Page published 5 June 2024
Monday 13 May 2024 - Day Two
Yesterday we had completed a trip of almost 14 miles in our hunt for water and a pump‑out before mooring for the night at Ludham Bridge. Neither of us seemed to have slept particularly well. We were both awake at 06:00 and neither of us felt we were going to be able to sleep later into the morning.
We had some debate about whether to pay the £4.00 required to use the tap we could see on the river bank opposite us. The trouble was we didn't have enough coins. To get them would require waiting till Ludham Bridge Stores were open. According to the signs we had seen last night that would be at 08:00. There was also the option of having breakfast at the bakery next door. However, there was some doubt about whether that would open at all. There was conflicting information on the web site and the signs outside.
It's the ungodly hour of 06:42 and the engine is running and I have already cast off the stern lines. We are about to depart for Neatishead. This must be about the first time I habeen the first boat to depart a mooring.
Eventually, I persuaded Diana that we should get up immediately and get to Neatishead, where we had filled up with water back in October during our first overnight cruise. We could then either return to Horning, where we had planned to get the pump‑out done or, perhaps, proceed on to Wayford where we could see if we could leave the boat with them to get the toilet seals sorted out. Of course, that would introduce the problem of how to get either home or to the car, which was still in Coltishall, but we figured we could worry about that if the boat could be left at Wayford.
As we proceed as quietly as possible upstream from the moorings no one else seems to be stirring.
On Horseshoe Reach approaching Neave's Drainage Mill. The perfect time of day to get this shot.
As we near the moorings at How Hill we pass Turf Fen Drainage Mill. We needed to have slept in a little more to pass this landmark in the best light for a photo.
It not quite 07:15 when we pass Hathor on her mooring at the north end of the How Hill Moorings. We'd been told by our friend, Ian, that he'd be on board today acting as guide to those visiting the boat but we were passing far too early to see him there.
Irstead
At 07:30 we make the turn where you pass the delightful riverside properties at Irstead.
On making the turn we see there is someone moored at the village's public staithe.
As you approach the public staithe you pass the wonderful thatched house "Shoals Piece".
You carry on passing "Shoals Cottage" and "Little Fen" when, ahead, you see "The Ice House".
"The Ice House" sold, in 2013, for £475,000. I read its new owner spent around £280,000 on its renovation. I remember its condition at the time it was sold and it clearly needed a lot spending on it.
Crossing Barton Broad
Three hundred yards after passing The Ice house we enter Barton Broad. It's 07:36 and the place is as tranquil as can be.
We make the turn to Lime Kiln Dyke, the approach the Neatishead.
Heading for Neatishead
Beyond the public moorings at Gay's Staithe the dyke gets progressively narrower...
... then you begin to see private moorings at the end of people's garden's. The houses can be a hundred yards away.
It's 08:00 as we reach the staithe. We manage to moor alongside one of the two water points where I rediscover that the Broads Authority have an honesty box and request £2.00 for the use of the tap. It takes some finding as it's right round the back of the post supporting it.
After our water tank is filled we take a stroll into the village centre and find the community shop. There are two tables outside and, at 09:20, we take our breakfast of tea, coffee, croissants and a scone.
Onwards to Wayford
After breakfast we return to the boat. By this time I have persuaded Diana that it's early enough in the day to make it to Wayford where we can talk to Phil or Kathy, at Moonfleet Marine, and confirm that we'd like them to fit a new pump assembly to our toilet, in the hope that they might be able to keep the boat and do it over the next day or two.
We departed Neatishead Staithe at around 09:55. I felt I had taken enough pictures of a near empty Broad. We had passed one or two of Richardson's hire fleet cruisers that that I assumed had come from Stalham, before we turned towards Wayford and Dilham.
By 10:29 we had just taken the left turn to Wayford and Dilham when we passed a cruiser in colours reminiscent of the early 1950s British Railways "Blood and Custard" livery that I remember from my school days.
Heading for Home
We reached Wayford at 10:50 and I went to find Phil or Kathy to be told that they were on holiday that week. That was a bit of a disappointment as it rather upset the purpose of the extra miles we had covered. It also turned out that there were no pump‑out facilities at Wayford, at least, none we could use.
However, our time was not completely wasted. Dylan was able to confirm that he had been tasked to do the work but had not yet ordered the part. In the end it was decided that, as we couldn't leave Singing the Blues on Wayford Marine's slipway and there was no spare mooring we could use, we would have to return to Coltishall, so we set off again at 11:25.
Twenty minutes after departing Wayford we were approaching Hunsett Mill again. On the way up river I was talking too much about how I hated what had been done to the mill when it was converted I hadn't got round to taking a photo. I was prepared on the way back.
These days I'm in the "monstrous carbuncle" camp regarding Hunsett Mill. Unsurprisingly, it no longer appears on countless postcards and chocolate boxes, as it did in the 1950s and 60s. The architects who gave the conversion its many awards clearly knew nothing of the site and its history. I condemn, equally, the Broads Authority planners who did nothing for the landmark in approving the work. It would have been better if the owners had been allowed to knock down the old cottage and build something completely new.
