Breydon Regatta adventure!

Last weekend (9/10 August) was Breydon Regatta. 

According to Wikipedia “Breydon Water is a large stretch of sheltered estuary at Great Yarmouth in the English county of Norfolk. It is at the gateway to the The Broads river system on the eastern edge of Halvergate Marshes. It is the UK's largest protected wetland. It is 5 km long and more than 1.5 km wide in places.”

We had not attended this regatta before as it was quite a long journey by water and with tides and the Great Yarmouth bridges to contend with it hadn’t been convenient.  However, the railway runs between Norwich and Great Yarmouth and some trains stop at the Berney Arms station. The Berney Arms pub is set below sea level and has no public road to it, being approached by water or rail (a short tramp over fields from the station).

The train times fitted quite well for the regatta so we decided to make the journey on the Saturday.  A 6.00 am alarm call woke us to a breezy but sunny day and having packed a bag with essentials (waterproofs, cameras, drinks) the night before we drove to Reedham where we were to get on the 7.55 am train for the six minute journey to Berney Arms.

Rail ticket

There were two other passengers getting off at Berney Arms and, on chatting to them as we picked our way across the fields, we discovered that we knew each other from contact through the www.threeriversrace.org.uk website which I helped set up!  We had never met before – small world!  They had been invited to crew on a river cruiser.

Busy moorings

The moorings were full of boats with signs of activity as we arrived.  There were a lot of blurry-eyed people emerging from their boats and we quickly gathered that a good night had taken place in the pub and some had been disturbed by the very heavy rain during the night, as we had!

The pub was already open for breakfast and we were glad of coffee and toast.  Under new ownership, the staff were friendly and helpful and the pub was spotless. We planned to return at lunchtime to sample the menu.

A number of friends came to say hello and discuss the weather conditions which were quite windy but sunny with intermittent cloud.  The skipper was approached to see if he would like to crew on one of the river cruisers but a decision was eventually made not to sail.  He wasn’t too upset as it would have been hard work!

We were introduced to the people who were running the race (Officer of the Day and Timekeeper) and they very kindly offered us a lift on their motor boat down on to Breydon Water.

Race briefing

After the briefing, we set off from the moorings and came in to moor on the platform where the Start Line would be.  All hands were needed to secure the boat in the strong tide and wind.  We could get on to the land from there and walk back to the pub if necessary.

Race start

Safety Boat

The Safety Boat was racing around setting the buoy markers and shortly after we tied up and had coffee, the boats started coming out for the start of the race.  The majority of them had reefs in as the wind was gusting quite strongly.

The friends we had met on the train appeared after a while and told us that the crew on the river cruiser had been “double booked”.  They didn’t mind too much as having been sailing at Horning all the previous week they were quite tired. They sat down with us to spectate and take photos.

The scenery across the marshes was beautiful, with a lovely “Norfolk sky” setting it off.

  

The marker buoy for the bottom end of Breydon was a long way down and with the tide running out fast and the wind blowing down the estuary, the boats were taking a while to get back up to the top.

Racing

Small blue

I walked along the bank trying to get some snaps of the numerous butterflies but they kept getting blown away!

One of the spectators near us was watching the race at the far end of Breydon through binoculars and suddenly said “Raisena’s broken her mast!”  We were all horrified and watched as the safety RIB raced down to help.

Safety RIB

Raisena sailing

Raisena demasted

A sad sight as she made her way back to the moorings with her sail in bits as well (the crew apparently had to deliberately cut the sail to release the bits).  Someone commented that it looked as if she had a junk rig - in both meanings of the word!

We were delighted to be invited to lunch on the Committee Boat, with a glass of wine as well – very hospitable!

The course for the second race was shortened with the buoy being brought further up the estuary, as it was still fairly breezy and the tide was running out fast.

There were one or two other incidents, the next major one being Dragonfly breaking her mast, virtually as she eased off after crossing the finishing line. 

Dragonfly sailing

Crossing finishing line - mast cracking

Mast broken

Another boat had a ripped sail and one just managed to avoid disaster …..

Pandora 3

All in all, an exciting day but also a sad day to see the damage, despite all precautions being taken.

We had to leave before the end of the second race to catch the train back to Reedham at 17.54 so walked back to the pub for a drink before heading off across the fields to the station, which was actually just a raised platform.  There were quite a number of other people waiting for the train, having walked from either Great Yarmouth (5.5 miles) or Reedham (also 5.5 miles) and the train was packed with people, probably either returning from a day out in Great Yarmouth or going into Norwich for the evening.

