Norfolk Broads - The Forum - Jona's 1st Adventure

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Jona

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Well folks’

After an uneventful journey down to the broads we picked up Thunderbolt from brundall and set off down river for reedham.
Snapped this photo at what i believe are the new moorings at Langley mill with the wherry Maud moored up beside it.

I will post a more comprehensive tale on my return as i don’t want to drain the batteries too much !!

Beautiful afternoon if a little breezy, was passed by a small sailing vessel going toward reedham and he passed us like we were stood still !!!

More to come

Regards

Jona

If the Dr tells you to have only one drink a day:-

Don't ask him how big the glass should be !!

Lynsey1983

Oct-10-2009 @ 9:19 PM

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Have a great trip Jona, look forward to your holiday tale write up Smile

Lynsey

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jaguar

Oct-10-2009 @ 9:44 PM

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Hi Jon, hows thunderbolt? hope you are enjoying yourself.

regards,mike

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forum girly swot 25/9/2009

Jona

Oct-11-2009 @ 8:18 PM

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Evening all

Hi Lyns, thank you we're having a ball at the minute !!
will do a more thorough write up when i get home.

Hello Mike, Thuderbolt is a fine boat a tad heavy on the helm but am getting to grips with that now thanks.

Regards

Jona

If the Dr tells you to have only one drink a day:-

Don't ask him how big the glass should be !!

smurfett

Oct-11-2009 @ 9:07 PM

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Hi Jona,

Glad to hear your enjoying urself, and looking forward to the write up.

Cheers

Annie

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Jona

Oct-26-2009 @ 7:28 PM

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Evening Everyone.

Right, I said I would attempt a tale on our return so here goes !!

Having cruised to Reedham on Saturday afternoon we moored up with the help of the quay ranger outside the Lord Nelson for the night. He explained that there would be a 2ft fall in the river level overnight and showed us how to tie up accordingly. We had a few beers in the Nelson (decent pub) and went back to the boat. The boys (4 legged variety) were waiting for us, eager for a walk and some tea so we went for a stroll around the local area and back for something to eat. Having had a long first (fantastic) day we turned in and slept like a pair of newborns.

Awoke around 7am on Sunday morning with a little trepidation as to how much the river had dropped overnight, only because it may have proven difficult to get Murphy (Ridgeador) off the boat for his morning constitutional  !!  I needn’t have worried as it was only just over a foot different so off we went along the previous night’s route in reverse.

With safe passage through Gt Yarmouth at 9.30 we wanted to get away onto Breydon in good time to get up The Bure and start our exploration of the Northern rivers !  So, I started the engine up after the daily checks and pulled out the button on the throttle to rev it through 1000rpm as instructed. This was to be the cause of our demise of the day (all will be revealed in due course)

So with the sun shining and the roof back we prepared to cast off, a kind elderly gent from the boat moored in front offered to give us a hand as the river was running very fast, my wonderful wife and crewmate JoJo66 took care of the Bowline and the gent looked after the stern line.

With the bowthruster I moved the bow away from the quay heading and pointed it towards the middle of the river, the gent then handed the stern line to Jo and I eased the throttle forward to pull away from the quay. NO POWER !! What’s happening? Too late ! the river now had full control of the boat and try as I might I couldn’t get any steering control whatsoever. I looked down at the throttle and then it dawned    the button was not spring loaded as I thought and was still stuck out therefore providing no drive to the prop  Bugga !!

So deftly pushed the button home by which time Thunderbolt had drifted sideways on into the stern of the kind gent who helped us cast off. No damage done except to my pride and a profusion of apologies later I straightened her up and headed for Breydon !!

We crossed Breydon Water without any problems and turned up the Bure, we were heading for Potter to see if there was any chance of getting under the following day. Lots of tight twists and turns on the lower Bure but once past Stracey Arms mill I began to relax and enjoy myself. Stopped off at Stokesby to give the boys a run about for half an hour and it was onwards towards Acle. Spotted a few herons along this stretch of the river and with the sun now fully up and about it was just magical.

Fingers are aching so I’ll leave it there for now, hope I haven’t bored the pants off you all.
More to follow

Regards to all

Jona   Smile

HarryDaTiger

Oct-27-2009 @ 8:07 AM

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Keep going.... looking forward to more. First time accounts are definitely my fave, by far the most interesting Wink

I for one have done the neutral button thing... just the once luckily no-one was watching

H

daveyboi2050

Oct-27-2009 @ 1:07 PM

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saw you a few times jona once at reedham on the first day and another was you were just heading out of wroxham and i was heading into....glad to see you had a nice holiday

CHEERS
DAVEYBOI

Jona

Nov-03-2009 @ 3:24 PM

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Hi all, had a bit of time today so thought I would write a little more.

Heading for Acle bridge that afternoon was great, the weather was fine and bright and by now both of us were really getting into ‘Relax Mode ‘  !!!

We arrived at Acle to find only one mooring spot left, right in front of the bridge, so we aimed for that one!  Didn’t do too badly came alongside nice and steady against the river and Jo steps off with the bowline, only to discover the state of the mooring rings on the quay heading ! No wonder the space was free  !!!!!!!

We made the best of a bad do and stopped for an hour to run the dogs and decided we would moor at Luddham Bridge for the night. Made a mental note to try the Bridge at Acle on another day.

So we made our way round to Luddham, this was going to be our first Bridge where we may have to open the roof and drop the windscreens so we got ourselves prepared. As we turned up the Ant I immediately noticed how much tighter the bends were so slowed right down to just 2-3 mph. Good job I did for as we rounded the corner a little ways up the river there were Dredging barges moored up and a hire boat charging through at full tilt,  the workers shouting at him to slow down but they charged on regardless.

A few moments of reverse and a bow thruster adjustment left us almost stationary at the side of the river leaving room for Ben Hur and his boat enough room to get through, then off we went again through the barges and round the corner towards the Bridge Boatyard.

Noticed the bridge height gauge was showing over 8ft so we just slid down the roof and left the windows up, slowly past the moored boats before the bridge and round the corner to line her up to go under, not an easy thing to do with the bend just before the bridge but we managed ok and passed under with no problems, much to the dismay, no doubt, of the folks gathered on the bridge watching the boats !!

Lots of room to moor up at the far side, so pulled in and tied up for the night. Great place to take the dogs for a real run and let off some steam, so did just that for an hour or so and decided the Dog Inn was the order of the day, just for a few well earned beers you understand !!

Had a good few drinks and decided we would eat there too, as by now we couldn’t be bothered cooking !!
The meal arrived and was ok, nothing special just good honest home cooking, and the place was quite busy by now too. Had another few beers and turned in for the night, that walk by torchlight back to the boat made interesting by the most fantastic display of stars we have seen for a long time.

Dogs out for a last walk of the day and both slept like babies, again !!    Great stuff this Norfolk air, and no doubt the alcohol helped a wee bit too  !!!

Regards

Jona

sprint198

Jan-30-2010 @ 8:02 AM