Wednesday 6 May
Thursday 7 May
Friday 8 May
Saturday 9 May
Sunday 10 May
Monday 11 May
Tuesday 12 May
Brundall to Thurne Mouth
Thurne Mouth to How Hill
How Hill to Sutton
Sutton to Paddy's Lane
Paddy's Lane to Sutton (via Neatishead)
Sutton to How Hill
How Hill to Cockshoot Dyke
returns to top of this page
The forecast rain had all fallen out of the sky further West and now there was promise of a mild dry day with sunny spells, but plenty of wind. We set off about 10.45 and to begin with had the river pretty much to ourselves - just the odd privateer. We were glad of our thermals because the wind was definitely taking the edge of what otherwise would have been a mild day.
Reedham chain ferry was without clients either side of the river, so we we were able to press on without fuss. The Reedham swing bridge height gauge then came into view and it was easy to see from some distance through field glasses that there was plenty of head-room for us. The gauges here are really easy to read - if only other bridges were the same.
By lunch time we were at Berney Arms, and we stopped here for an hour to eat. The sky was looking very interesting and Mike rushed off with camera, tripod and filters to take even more pictures of Berney Arms wind pump.
We set off again at 14:00 for the passage down Breydon Water, to time our arrival at the Acle Road and Vauxhall bridges in Great Yarmouth exactly at low water. There were not very many wading birds to see as not all the mud flats were exposed, but we did spot a couple of avocets, huge flocks of ringed plovers and the odd curlew or two.
At Yarmouth where the Yare and Bure meet, there is a tide gauge to show the bridge clearances with a warning notice to check your clearance. But of course the important information at the bottom of the gauge was covered with mud and weed growth so we were left to extrapolate. It's not helped by the fact that all the published information for bridge clearances on the Broads is for High Water, whereas we are interested in squeezing under at low water! The argument is that clearances at low water vary due to atmospheric conditions blah blah. But the same applies at high water too! I think the secrecy is so that hire boat skippers don't get lulled into a false sense of where their boats will fit. It leave people like us who know how to use that information without vital navigational data.
Not only that, but I have found no tidal height tables for the Broads rivers, nor any height difference table, and everything about tidal heights that is published relates to Gorelston, some one hour away from Yarmouth tide wise. The few published heights are referenced to the unique datum of Yarmouth Bar; that is neither the normal LAT used on charts and referenced in almanacs, nor ordnance datum. So published clearances in Reeds for example, are not the same as the data given in the Broads Tide Tables booklet. I did eventually find a reference for the height difference between Yarmouth Bar, OS Datum Newlyn and LAT Yarmouth to enable me to figure out the relationship between Broads published data and Reeds Almanac published data, but it was not easy! Why make it so difficult?
As they say, notwithstanding all of the above, without folding down the windscreen we fitted under the bridges with a good 300mm to spare, and headed on up the Bure. The yacht station was crammed with hire boats so business cannot be too bad. By 17:00 we were moored up at Thurne Mouth. The wind is howling, the dinghy is bouncing up and down on its davits, the mooring ropes are groaning, the fenders are pressed up against the quayside and squeaking for mercy and we are snug inside. It does not bode well for a good night's rest!
Hardley Drainage Mill resplendent with new top and sail shafts, installed only a few weeks ago
Berney Arms wind pump - another shot for the record!
The sorry state of the bridge gauge at Yarmouth, note warnings to check clearance - just how?
The wind was still going strong when we got up, but not as bad as in the night. The sun is definitely trying to make its presence felt. We decided to stay put at Thurne Mouth in the morning and just relax after yesterday's long haul.
Mike tested the new pay-as-you-go Vodafone internet dongle thingamajig which seems to function OK and enabled connection with the web server for this site, which for some reason the mobile phone would not do anymore. The reception out here is a bit patchy, most of it is 2G and not 3G, so internet activity is rather slow at 2G GPRS speed, but it is OK for our purposes.
In the afternoon we set out for an appointment with Ludham Bridge. We were in no hurry and decided to make a detour via South Walsham Broad. The wind was ferocious and anywhere that was exposed was in for a battering, but there were plenty of sailing boats about enjoying the stiff breeze. We stopped for an hour at St Benet's Abbey for a stroll, a cuppa and to lower the windscreen, mast etc for the passage under the bridge.