By 12:05 we were in the Middle of Barton Broad. It can be surprising how little activity there is here, once all Richardson's hire cruisers have passed through at the start of their holiday voyages.
The red ring shows where we moored for lunch.
Having crossed the Broad we passed by Irstead again. There seemed little point in taking further photos of the buildings, particularly as it was now after midday and the side of the buildings we could see were now in shade.
We travelled on and began to look for a place to moor so we could have our lunch. Over time a number of sites have been found, or created by people, that are clear of reeds and overhanging branches and make good short term moorings. In recent years some seem to have been adopted by live aboard boaters as their preferred homes.
At around 12:30, only half a mile beyond Irstead, we found one of the places clear of vegetation and peppered with the holes of previous boats mooring pins and stopped for lunch.
Half way through our meal we heard someone shouting "Ahoy, Singing the Blues"! A woman in the forward well of a passing cruiser was hailing us. It turned out that she wanted to know if we were staying for long. We replied that we weren't and the boat moved on.
We didn't take too much notice of the boat and continued with our lunch, but remain puzzled. We never did conclude whether those on board that boat hoped to return so they could moor for their lunch or planned to stay for longer, perhaps overnight.
We just finished our rolls, crisps and wine and finished our meal with pots of yogurt before continuing with our journey after 13:20.
It was a simple lunch, which we each finished with a pot of yogurt.
How Hill
Just 10 minutes after leaving our lunch time mooring we had reached Hathor's mooring at How Hill. This time Ian was there and he beckoned us in to moor just upstream of Hathor where there were "No Mooring" signs. Ian explained to his colleague that this wasn't normal practice but I didn't hear what justification he gave for allowing us to moor there. There was some talk of there being a party to show round who were due at 14:00, so, making no time to take photos, we took a rapid tour around at the various sleeping cabins for guests and the not quite working piano in the saloon.
Ian and Jean, his wife, then escorted up the hill to the house, but not to show us round that. Rather it was to point us in the direction of the wood and gardens. Perhaps it was fortunate that we had picked this time of year for the visit, but we can confirm they are well worth a taking a walk around in mid-May.
In the gardens many of the shrubs appeared to be in full bloom. Notable were the many small ponds.
Small channels connect many of the ponds. Mown grass paths and boardwalks meander around the many shrubs.
Amongst the sunny spots were small glades, often with seating, where you can take a rest and enjoy the scene.
By 14:24 we were back on board Singing the Blues and able to see How Hill itself as we passed the Broads Authority moorings. There were rather more boats moored than there had been at 07:15.
Approaching Ludham Bridge
Once more we approached Neaves Drainage Mill, now lit with afternoon sun.
We passed under Ludham Bridge at 14:52...
The Turn at Ant Mouth
... and reached Ant Mouth at 156:05.
There's a clear sign post at the mouth of the ant. We turned towards Horning and Wroxham..
We'd just past the Waterworks turn when, at 15:27, we encountered the Mississippi River Boat.
Horning
By 15:40 we'd reached the beginning of the busy part of Horning. Horning probably has more dykes and backwaters than Wroxham.
Next we were passing the Ferry Inn, still looking as empty as it had yesterday.
It was perfect light for photographing Horning's dummy windmill.
The Pump-Out and Re-Fuelling
In the course of getting the pump-out done we travelled most of the length of Horning three times.
Once past The Ferry Inn our plan was to proceed to the yard I know as "Southgates" but, these days, appears to be called "Horning Marina Services". As we approached the large shed we could see that they were in the middle of launching a large yacht that and stepping its mast.
We slowed to tick-over and, when close enough, hailed a guy holding a line, saying we had planned to get a pump‑out with them but they looked rather busy. The response was the predicted "no can do", although it wasn't as blunt as that. They simply directed us to Ferry Marina, which we had passed 10 minutes earlier. There was nothing to do but turn back.
Once back at Ferry Marina, getting the pump‑out proved no easy task, as the track on the satellite image, below, might suggest. We drew alongside dock area. The guy working on the marina's boats greeted us and asked us to turn stern on. That was understandable. He was in the middle of shifting other boats around and would want us aligned with the other boats.
Unlike the satellite image, seen below, the entire dock to the right of where we first moored was full of craft, all moored stern on. Once he'd finished moving the boats around he came back to us and, it seems, had changed his mind. He now would do both the pump‑out and the re-fuelling with us moored in the channel leading to the main dock behind the marina shed.
©2023 Michael Garlick
Distracted with the task in hand I didn't take any photographs while we were at Ferry Marina so this is just a general illustration of the yard. When we arrived the area occupied by the four boats to the left was empty and that's where we moored before being asked to move.
He asked us to reverse the boat in and moor with our starboard side against the quay heading. That would put the waste tank next to the bank, the job that required more work. He was happy to do the re-fuelling on the off side. It was a straight forward enough request, but it meant I would need to back into the space and, unlike the satellite image it wasn't a small dinghy that would be astern of us but something much larger.
