Saturday 24 April 2010

Ludham Bridge to Potter Heigham

We woke to a lovely sunny morning and Hamish was soon out on duty …

and posing in front of the boat name …

A swan came gliding over hoping for some breakfast …

and Simon enjoyed a cuppa …

Back in the 1980’s when we holidayed on the Broads we always took a photo of Simon and Jamie at the mill near Ludham Bridge. As both boys were with us and it’s 25 years since the last photo we decided to take an up-to-date one. It was far more overgrown now and we couldn’t quite set it up as before but we did our best.

1985 …

2010 …

Whilst having a coffee and boat-watching we suddenly noticed a cormorant with an eel …




It was amazing to watch as it tried to swallow the eel and it finally succeeded!

It was now time to leave the mooring and go under the bridge …

With Simon at the helm …

we left the River Ant and turned down the River Bure where we saw our first goslings ...

Past St Benet’s Abbey …

and moored at Thurne Mouth …

We watched this lovely River Cruiser …

and then after coffee we left the moorings and went on downriver. Hamish made himself comfortable …

There were several yachts out on the water today …


We reached Acle Bridge passing the Bridge Stores …

and went on down to the moorings just below the Ferry Inn at Stokesby …

There were plenty of swans about …

After lunch we moved on again going back upriver past the Inn …

Simon was enjoying the trip …

and now it was Ozzie’s turn to get comfy …

Jamie was very relaxed on deck …

On reaching the River Thurne …

we turned up it and passed Thurne Dyke …

More yachts …


We were now making for Womack Water passing Hunter’s Yard …

and the shed with the wherries Albion and Maud …

A beautiful thatched cottage …

and then it was a stern-on mooring at the Staithe …

While we had a cuppa we watched the activities and along came three hire yachts from the yard at Upton. The first and second ones motored onto the mooring but the third one came flying in under sail …



It was then a quick manoeuvre to get the sails down and they came in under motor. They all went off for a pint and we left our mooring …

making our way up to Potter Heigham and the free moorings just below the bridge …

A couple of Hunter yachts arrived and moored to lower their masts before quanting under the bridge …







After supper the boys went to the pub for a pint or two!

3 comments:

Jo Anne said...

Love this - especially the before and after pictures with the 25 year age gap LOL x

mypilatescornwall said...

I want a boat now!!

Unknown said...

Wonderful shots! I first noticed your "cormorant vs. eel" photo series. So the cormorant really kept that huge eel down? Was it desperately wriggling as it was swallowed?! I just wonder if it had any chance of escaping its fate in the birds stomach. Keep it up!

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