While chewing on some very tasty Lincolnshire plum loaf, Maureen spotted what she thought was a dog in the water, between boats moored ahead of us. We quickly confirmed that it was certainly no dog, as it had a fish in its mouth and was swimming under water, just coming up for air periodically. In fact it was an otter. We had it in our sight for a couple of minutes - enough time to for Mike to grab a camera and take the less-than-perfect out -of-focus pea-on-a -drum picture opposite!
We timed our departure from St Benet's to arrive at Ludham bridge an hour before low water which would give us a stream to work against as we passed under, albeit not much. The tidal rise and fall here does not amount to much anyway. The advanced warning bridge gauge was in the normal sorry state but we managed to work out that the official clearance was 2.8m, which we know meant that there was even more room; we have surveyed this bridge ourselves! We proceeded with confidence and indeed, there was a good 400mm clearance, roughly double what there should have been if the gauge was accurate.
After a short pause at the almost deserted Ludham bridge moorings, scene of the 2007 ramming incident, we headed on up the River Ant to How Hill nature reserve where we moored up for the night opposite Turf Fen wind pump. This stretch of river (as is the whole of the Ant ) is very twisty, quite narrow and pretty: worth the agro of Ludham Bridge to visit.
The wind is still howling away, but we are in a more sheltered position than last night.
Sailing on the Bure
Cruising - otter style!
St Benet's Abbey come windmill
This morning we woke to sunshine and blue skies, but by 09:00 grey clouds were arriving and by 10:00 it was pouring with rain. We had decided to stay the morning here anyway, the intent being to walk round the nature reserve, but the weather put paid to that. It rained for long enough that we guessed the paths and undergrowth would be a bit too wet for our liking, so we will do this walk on the way back.
However Mike did manage to make a start on some of the small rust blemishes here and there. We also gave our new generator its first outing as no-one was around to annoy with the noise (not that it is very noisy anyway); we weren't planning to go far in the afternoon and needed to heat up some more hot water as well as charge up the batteries. The last few days, and the next few too will all be short hops of not much more than an hour of cruising - not enough to maintain supplies.
After lunch the sun came out. We continued on up the Ant through Barton Broad, which was very windy, and then through the beautiful Sutton Broad to Sutton Staithe, where we are now. On the way we spotted a pair of king fishers - the first this season. We now have clear skies again and the wind has died down.
It's turning into a lovely evening.
Turf Fen wind pump, opposite How Hill Staithe
How Hill Staithe - not exactly crowded
This morning we were greeted with blue skies and just a gentle breeze. We decided to visit Stalham Staithe and see if there was any space for us. There is room for just three boats there, and it is right at the end of the dyke in the heart of the biggest nest of hire boats on the Broads - home of Richardsons of Top Gem fame, as well as Moonfleet. But its big advantage is that it is only ten minutes walk from a Tesco store, and we needed provisions.
We cruised gently up the dyke and saw very few hire boats even though Saturday is a big hand over day. Luckily Stalham Staithe was almost deserted and Maureen was able to make a quick visit for supplies while Mike guarded Starry Night against marauding hire boats.
Mission accomplished, we set out for a gentle cruise up to Wayford Bridge and back down to Paddy's Lane Staithe near Barton Turf. This whole area is very pretty, the river winding and narrow with lovely rural views. We were at Paddy's Lane by lunch time and spent the rest of the day relaxing, watching the sail boats coming past, and making a short excursion on foot into Barton Turf .
Boating chaos at Wayford Bridge
Paddy's Lane Staithe
The day's plan involved lunch at the Olde Sadlery in Neatishead for another go at their amazing carvery. Timing the arrival at Neatishead Staith was all important. Too early and the over-nighters won't have left. Too late and the lunch-stoppers will have filled it. Neatishead Staith takes the equivalent of just eight hire boats - four down each side, and may be a ninth at the end in the middle.
We decided that 10:30 would be optimum arrival time and set off just before 10:00 for the short hop across Barton Broad. The sail boat club was just getting ready for its day's racing as we passed by their pontoon out in the middle of the broad. As we approached the long winding dyke that leads into Neatishead, a small flotilla of hire boats emerged and we were hopeful that we had gauged the timing correctly. When we arrived at the staithe there was just one other boat there and we had the pick of the places, tucking ourselves at the end, out of the way and in a sunny corner. We spent the rest of the morning watching the staithe fill up, boats coming and going and many disappointed boat crews turning round and having to leave after it had filled up.
We had a delightful lunch at the Olde Sadlery - their carvery really is first rate! Then we returned to Starry Night for the trip back across Barton Broad to Sutton. Barton Broad was very windy, there were sailing boats going this way and that, and cruisers everywhere trying to dodge between them. At Sutton we tucked in near the end of the staithe and spent a pleasant afternoon watching the world go by.