The manoeuvre might not be a worry for some. It's easy enough to get used to the fact that boats do not respond to the rudder when going astern but for those with a Hampton Safari the issue is compounded by there being no visibility to starboard aft of the saloon and minimal visibility directly astern, thanks to the shower compartment and cabin that block any view.
However, with good luck on my side I seemed to manage the manoeuvre with what must have appeared as considerable skill, but I felt was, in large measure, luck. Tied up once more we let the guy start on the pump-out.
Satellite Image © Google
The complex route taken past Ferry Marina and on to Horning Marina Services only to return in order to obtain a pump‑out and to be refuelled.
The two waste tank deck fittings on the starboard side of Singing the Blues. It is the left hand one we now know is redundant.
The first thing was to open both the vents on the starboard deck. To one the pump which sucks out the contents the contents of the waste tank. The other, we were told, is used to jet water to flush out the tank. It took only a few moments before we were told the tank was now empty.
Then the flushing started. With hindsight perhaps I should have realised that the marina guy wasn't happy with something, but he couldn't immediately put his finger on what the problem was. I recall him making a comment that he could see blue down there. That should have been a give-away for me, as below the side deck is a shelf that is painted blue.
You've guessed it! We'd spent several minutes pouring water into the boat. By the time we realised what was going on Diana was able to confirm that most of the water had found it's way into the bilges. On the way our entire stock of toilet rolls, two or three year's worth, I'd guess, had become a soggy unusable mass and the bathroom mat was now saturated.
The bilge pump soon sorted out excess water under the floor boards. The bathroom mat was taken to the forward well and hung out to dry. The guy from the boatyard went to the marina stores and returned with a couple of loo rolls from the stock used by the marina's hire boats. Meanwhile, Diana mopped down the shower room with one of our towels. Of course, the question remains as to why we did not have this problem last time, when we had the pump-out done at South Walsham.
Next came the top up with fuel. That went smoothly. I told the guy that the dip stick said our 100 litre tank was half full and he succeeded in 48 litres in the tank before declaring it full. After paying for the pump-out and fuel we departed. We had arrived at 16:00 and we left at 16:45.
Wroxham
It may have been the shock to the system of the drenching of the shower room or puzzling over how we could have missed, in our 18 months of ownership, that the second port on the starboard side deck didn't connect to anything. More likely for the reason that I took no more photographs till we were approaching Wroxham Bridge was that Diana and I spent the time discussing the plan for the conclusion of the voyage.
It's 18:00 and we are approaching Wroxham Bridge...
... A minute later we pass under the bridge.
Overnight in Wroxham
Somewhere between Horning and Wroxham the decision had been made that we'd stay out a further night. We'd stop at Wroxham and visit the King's Head again. We had last eaten there on 28 January, the last evening before it closed for a major refurbishment, only reopening in time for Easter. So after passing under Wroxham Bridge we made for our preferred mooring above Hoveton Viaduct.
Once through the bridge you see The Kings Head on the right. It was warm enough for a number of people to be sitting outside.
We make our way past the Hoveton St John moorings. If you've been following the tale of our previous cruises you'll recognise a number of the boats at the mooring.
We also pass by the Trip Boat Ra and pass under the Hoveton Viaduct on our way to our favourite mooring...
...It's on the easternmost section of the Hoveton Viaduct Moorings. It's advantage is that it is effectively on a branch off the main length of moorings. None of the early morning river bank joggers and dog walkers come past the last two or three boats at the Hoveton end of the moorings while taking their daily exercise.
It turns out the the King's Head refurbishment is, in part, designed to accent its services as a hotel rather than a restaurant or pub. Those who just want a meal or drink are now encouraged to enter from the beer garden overlooking the river, while the door from the street welcomes hotel guests.
As is our habit when eating out, half way through the meal I took a photo showing a smiling Diana, glass of spritzer in hand and my "8oz grilled gammon steak with chips and garden peas topped with a fried free range egg and grilled pineapple (958 kcal)". We share such photos on a family WhatsApp group. However, as I write this, a couple of weeks after the event, neither Diana nor I can identify what she was eating, even after accessing the menu available from the pub's web site. She reckons it must have been chosen from the "Specials Board".
Diana's meal is now a mystery. She's convinced it must have been something from the "Specials Board" and that she stole a chip from my plate.
With the meal eaten we returned to the boat. One reason we like our chosen mooring is that we get a great 4G signal there. I set up my phone as a hot spot and caught up on what was going on in the world on my Chromebook. Incredibly, although more than 200 yards away, I discovered that the WiFi signal from the Kings Head could be detected but, understandably, was not usable at that distance.
While Diana read I checked out all the properties RightMove was telling me were new to market or reduced in price in our search area and then played some of my record collection.through our Bluetooth speaker. After our early morning, and the excitement of the day, we were both ready to retire to bed quite early.
With water and a pump-out secured and an extra night in Wroxham had, read how we head for Our Home Mooring.