Based at Archers Touring Park, Reedham Ferry, Norfolk

10 Wanderers gathered in Norfolk over the bank holiday weekend at the start of May to explore the southern rivers of the Norfolk Broads from the ideal location of Reedham Ferry, just to the East of Norwich on the River Yare.

Travelling from near and far most tried to arrive on the Friday evening, however, a crash on the A11 / A14 lead to much frustration and delay.

Day 1 Reedham to Breydon Water

Mustering on the hardstand next to the chain ferry at 10:00 the crews introduced themselves and took stock of the conditions, a good SE breeze and bright sunshine. This suggested that the New Cut down to join the Waveney at St Olaves would be an upwind struggle and as we didn’t intend to launch until 12:00 we looked for a short trip for day 1. Attention turned to Breydon water, allowing us largely to reach there and back. Once the programme for the day was agreed several crews departed for Reedham quay to purchase boat licenses from the welcoming warden in his garden shed on the quay. Charges are usually increased for motor powered vessels but the warden kindly sold us sailing licenses at £15 a piece. A complication for our departure from Reedham ferry was the opening of the Reedham swing bridge that carried the railway from Norwich to Lowestoft across the river Yare. Enquries at the warden’s hut, confirmed by VHF radio comms with the signalman, revealed that the bridge generally swung open at 20 past the hour and closed at around quarter to. This information suggested we delay our departure until a little after 12:00 so that the falling tide wouldn’t sweep us down onto a closed bridge and it was arranged that Andy Peter, former Cruising Secretary with local knowledge from previous visits to the broads, would lead and I would bring up the rear.

The fleet cleared the quay without problems, passed the busy little chain ferry immediately downstream and headed off to clear the swing bridge. By the time the whole fleet of 9 boats for the day had cleared the slipway and got under way the time was slipping away and I was somewhat worried that I wouldn’t get through the rail bridge before it closed at quarter to.

What further worried me was that with a reefed mainsail I was totally becalmed under the wind shadow of the bridge itself and could see that there was considerable current flowing diagonally across the channel through the bridge. Keeping to the up current side, thinking the current would carry me across to the other side, proved to be a mistake. I was completely becalmed and left out of control, managing somehow to get caught in an eddy and ram the up current side of the bridge a couple of times before being carried through. I’m sure the bridge keeper must be kept entertained throughout the summer by various calamitous attempts to transit his bridge!

Passing the entrance to the New Cut, a dead straight narrow section of dyke that joins the Yare to the Waveney we began our passage down the Yare to a planned stop at the Berney Arms pub at the entrance to Breydon Water some 3 miles away. The river was wide, the current was with us and the wind gentle, so we passed a happy hour or so winding our way towards our lunch. Some even spotted a seal in the river.

The lowland areas of the broads were historically drained by wind powered water pumps, many of which remain, next to their ugly modern electric pump houses.

The sails and towers look like classic windmills, however adjacent to each tower was the housing for the water lifting wheel that carried the water up to the higher level of the river driven by the sails of the mill.

Arriving at the Berney Arms with the ebb still running hard out into Breydon the fleet started addressing the problem of coming alongside a tall weedy quayside on a lee shore with the tide running by at a good few knots.

My first attempt was down tide and disastrous, unable to de-power the main as the boom was caught by the quay wall, I was carried for about 50 yards bumping along the piles unable to stop or climb away from the wall until I struck the mooring line of a cruiser already on the quay. Much embarrassed shuffling of lines around my forestay had me swept down the side of the cruiser and back into the river. Other crews had chosen the correct up-tide approach and were climbing the weedy ladders to grab a beer at the isolated pub, however chastened by my first attempt and worried about how I would get off the leeward quay a second time I took to the muddy windward shore and threw an anchor ashore to take lunch in glorious isolation.

By the time lunch had been eaten and beer drunk the ebb was fading and several boats elected to explore the open waters of Breydon before returning up river.

Breydon is the open stretch of water before Great Yarmouth, made famous in Arthur Ransome’s Coot Club as the place where the heroes in sailing yacht Teasel and dinghy Titmouse were caught out in the fog and ran onto the mud on the ebb tide and were nearly caught by the ‘Hullabaloos’ in their noisy motorboat, who rammed a channel post and sank their boat requiring rescue by their enemies… No such drama today, but a keen wind and some bright sailing.

As the tide turned the fleet made its way back up the Yare towards Reedham to pull ashore and pack up for the night. On the return journey we saw many birds including herons and Marsh Harriers.

Day 2 – Reedham Ferry to Rockingham Broad

Day 2 brought continuing benign SE winds and bright sunshine so the New Cut plan was again abandoned in favour of a trip up the River Yare towards Norwich, with the aim of making Rockingham broad for lunch.

An earlier start following the 10:00 briefing allowed us to ride the flood tide up the river.

A strong current, lee shore and busy quay made the departure from Reedham a struggle, boats being carried along the quay into moored vessels before being able to gain an offing and some boats got rather intimately involved with motor cruisers moored alongside. The fleet broke up as those afloat sailed on up the river and those still ashore carefully planned their departures under sail or engine to avoid the now rather ruffled motor cruiser owners…

The trip up river passed the entrance to the River Chet (tomorrow’s destination) and then the enormous Cantley sugar beet factory.

Those in the lead were welcomed at a very friendly sailing club for tea while the rest caught up and then the fleet proceeded to Rockingham broad for lunch.

Entering by the southern dyke the fleet sailed into the broad and turned hard to starboard to run into the reeds and enjoy a quiet picnic in good company surrounded by reeds and bird song.

Following lunch the fleet departed Rockingham Broad via the narrow northern entrance which involved a tricky beat but the ebbing tide helped carry the boats back to the Yare.

Running under full sail the fleet made good time back past Cantley to Reedham Ferry for the night.

Day Three – Reedham to Loddon
With many people planning a long journey home in the evening the Monday cruise was chosen to provide a picturesque but short route, up the narrow and winding river Chet to Loddon Quay. A reduced fleet of 6 boats made their way under full sail the short distance up the Yare to the entrance to the Chet on the port bank.

The narrow river was busy with motor cruisers and was mostly downwind meaning frequent gybes were required and several close encounters between mainsheet and channel posts on the banks of the river. Calling out to following dinghies to warn them of approaching cruisers we sailed peacefully up the river to find a wonderful little quay at Loddon and eat our lunches ashore.

With the narrowness of the channel, frequency of motorcruisers and direction of the wind no one elected to sail back out and those without engines sought a tow from those who had brought an engine with them.

Back at reedham by about 3:00 the fleet came ashore and de-rigged ready for the long drag home.

A wonderful weekend blessed by great weather and beautiful rivers. Many thanks to Andy Peter for the suggestion of the destination and for providing the knowledge and experience of the area.

Attendees were:

W198 Salt Peter Andy Peter
W1527 MissT Wendy and Graham Davis
W1534 Jules 2 Douglas and Adam Bowen
W1447 Niall and Sue Doherty
W980 Quay Dancer 2 David Hewitt and Lorraine Kindley
W70 Richard and Christine Bend
W413 Wanderer Alan and Justin Jenkins
W1163 Dotterel Colin, Sally and Ellen Gilbert
W1038 Joshua Slocum Max and Tim Robertson
W571 Jazzin’ Around Chris Partington

Photos by David Hewitt and Douglas Bowen