Some early morning fishing with Debbie at her request on a warm and sunny day but then some trouble finding a Wayford Bridge boat yard willing to sell fuel on a Sunday! Better luck spotting the old man with the stick that witnessed our boat damage and to successfully note his details as a witness and then back down the Ant, past a very busy Ludham Bridge and on up the Bure to Womack Water for a very good Sunday Lunch at ‘Aaron’s Nook’ cafe above the Ludham Stores. The afternoon cruise to Potter Heigham and still not enough headroom for a passage. An onward trip on The Little Lady under this problem bridge and up the Thurne to Horsey just in time to climb Horsey Mill and to walk across the dunes to the beach but with our push chair being the sad casualty and then just back in daylight to our mother ship The Lady at Potter Heigham.
Was half awake when Debbie came into my bunk and asked if we could go fishing at 6.00am and I agreed. We were soon out and, not having much luck at Gay Staithe, we loaded up the dinghy and rowed across the Ant to some stumps and reed opposite. Soon caught a roach each and I live-baited with one of them, but could not catch a pike. The day started how it continued, which was a warm and sunny one for a change. Back to the rest of the family for breakfast and then washed and dressed in time to fend off a neighbouring hire craft before we, ourselves, were ready to go. We had the sliding roof back, but the day was windy as well as warm and I had to watch the windscreens in the gusts. Stopped at Wayford Bridge to fill up with water and get petrol for Daniel. Strange how these boatyards seem almost reluctant to open and serve fuel at weekends, but I suppose that they are too preoccupied with the hire craft. At How Hill we spotted the old man with a stick who was the witness to our boating incident and I quickly moored and took his name, address and phone number.
The Broads were very busy today. The cross breeze and bridge congestion at Ludham caused quite a few problems and we passed literally hundreds of craft with a dozen in view at any one time, as we pursued our cruise down the Ant and up the Thurne. Stopped at Womack Water and took Daniel's boat into Ludham and had a most lovely lunch at ‘Aaron’s Nook’ cafe above the stores. Steak and kidney pie and a mixture of three fresh vegetables and then apple and mincemeat pie and cream, both specialities for the day, to be what Diana described as the best Sunday lunch we had had in a long while. Secured supplies of essentials downstairs, then back to the staithe for the dayboat and some small bikinis for Di, Deb and Della to wear in the sunshine. I walked back and left a telephone message for the River Inspectors, giving details of our witness and asking for action to follow. Cruised on in even more congested waters to get to Potter Heigham Bridge at 2.30pm. We had missed the lowest point, which was probably not low enough for us anyway, and we decided to have one more try at midday tomorrow. Then we went on Daniel's boat for a trip and picnic to Horsey. The Thurne above Potter Heigham is much quieter and nicer and I took a video of our journey and time there. Just arrived in time to go up to the top of Horsey Mill and see the view and then walked across the fields to the sand dunes and beach. The girls paddled in the waves, but we only had quarter of an hour there before having to walk back. Daniel was very good with the pushchair, but was too enthusiastic getting up a bank on the way back and broke off a wheel, which has finished the pushchair completely. Cruised home in failing light across Horsey and Heigham, which were still as mill ponds, with the fishermen catching roach. I took a nice shower at the end of a very hot day and, after writing my journal, was very tired and ready for bed. No time to listen to any news tonight and I do not feel the loss.