Sealegs.

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Back home and on the Broads for the first time in what must be couple of years, I guess. Seemed really quiet to me, (the boat hire companies must be struggling). Even on a beautiful day we virtually had the place to ourselves. Makes for a better trip that way, so it was good news for us and I expect good news for the Broads too. Don't think I've ever seen terns diving on them before, or as many lily pads, so, maybe less traffic and the long running clean-up process really has improved the water quality. Things seem miles better than they did during the 80's, anyway, so make the most of it before the sea comes crashing in and ruins everything again.

Left Hoveton at 9.30am with the Morgs and Indge in tow and a half decent weather forecast for once. Should have put a bit of sunscreen on as things turned out to save faintly burnt chaps, but you don't feel like you've had a British summer unless you come home on at least one occasion with slightly (irresponsibly) damaged skin. It's amazing how long you can live in a place and not really know it: all the dykes and houses on the waterfront give you a totally different impression of Wroxham. For a pig-ugly village, it's actually quite pretty from the water, (right up until the point you see Hotel Wroxham and the old impressions come flooding back). There are some serious properties down there and more seem to be going up all the time. Most of the smaller bungalows and old boat sheds have come down to be replaced by massive two storey things with thatched roofs and boat houses. A lot of money has gone into the whole system of late and it's no longer looking as shabby as it once was. Whether that's a good thing or not I'll leave up to you.

Meandered our way east, through Horning and all the way up to Thurne Mouth, before turning around and putting a mud weight down on South Walsham broad for a bit of lunch. Embarrassingly, we had a job turning the engine off (keep that to yourself), so the picnic was accompanied by a less than gentle rumble and the delicate aroma of diesel fumes. It takes more than that to stop us from enjoying our food, so we battled on in the fashion you've come to know and love, only to figure out what to do just as the last gob full was making its way south. Ho-hum.

Stopped off at Ranworth on the way back and couldn't get over how much the trees have grown up around it: you could barely see the church a lot of the time. Still a great place to spend some time though. Think it's my favourite broad of the lot to be honest, and, with the sun out, it looked pretty special.

Just had time to go up to Wroxham bridge on the way back, which looked really weird from that side of the river. That whole section in fact seemed strange, basically because it somewhere I never go. A lot more houses down there than you'd imagine and a real tangle of dykes and waterways.

A great day all in all, even if half the crew couldn't keep their eyes open. There’s something practically enjoyable about childishly waving at every passing boat and then bitching about the miserable gits who don’t at least smile back. One of life’s real pleasures. Wish we'd had you with us La La. Would have been perfect then. You’d’ve been bored rigid though!

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Photos

Windmill.
Could be a windpump of course. Don't want emails telling me I'm wrong on such an important point.

A chimp.
Yes, they did let me steer for 5 minutes. Stopped me for explaining my killer idea for a Broadland zombie film properly though. Don't know what's wrong with the world somedays.

All gets too much for Indge.
And he gets some much needed beauty sleep.