We were back at our boat in South Walsham by just after 18.30, glowing from a day in the sun and wind.  A lovely, really enjoyable day meeting lots of very nice people and enjoying some exciting sailing.  We would certainly do it again next year.

Details of the Yare Sailing Club, who hosted the race are here www.yaresailingclub.org.uk/details/details.asp

…. and some more photos taken by us are here www.flickr.com/photos/ladylouise2/sets/

A good year for butterflies

Everyone is talking about what a good year it's been for butterflies and I have been lucky enough to snap more than two this year.  

I'm quite pleased with what I've seen so far in 2014 and thought other people might like to see the variety too.

Maniola jurtina - Meadow Browns

Anthocharis cardamines - Orange Tip

Aglais io - Peacock

Papilio machaon - Swallowtail

Aglais urticae - Small Tortoiseshell

I can now add another couple to the gallery.  Not sure of their names, but they're quite pretty.

Small blue

Small blue or common blue?

That car again!

A couple of weeks ago, the skipper said that my car was sounding a "bit fruity"!  I did suggest that perhaps he meant "throaty" but he just grinned.

I eventually found time to get it to the garage today and after it was taken away to put up on the ramp and be inspected, the lovely Diane came over and told me it was my cat.  I thought "it must be the neighbours' cat, as we haven't got one and OMG is it dead....?"  

Thankfully, before I opened my mouth, I suddenly realised she was talking about something called the catalytic converter which sounded seriously expensive to me. However, as I think I must have been helping to kill the environment for the last two or so weeks I have to bite the bullet and get it fixed!

8 July 2014

On the 8 July 1984 my son was killed in a car accident.  He was a back seat passenger in a car which was overloaded with youngsters and went out of control.  The other youngsters all survived with minor injuries.

He was 17 years and 9 months old when he died and even though it’s now 30 years since his death, he will always be loved and remembered by his family and friends.

A walk on the outskirts of Norwich city

Although I’ve lived in Norfolk for nearly forty years I’d never turned left down a lane on the outskirts of Norwich, which had intrigued me for many years.  I think at one time it was signposted to Eaton village but then become a ‘dead end’ road with access for cycles and walkers only.

I met a friend in Norwich today, intending to go for a walk at Whitlingham Country Park but when we set off I turned in the wrong direction!  I could have easily found my way back to our original destination but then my friend said she knew of a walk by the river and to my delight she directed me down this little lane which had intrigued me for so long!

There was a small car park so we got out and it was a journey of discovery for me, with the network of footpaths through fields and marshes, alongside the river (we debated which river it was and she felt it was the Tas whilst my instincts told me it was the Yare *)

Masses of butterflies and damsel flies were on the thistles and nettles along the footpath, which meandered by the crystal clear river. 

We came to a junction and my friend suggested we have a look at Keswick Mill which was well worth the detour.  What a beautiful spot just outside Norwich although the occasional train, probably heading towards Ely, and the distant hum of the by-pass told us that civilisation was only a short distance away.  Keswick Mill

Back up the path, across the railway line and we walked past Eaton Vale scout and guide activity centre and then on to the road which quickly led to Waitrose where we stopped for a welcome cup of coffee.

Back down the road, off to the right and we were back on to the footpaths and then it was a short trek across the slightly damp and marshy fields to the car park.

What a revelation for me and I really enjoyed it.  Will certainly be going again.  

Thanks Hilary!!

• I checked on Google Earth and it was the Yare, of which the Tas seems to be a tributary which runs south

How long will I live – do I want to know?

“Steve Webb, the pensions minister, says Government wants to provide pensioners with rough life expectancy guide to allow them to make better financial decisions.”

Won’t the Government be concerned that they run the risk of being sued if people die before the forecast time?  Not by the person who has had their life cut short, obviously, but by the family members who had certain expectations for their relations.

I was a bit bored today so decided to take a test on how long I was expected to live and it came out at 94 years, possibly 99 years!

A bit scary actually, but I’ll try and achieve it!

Oh how we laughed!

A good friend and I had lunch together last week and, as it was a nice day, after lunch we decided to drive to a pretty nearby village.

Before getting to the village we saw a sign advertising eggs for sale so drove up the lane to the farm and were met by an elderly chap and his four (or maybe five) dogs.

He told us that his wife dealt with the eggs and went off to ask her if she had any; in the meantime we noticed a box by the house wall with some cauliflower bits in it.

When the chap returned to say they had sold out of eggs, my friend asked him if he had any 'caulis'.  His response was “no, they’re spaniels”.  I don’t know how we kept straight faces and my friend spluttered “I know they’re spaniels, I meant cauliflowers”.

We’re still laughing about this, nearly a week later.