- Observing the wild birds – more varied and interesting than we had imagined – particularly watching a barn owl hunting at Thurne Mouth
- The wildness and tranquility of the marshland areas
- The variety of traditional yachts and wherries
- The friendliness of the locals everywhere
- The village signs
- Admiring the waterside residences complete with private boat dykes, particularly in Wroxham and Horning
Somerleyton Staithe
The Duke's Head - good food and ale
Somerleyton village pond - friendly ducks!
Post Office and general stores
We pressed on to Oulton Broad and stopped off at the Yacht Station so we could visit the local store. We had booked a bridge opening (Mutford Bridge) for 11.00 and at 10.50 were called into the lock immediately before it. As before we were relieved of £7 for the transit and were locked swiftly down to sea level. We then had to wait for the road lift bridge to open, which was being co-ordinated with the railway swing bridge and the passage of a larger boat into the Broads. The swing bridge was waiting for a train. While we waited we chatted to the Assistant Harbour Master and it transpired that he also worked at Southwold Harbour and would be on duty there tomorrow when we arrive. So we were able to gather useful facts directly, as well as put a face to the voice that will be on the other end of the VHF. Now he knows who we are too. It all helps in a strange situation.
Once ensconced in Lowestoft Haven Marina the job of getting five washing machine loads processed began. By 7.00pm there was only one load left to do. And the token mechanism jammed. No amount of coercion of the physical or verbal kind could encourage it to register the token inserted, or to give it back so we could try again. And the marina office was closed. We will be knocking on the marina office door early tomorrow as we need to finish the job off. But we will have to be quick as we have an appointment with another bridge at 11.15 in Lowestoft Harbour, and we also have to take on 200 litres of diesel.
In the meantime Mike did a 100-hour service on the engine – equivalent at our average cruising speed of a 600-mile service! Change the oil (6 litres), replace the oil filter, drain any sediment from the fuel water separator, replace the fuel filter, bleed the fuel system, all followed by a short load test in the harbour. The official speed limit is 4knots but while out of sight we gave it a bit of welly to make sure that the fuel system had been properly bled.
Waiting for Mutford road bridge to open
The open railway swing bridge
Lowestoft sea survival training centre
Pumping out the engine oil
We set off at 10.50 and requested permission from Lowestoft Harbour and Bridge Control to pass through at the 11.15 bridge opening – which was duly granted. The whole process is well controlled but very friendly. Radio protocol is not strictly followed and is quite “relaxed” compared to the Thames Barrier control.
And so it was out into the sea, which had a nice swell going, though the sea state was slight to moderate. It was less than two hours before we were in sight of the entrance to Southwold Harbour. We announced our presence on the radio and recognised the replying voice as belonging to the chap we met yesterday at Mutford.
The harbour is not really a harbour as such, but more of a collection of wooden jetties and stages on the edge of the river Blyth about half a mile from the coast. There is an official visitor’s mooring area supervised by the harbour master, which according to the published info can accommodate 100 boats, but twenty would seem a lot! There are four of us here tonight. We headed on down to the bridge and turned round to face the flood stream as we tied up with the attentive help of the harbour master.
We were at the top of the tide and so when tying up we needed to allow for the full springs tidal range which was (according to the tables) for today 2.4m. We have some very long ropes as bow and stern lines as well as a pair of “springs” to keep it all in place. A large wooden plank is suspended between and across our fenders to bear on the wooden piles we are moored against.
We knew that the ebb tide runs at a staggering 5 knots. The river Blyth drains a large area of tidal marshes and lakes, which empty and refill on each tide. But it is all the more amazing when you actually see it, and feel its strength when you try to adjust the ropes, and hear it rushing and gurgling round the corner of the transom of our boat (right next to where we sleep! – or hope to).
We headed off into town, which is a good half-hour brisk walk, and browsed the shops, picked up some supplies and had an ice cream – mmm very good! When we got back, Starry night was being held out away from the staging by the power of the stream to the tune of three feet at the bow and four feet at the stern (as were the other boats). It took Mike and a chap from the next boat to haul her in close enough so that we could hop on. We have now added a “hauling rope” to make this job easier tomorrow.
We were disappointed that the fish and chip shops here at the harbour don’t open in the evening, so local fish is on the menu for lunch tomorrow.
We rounded off the day with a nice walk along the beach, and resisted the charms of the pub right alongside. We are saving that for when the bad weather hits tomorrow. A gale is forecast – again? It’s supposed to be summer!
The 11.15 opening at Lowestoft
Our spot opposite the Harbour Inn
Typical fishing boat's mooring
Southwold Light
By breakfast we were on the way up again, and all was quiet. The normal lady harbour master (mistress?) came along and made a careful inspection of everyone’s mooring lines. Everyone wanted to know what the weather forecast had in store for us – force 8 (gale) by this evening.
The morning started with just a mild North Easterly breeze and blue sky so we decided to make the most of the good weather. We set off walking up the river to the bridge, which we crossed. We then headed back along the other side of the river towards the sea and Walberswick – about a mile.
