Page published 14 October 2024
Monday 8 July 2024 - Day Two
After Arriving at Neatishead yesterday we woke to splendid sunshine this morning.
We weren't up too early, but we were in time to see the boat moored on the other side of the staithe leave. I posted this picture on BBC Weather Watchers at 09:12.
Last night we found that there was 50p credit left in the meter for one of the sockets on the shore power post. That left us undecided about whether to feed the meter with one of our cards. In the end we did connect our cable but didn't insert a card, fearing that we might only use what our engine would re-charge as we travelled to South Walsham this morning.
It was just over another hour before we left the staithe to make our way down Lime Kiln Dyke. The first half mile is one of the narrowest stretches of water on the Broads.
Eventually, the dyke widens out and we lose track of the boat we have been following.
Ludham Bridge
By 11:28 we were tied up at the Ludham Bridge moorings and making our way to the Bakery and Bridge Stores. On our return I took this photo
Nearby our mooring is one of the things that sets the Broads apart from the canals. Here there is money to be paid for water!
The book I bought at Ludham Bridge Stores
On arrival at Ludham Bridge we thought about buying something from the bakery. The last time we moored here was on our first night out while looking for Fuel and a Pump‑Out. However, we had forgotten that the bakery didn't open on Mondays, so all we found was a sign on the door that said they were sold out, presumably left from the last time the place was open.
On your way to the two shops beside the bridge you pass the "Water Filling Station". We rejected using it when we were last here on cost grounds. Mind you that's another case of bad memory, as I had in mind that it was free at the Neatishead Staithe, but it turned out that there they request £2.00 in an honesty box.
However, the Ludham Bridge Stores were open and we bought some provisions. It was later that evening that we discovered the cream we had bought was past it's "Use By" date.
While browsing around the shop I found a book I fancied reading and Diana bought the crime novel "Weaver's Way" by local author, David Blake. My choice was "Arthur Ransome on the Broads" and it proved a fascinating read.
Arthur Ransome, is, of course, known for his "Swallows and Amazons" series of children's books. Most are set in a fictionalised Lake District, but the two set on the Norfolk Broads are as accurate as could be, only making changes such as altering a pub or landlord's name.
We were back on board in a relatively short time. It seemed that the fleet of yachts from Hunter's Yard were not in a hurry as all their occupants appeared to be taking a lunch break. We too were taking it easy. I took this photo at 12:20 while waiting for the kettle to boil.
Onward to South Walsham
We soon moved on and, at 12:44, were soon on a relatively busy River Bure passing St Benet's Abbey, although the moorings there were not as busy as I had expected.
A minute later we made the turn down Fleet Dyke towards South Walsham.
On arriving at the broad we dropped our mudweight as close as it was possible to the spot where when we ran out of fuel. At 14:42, after lunch I took this picture of a ranger's launch passing the moorings as he exited the broad.
A few minutes after the ranger's boat left the ice cream boat arrived. It was a craft we'd first seen before we'd bought Singing the Blues when on our Anniversary Cruise in 2020.
With lunch and the excitement of seeing ranger and ice cream boats over, I began to read my new book, but I realised the sky was slowly clearing and, at 15:36, I took another photo of what I still think of as Bondon's yard and realised there was a Hampton Safari moored there.
I switched to my "proper" camera and zoomed in to discover that the boat I'd spotted was one of the two Bondon built Safaris. These have some unique features and, it appears, that I was the first Safari historian to recognise the type.
Now that the light was good and I had a camera in hand capable of zooming in on distant features, I took some more of the properties around the broad.
Two more of the cottages that overlook the broad.
I've been meaning to take pictures of all the notices found on our boat. This one is typical of those you find on hire craft and generic. Our boat was never equipped with a gas heater. It had diesel heating installed when built. However, the reason for taking this picture was to remind me that next time we are on board I should bring some screws to replace the hooks that some previous owner has fitted and on which was hung a lighter for the cooker when we bought the boat.
By 16:09 the sky was as clear as it got and this was the last daylight picture I took.
In the evening we played a couple of games. A few years ago we were in Bowness, Cumbria and went to the store that used to be known as Lakeland Plastics. It was there I picked up a game I thought might be intriguing. It was called "Tyle" and this was the first time we had played it. At some point I may get round to writing a review that I'll add to my Mastondon ID Verification site.
Another game we played was "Plank". I discovered this 40 or more years ago in the book "A Gamut of Games" by Sid Sackson. He, in turn, discovered it in "The Young Folks' Cyclopaedia of Games and Sports", published in the United States in 1890. I made made this set of pieces in the 1990s. Besides the noughts and crosses there are also triangles and squares to allow three or four to play.
After our games playing we had an early night and the last photo of the day that I took was at 21:40.
Next, read about Day Three of the South Walsham Cruise.