Neatishead Staithe back in 2004 - this time we were moored in the bottom left hand corner. Unfortunately the camera's memory stick has eaten about twenty photographs including the ones taken today - very mysterious.
After all the excitement was over, we headed up the dyke to the boatyard for a pumpout, and then set off for How Hill Staith. The trip across Barton Broad (our fourth in as many days) was very uncomfortable with a piercing North Easterly wind blowing across, whipping up small white horses and freezing us to the bone. How nice it was when we got into the sheltered waters of the Ant.
In the afternoon we walked around the trail in the How Hill Nature Reserve which was bereft of fauna apart from some very tame ponies and a shell duck and some mallards. There was plenty of flora and a good sized patch of bluebells in a woodland area, dappled with sunlight and pictur perfect. It was a sunny but chilly walk requiring a mug of hot chocolate to restore inner warmth when we got back to the boat.
How Hill nature reserve
Turf Fen Wind pump with Starry Night just visible between clumps of bushes
The morning forecast was for clear skies with scattered cloud, strong winds from the North East and a maximum temperature of 14deg. Same as yesterday and the day before. And same again for tomorrow too! We always tune into Radio Norfolk which has one of the best local forecasts we know, and it also gives the coastal marine forecast - force 6 today.
We set off at 09:00 to allow half an hour to Ludham Bridge and low water, where we needed to stop to lower the windscreen. At Ludham Bridge we managed to get moored up first time despite the wind trying to blow us off the mooring. Other craft were being blown about and one was held pinned to the opposite side of the river. Maureen nipped off to the local store for milk while Mike folded down all the bits and pieces to enable Starry Night to fit under. The bridge gauge said 2.7m which would give plenty of clearance.
There was a sizable flotilla of traditional broads sailing boats in the process of passing under the bridge. Some were still on our side folding down masts and rigging, others had passed through and were reversing the process on the other side, and a couple were in transit. These were being quanted under the bridge which is local terminology for punting with a very long pole (no engines you see). Add to this mix several hire boats coming up stream on the other side of the bridge and then introduce Starry Night heading the other way. We slotted ourselves between two of the sailing boats and arrived at the bridge as the first of the upstream hire boats was making its final approach; seeing what was coming they sensibly stopped. As you come out from under the bridge there is a very sharp 'S' bend in which were more quanting sailing boats, lots of moored boats and a couple of hire boats waiting to pass through. We managed to negotiate our way through this lot and on into open water without too much trouble considering the wind.
Next stop was fifteen minutes away, St Benet's Abbey, to re-erect the windscreen et al. It took three attempts to get moored up due to the wind. It's not helped by the fact that due to our height, it is easy for the mooring ropes to slide up and off the mooring posts. With screens up and looking like a proper boat again, we headed on for a few more miles up the Bure to Cockshoot Dyke just before Horning. The navigable part is just a short basin taking about eight boats.Then separated from the 'polluted' river water is the rest of the dyke and the broad of the same name. Here the Broads Authority have had a programme of clearing the algae out of the water and now the water is absolutely crystal clear - the way the rest of the waters in these parts used to be before excess nutrients found their way into the system.
We managed to reverse into the back corner of the dyke and tied Starry Night up to resist gale conditions as the wind was funneling straight down the channel. After a cuppa, we headed off into the nature reserve for the bird hide on Cockshoot Broad. Last time we were there we had left the binoculars behind and there were hundreds of birds and ducks on the broad, so this time we came prepared. We managed to clock just two coots, three tufted ducks, a moorhen and a kingfisher - we had seen more on the river this morning!
There have been various boat comings and goings since we got back, mostly involving strong wind and inexperienced crew. One skipper managed to strand himself on the dockside leaving his wife in charge of the helm - she did very well under the circumstances. Another hire boat got stuck for a while across the dyke, blown by the wind. It is very nerve wracking and all our fenders are deployed down the most vulnerable side.
We shall be glad when the wind abates for lots of reasons. Not least of all the relentless noise of it!
Starry Night ready for Ludham Bridge
Cockshoot Dyke from the back of Starry Night
Cockshoot Dyke shortly after our arrival - nice and quiet!
The bird hide at Cockshoot Broad, and the birds are hiding!
Corralling an errant hire boat just a bit too close for comfort!
Copyright © 2009 Mike Hawkridge