Travel
Get the best from the Broads
With overseas holidays increasing in costs there are plenty of
opportunities for a holiday closer to home - and where better than the Broads.
John Lawson tells us more.
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Love
nature? Love the water? Love East Anglia? Well what could be better than
a boating holiday on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads?
“But I’ve never driven a boat,” you cry. “I know
nothing of knots (of the speed nor rope variety). And what about all that
‘power giving way to sail’ stuff?”
Well, the fact is that helming a boat is a very restful, not to say therapeutic
way to spend your time and by following a few simple ground rules you will
come to very little harm in your walking-pace time afloat.
Not only that, but with overseas holidays now comparatively expensive
thanks to the strength of the Euro, there could hardly be a better time
than now to give it a try.
Probably the easiest place to start is by checking out the websites of
the two principal booking agents Hoseasons and Blakes, or by picking up
their brochures at your local travel agent. Or you could cut out the middle
man with companies like Norfolk Broads Direct and GoBoatingUK.com, of Wroxham.
All have every kind of craft available, from sleek sports boats which are
ideal for a couple through to 50ft cruisers which have enough room for two
families to share the experience.
So here are our Top Tips for getting the most out of your waterborne holiday.
Don’t skimp on space
Boat descriptions will say “suitable for two to four” or “four
to six” for example, but unless you’re on a very tight budget
assume the lower number is the optimum.
Boats can get pretty cosy if you fill them to capacity and it can become
irksome when those extra two sleeping spaces are achieved only by converting
the dining table into a berth.
Better yet, if there are two of you, consider hiring a boat advertised for
four, and if you’re a family or four, consider one with berths for
six – you’ll appreciate the extra room and it will give crew
of different ages and interests their own space to call their own.
Don’t
think you’ll be ‘roughing it’
Boatyards these days understand that hirers expect all the comforts of home
(and then some) aboard their boat.
That means you’ll find cabins with bathrooms (known as “the
heads”) en-suite, plasma screen TVs, i-Pod and MP3 player connections,
quality hi-fi systems with CD and DVD players, video games consoles for
the grandchildren, full central heating and air conditioning.
In the kitchens (that’ll be the galley!) you’ll find domestic-sized
cookers, fridges and microwaves and there will either be a generator or
at least on-shore electric hook-up so you can bring your own hair and beauty
products to plug into the ‘mains’.
Get back to nature
Despite all the mod cons quoted above, one of the best things about a boating
holiday is the closeness to nature.
The Broads is a wildlife haven and improved water quality across the area
means creatures like otters and water voles are no longer a rare sight.
You’ll be kept so busy with the binoculars – investing in a
pair is a must if you don’t already have some – you’ll
barely have time to think about that next episode of your favourite soap!
There are also many great Broadland traditions to enjoy from the river
like its many windmills and crafts such as reed cutting.
To make your holiday an environmentally-friendly occasion, ask about boats
running on bio-diesel, a fuel made of recycled vegetable oil, which is much
safer for marine life and produces minimal emissions. Electric boating options
are restricted at present to day boats, but more and more private craft
are being converted to battery power.
Don’t rush
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to try to travel too far in
any one day. The whole pleasure in boating is to take your time!
It can take a day or two to get used to travelling at walking pace but it
will enable you to see your surroundings through new eyes.
Villages you drove through in a flash look altogether different from the
water and can be appreciated in all their glory. Don’t be tempted
to turn the holiday into an expedition: “We must get to Horning by
nightfall, so we’ll be setting off at six.”
That way you can explore all the surprise discoveries you make along the
way.
n Don’t be afraid to ask
Boaters are a sociable bunch. There are around 10,000 privately-owned craft
registered on the Broads and the owners of each of them like nothing better
than talking about them!
They also enjoy passing on their not-inconsiderable knowledge of boating
and appreciation of their environment. If you need advice about tides, mooring,
encountering other boats and caring for the waterways as you use them, they
will only be too glad to assist.
Safety first
Your boatyard should provide you with all the practical tips and safety
advice for your first voyage at the pre-handover test sail. Boats are fundamentally
easy to drive, with only forward and reverse to worry about. Even a craft
40ft long or more should offer few problems if you just take your time.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions to ensure that when you are handed
the helm you feel confident you can manoeuvre the craft. There’ll
be a handbook on board with lots more tips and information. Take time to
read it.
Most hire cruisers are now fitted with bow thrusters which will move the
front (bow) of the boat sideways. This is a very useful tool when it comes
to mooring or leaving a mooring, particularly when it’s windy.
You should be provided with a lifejacket for each member of crew –
always wear it when you are on deck.
Rules of the river
There are just a handful of rules to help ensure you never get into problems
at the helm. Always pass other powered craft to the right and when boats
are coming towards you, your port sides (left hand sides) should be adjacent.
Don’t speed – the wash you create damages the banks and will
upset anglers and other boaters – and slow down even more when passing
moored craft.
Look at the direction the river is flowing and always come into your mooring
against the flow – you will always be in control of the boat this
way. Have crew ready at the bow and stern to step ashore (never jump!) to
tie up.
Other boaters will always help you as you come in – just ask them
to catch a line. Perhaps the most disturbing thing for new boaters is encountering
sailing craft which are tacking (travelling backwards and forwards across
the river against the wind) – slow right down and when they tack away
from you that is the moment to make your move to pass them.
But watch for their signals, they will help you. Manoeuvring is all about
being positive but doing things gently. Don’t rush it.
Finding facilities
There are boatyards, marinas and free 24-hour Broads Authority moorings
throughout the area, many with toilet and shower facilities.
In addition, most riverside pubs will allow you to moor overnight for a
small fee which can then be redeemed against food or drinks at the bar.
When it comes to drinking, remember that water and alcohol is a potentially
dangerous combination. You need a “designated driver” just as
much on the river as you do on the roads. But there are some very good pubs
and restaurants to enjoy adjacent to the river which will add another dimension
to your holiday.
Moderation is the key.