Boating on the Broads

Now here is something different for you, as I am going on holiday to the Norfolf Broads, Boating and Fishing for a week, I thought I would tell you all about it before I go.

After a lot of thought I decided to go Mon/Mon instead of the old favourite Sat/Sat. The reasons for this are quite obvious:

• financial 25% off plus extra10% out of season (before 15th July)
• no Sat. que up the main roads, then hang around till 5pm until what seems like every other cruiser is cleaned fitted and ok. Why is it you are always the last or there is some slight fault that only Jo who is so very busy can fix
• plenty of time to go to local shop to stock up on essentials, i.e. beer, fags, a box of crisps, a pack of playing cards (its dark 10pm to 4am)and of course fishing bait
• when you leave the yard mon pm. the river is always empty the Lemmings were back on Sat.

Now the great thing about your boat on a Monday afternoon is you can then cruise down the river at a relaxing pace knowing that you have got between 6 and 7 hours to find a good spot to move overnight before the long trek to the Southern Waters a good 8 hour crawl from Acle.

As stated previously The Southern Waters compared to the North are quite desolate of life. Long stretches of waterway dotted with the very occasional village and hardly anywhere to stop this part of the broads has hardly been developed. Though one must say that over the last few years great strides have been taken to remedy this, and it is starting to show. Especially with the new bird sanctuary and the connection canal saving a 3 hour journey on the Norwich, Oulton Broad trip. And yes lets mention Norwich East Anglia's capitol city, lovely place but how many people who regularly cruise the Broads actually go there as part of their holiday. My estimate would be about 1%, yes as low as that. the river is not the best condition the fishing basically does not exist above about8oz. And the chances of having your hire boat vandalised high. You have to come back down to the sugar factory before things improve, at least there is a nice pub there, where you can get a hot meal, do some decent Tench fishing and no charges for parking. After that things improve. About 4 miles after the sugar factory on the right hand side there is a little (looks hardly used) turning. If you want a good overnight stop-over point this is it. You will have to follow it its whole length mainly because that is where you are going, but more importantly you cant turn round its too narrow to turn.

But when you get there what a pleasant surprise

There before you is an ideal little watering hole. Well not so little. it is a small town actually, it does not like it from where you move, it is a 1/4mile hike to the shops. But when get there there is every facility you could ask for: Chippy, Chinese, Supermarket, pubs, betting shop. Well you name it its there great. As well as the normal town facilities in the middle of nowhere they have full facilities for your cabin cruiser.