Heading North (From the Orwell)

[C08]

Thanks for that interesting read L Rascal and the photos-hoping to venture to E Coast and up to Wells this summer for the first time and comments about GY enlightening!

 

[ianc1200]

We took our Cornish Crabber onto the Broads last summer & also found the lack of facilities astonishing. Chemical toilet/Elson disposal points few and far between/closed on Sundays/don't exist anymore although marked in the guide. For this year it's reported rubbish disposal facilities are being withdrawn. Also in two weeks of cruising didn't come across a proper chandlery, most were gift shops. Definitely not small sailing boat friendly.

 

[Little Rascal]

Definitely not small sailing boat friendly.

Well it depends how you look at it, in many ways the Broads is the perfect small sailing boat friendly destination, but you do need to be independent in the 'bowel department' as it were! Good passage planning

It's a strange mixture of commercialism (the yards are friendly but small private boats are not where their profits or priorities lie!), yobbishness amongst a certain type of boat hiring visitor and yet has the most genteel sailing heritage and culture too.

Its definitely worth a visit but it has its challenges

Great Yarmouth presented me with no problems navigationally, in fact it proved to be a port of refuge. I had discounted it as a destination due to all the warnings but this was a mistake if I'm being candid. I should have had it in my passage plan as an alternative to Lowestoft, especially as I now know how unpleasant the Yarmouth Roads can get in F5-6 wind against tide! As it was, a quick call to Humber Coastguard to confirm tides (I couldn't leave the helm by then) and I scooted in no problem. There is an awful lot of tide running through GY (never seen my warps under such strain!) and the quayside presents a challenge, but I should have considered it as an option.