| We bought our Snapdragon 747 at the Scottish Boat Show, with the intention of building our confidence in sailing, after a few experiences of hiring the fantastic Broads Yachts. We had also owned a small motor boat on the Broads a few years earlier - we knew and loved the area – so in November 2000 we had her moved overland to Cox’s Boatyard on the edge of Barton Broad with easy access to the river system and a number of villages and pubs. |
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The safe environment on the Broads has meant that our confidence, skills and experience have greatly improved. Apparently Barton Broad was where Nelson learned to sail. We have met lots of very friendly and helpful boat owners and local Norfolk folk – great advice, ideas and information to help us find our way.
The Broads and some of the rivers are shallow but with a bilge keel this has presented few problems – apart from an unlucky incident when we ended up with an old sleeping bag around the propeller resulting in an expensive tow and lift out of the water to get it untangled.
We have had 7 fabulous years sailing on the Norfolk Broads, We have been restricted by low bridges which we need to bring the mast down to negotiate – not an easy task – so we have spent our time in a 10 mile radius of the Broad and the surrounding rivers. |
The best bits have been –
- Sailing from the mooring – for half-hour or all afternoon – so quick and easy to get on with the fun bits
- Learning to dodge all of the other boats out on the busiest weekends, including huge Broads yachts, children in tiny corals, people of all ages (and dogs) in canoes and kayaks, huge plastic hire tubs, the solar powered tour boat “Ra” and the steam boats as well as fishermen in boats and on the banks.
- The micro-climate – waking up after spending a warm summer night moored on the Broad to stunning blue skies, sunrise on the water…… so quiet
- And the fabulous misty mornings – especially in the Spring
- Big skies great sun sets, moon rises, fabulous starry nights and beautiful dawn light.
- Peace and Quiet – many of the rivers and broads are inaccessible from the land – very little road traffic noise – but there are hire boats to rock you about at busy times
- The walks into Miss Marple country just a few hundred yards from the waterways
- Watching expert broads yacht sailors in the organized races at Bank Holdiays– fabulous boats dodging each other – and the huge plastic hire boats that dare to get in their way
- Grebes, kingfishers, herons, swans, all sorts of ducks and geese, dragonflies, bittern noises (if not the birds themselves)
- Being able to supermarket shop from the boat - mooring up on Stalham village green and wandering across the main road to the supermarket
- Dinner – or a drink – in one of the many pubs on the rivers with free 24 hour moorings so there’s plenty of recovery time!
- Having the Broad to ourselves for winter sails
- Trying to avoid the regular outpourings of new boat hirers from Stalham every Saturday afternoon – but good to see the variety of different groups and individuals who obviously love the water and boating – all shapes and sizes – boats and people
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What we won’t miss is the long drive from Sheffield to the Broads – the roads haven’t got any longer in the past 7 years but increased traffic has made the journey just too long for weekends away. We are now moving up to the Lake District for a new adventure – and really looking forward to what is in store for 2008
Barbara N + Stuart D
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