Walberswick is a pretty little village that sits on the Blyth opposite Southwold and is home to arty crafty types. There is a small gallery there as well as a number of craft/gift shops, a couple of pubs and a general store with an excellent selection of deli offerings.
We headed back to the Blyth and waited for the ferry (rowed by a fit young man) to arrive on our side of the river. The ferryman has quite a job since he is usually rowing against a strong ebb or flood tide, and today he had a strong wind to contend with too. We shared the ferry with two other couples, three wet and seaweed covered spaniels belonging to one owner, the ferryman’s mutt and another well behaved dog of unknown origin! The trick was to keep our newly clean clothes (courtesy of Lowestoft Marina) from being dog-soiled as there wasn’t much room! The fare was 50p per person. I expect he will be reviewing his policy on dogs (free)!
Once on our side of the river we headed for Mrs T’s fish and chip shop and ordered our “cooked to order” cod and chips and waited for our #34 to be called. We carried these back to Starry Night and noshed them in comfort. Very nice they were too!
By now the wind was blowing a lot stronger and we decided to stay in for the afternoon and read, snooze or whatever. It is now 17.00 and the wind is blowing a gale, it is raining, the ebb is running and we are staying in.
It will be interesting to see what tomorrow is like – and the forecast for Friday when we hope to be on passage to Walton-on-the-Naze if weather and sea state permit.
Walberswick village green
Ferry across the harbour entrance - yes he is rowing (against the stream), and heading for the jetty with two people waiting.
Waiting for Mrs T's cod and chips
All yesterday evening it rained and blew a gale. As Alastair McLean described the wind in Ice Station Zebra ......... it was an "ululating threnody". Coupled with the sound of the ebbing tide gurgling and the constant slapping of the rigging of the adjacent sailing boats it was a right old cacophony.
We managed to get to sleep OK but were woken up briefly in the early hours of the morning (about 1am) by the sound of a boat engine going past our boat. Someone was going out to sea? Surely not? Bear in mind that this time had been forecast as the peak of the gale for our area. Because it was low water we were sheltered for a while by the river bank, so things would have seemed calmer than they really were.
When we got up in the morning the Belgian sailing yacht that had been moored next to us had departed. There it was gone!
A short while later the harbour master came along on her rounds and said that they had proposed to leave at 2.00am and were heading South - into the gale. She had prevented them from leaving earlier in the day and had tried to put them off sailing last night. Rather a foolhardy act we all thought. She couldn't believe they'd actually gone.
The morning was very pleasant - gentle breeze and blue sky. The sea was definitely "rough" with some impressive breakers. We walked along the beach into Southwold, did a bit of shopping, and came back the same way. When we got back the Dutch AquaStar had also gone - they were doing the rounds of the East Coast rivers and were intending to "swing by" the Isle of Wight. On their trip over they had left IJmuiden at 07.00 local time and were in Southwold by 2.00pm.
Another two sailing yachts have now arrived and so all the berths are taken again - any more new comers and we will be rafting up.
Last week when they had the annual Southwold regatta for wooden sailing boats they managed to fit seven boats along the visitor staging, and were rafted out seven deep! Each one tied back to the staging. Apparently that is the maximum number - official from the HM! It must have been quite a sight to watch them arriving and leaving for the races. And horribly complicated keeping all the mooring lines from tangling.
We have decided to postpone our departure from Southwold by one day (provisionally), as the outlook for tomorrow is not that much better than today and we would prefer a less agitated sea. But we will see what this evening's met forecast has to say on the subject.
Calm after the storm
Protection against the staging piles
Maureen on the staging by the boat
At 10.00 we had a visit from the HM asking us to have a sailing boat raft up alongside. She was expecting three yachts in during the day and needed to make room. The idea was to move the Dutch vessel immediately at our stern, to alongside. This we did at low slack water. It wasn’t any real trouble, though the chap in the vessel alongside speaks limited English we managed to converse OK and get the job done. From what he said, we got the impression that he was the equivalent of the Harbour Master at Edam – and so he likes to do things his way and resents instruction from a female harbour master – that’s just the impression, and of course we may be completely wrong!
Shortly after Janet and Graham arrived having driven from near Banbury. More much needed stores were shipped aboard together with some luxury items! They are joining us for the trip round to Ipswich via Walton.
After lunch we went for a walk along the beach to Southwold pier. This is a new pier and is the first one to have been built in Britain for over 45 years. By the time we had walked to the end of the pier, the fresh breeze blowing off the land was much more noticeable. A hot cuppa in the pier tea rooms was needed, to restore blood circulation, and to fortify us for the return walk.
We are now back on board and the wind is howling again. There is drizzle in the air and the sky is threatening rain. We are hoping that the forecast for tomorrow does not deteriorate and we can depart for Walton as planned on the early flood tide.
Southwold beach
Graham, Janet and Mike being wind beaten
Rafted-up
Southwold from the pier
Copyright © 2004-2009 Mike Hawkridge