About Us

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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Sunday 14 July 2019

Crikey that was close!

Finally a BBQ. Fat reduced pork sausages and veggie burgers. Yummy. shame about the chill in the air but hey ho I didn't have to do the cooking so ecstatic about that.


This morning a very lazy start. Decided to take a boat trip on the Broads which will be another waterway ticked off the list. Impossible to do with FS unless one is brave enough to come out at Kings Lyn from the river Ouse, onto the wash and back in at Great Yarmouth. Has it ever been done by narrowboat? Hmmm, I tell you this for nothing... WE won't ever be doing that! Anyway took a Broad Tour replica Paddle Steamer 'Vintage Broadsman' for a two-hour trip, visiting Wroxham Broad, Salhouse and onto the Horning Broad. A wicked North wind was blowing, chilly to say the least, and saw off the vast number of people sitting on the top open deck making them scuttle inside. We braved it out for the full two hours but by the time we arrived back, we had goosebumps on goosebumps! Once again we had not come prepared!!!

A brief glimpse of the sun at the beginning of the cruise.

Not long into the journey and the Captain had to almost come to a full stop. With the sailboats in full sail, one yachter nearly careered into the boat. It tacked just at the last minute but it could have been nasty. I expect the Captain of Vintage has been there and done it all before and probably wasn't fazed in the least.


Didn't even appear to be looking!
Sod that for a game of soldiers. Not for me thank you very much!
Norfolk Wherry

Too blooming cold for one of those!

Outrages fees. Very few Free mooring sites and we were told you even had to pay £5 for water!

Plenty of money about, me thinks

Back at the CC site (yes we paid for an extra night) and we moved pitches to be away from surrounding trees. Had no TV at all last night (No Casualty...how can I live without that?) and I DO NOT want the same thing happening tonight!

Such a quiet and rural site. We are the only ones on the field tonight.
And wildlife,




Grebe juvenile

And adult

2 comments:

Dave Ward said...

"I expect the Captain of Vintage has been there and done it all before and probably wasn't fazed in the least"
I'm sure you're right! It's all very well sail having "right of way", but only a fool would argue with a large river cruiser - and yet they do. It's not as if Wroxham Broad doesn't give them plenty of room to play in! I've been along that stretch of river many times and know what it's like, particularly when a Wherry is the one doing the tacking - they take up the full width of the river! The real problem is holiday makers on their first outing who have NO idea about yachts, and will try and overtake if you slow down to give way.

It's NEVER too cold for an Ice Cream! The shortage and cost of moorings is becoming a serious problem, and the Broads Authority "Quango" get regular criticism for not doing enough about it. And yes, there IS plenty of money about...

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Now Dave... you and Ian make a good pair. He also agrees with you about the Ice Cream. (:

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