Page published 14 October 2024
Monday 17 June 2024 - Background
Our boat is a Hampton Safari and since buying it I have been slowly collecting information and posting it on my new Hampton Safari History site. I see it as a companion to the Hampton Safari Boat Club site which has been running for more than a decade.
The club webmaster normally manages to organise two annual "Meets", one on the southern and another on the northern rivers of the Broads. Typically, twenty or more examples of the class will assemble at these events and I hoped attending one would be a good opportunity for me to collect more information and photographs for my site, so I arranged to attend the 2024 Salhouse Meet.
Unfortunately, Diana had other commitments so, for the first time, I travelled alone to the event.
Departing Wayford
It's 09:26 and, just after casting off from our "temporary" mooring at Wayford, I take what must sure become my regular first photo for any trip.
On leaving the dyke I turn downstream and less than five minutes later encounter my first moving boat.
By 09:39 I am still to reach Hunsett Mill and beginning to get the feeling this will be quite a busy trip.
Early morning is definitely not the time to get a good photo of Hunsett Mill
Beyond Hunsett Mill I skip taking photos for a while as the sun is beginning to move to the south at the same time as my route turns in that direction. Experience teaches you that much of the scenery becomes little more than a silhouette in conditions like that.
Irstead
I did hope this photograph, taken at 10:15, would provide a better view of the notice hidden behind the shrubbery. I know it says something about a holiday home.
Last October a friend pointed out that a caption I had to a photograph I included in My Log of the trip wasn't accurate. I had said "The Ice House" was a holiday let. He told me that it's new owner had refurbished it as his permanent home, but the work was funded by a new house built in the grounds that was to be a holiday let. We Passed By Again in May, when the holiday let sign was partially hidden. I had hoped that the vegetation would have been cleared by now.
It's another of the pictures of this stretch of bank I take repeatedly. That's because of the SeaHawk seen ashore here. It's the one I mention in the caption to the photo of "The Ice House" taken last October.
The next house down is Shoals Cottage, but I took this picture because it was another passing boat.
Passing How Hill
This is one of those pictures that I took thinking I could insert it into a past report. In this case it was the mooring we used on our hunt for a Pump-Out.
It's 10:36 and still too early in the day for a good shot of the wherry Hathor on her mooring by How Hill, but I was surprised to see more than the usual volunteer guides there.
Part of my reason for the surprise about the number of people clustered around Hathor was because the How Hill moorings were almost completely empty.
Half way between How Hill and Ludham Bridge I pass the outfall with signs warning you not to moor against it and I pass the first yacht of the day. I'm always disappointed when the weather is good they're not under sail.
From Ludham to Ant Mouth
Things get busy around Ludham and the boat I caught up goes still slower as it appears to be seeking a mooring.
Once through Ludham Bridge things get busier still. That's to be expected as most holiday makers don't rush to rise and get going. I love seeing sails over the trees. It's what makes the Broads so special.
At 11:19, by the pumping station just short of Ant Mouth, and a minute after the previous picture was taken, I pass a second yacht under sail.
I reach Ant Mouth at 11:22 and turn towards Horning. It's clear I wasn't going to make Salhouse by midday as I originally had hoped.
Passing through Horning
It's 12:03 as I reach the first of the continuous stretch of buildings in Horning.
For some reason I'm still taking pictures of Ferry Marina, when I've already decided I'm not going to use one to the report of when we called there for the pump-out and re-fuelling.
I just went snap-happy while passing through Horning. It's the first time I've been through it alone since my three attempts at the Three Rivers Race.
At least this is an image of something I've not taken before, one of the larger riverside properties...
...and then another, this one with a traditional style boat house.
Next there was Southgates Yard, as I still call it. This was the place we had intended to re-fuel and get our pump-out done the Last Time we were in Horning.
Right next door to the boatyard is the New Inn. We've eaten there a few times, and when I first moved to this side of the county would perform at Open Mic sessions here..
I always think of "Coot Club" and "The Big Six" when I pass by the village staithe at Horning. I didn't get round to reading Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons" books until I was in my twenties, but I re-read them from time to time to this day.
Finally, at 12:20, I reach the Swan Inn. Diana and I ate there on our Anniversary Cruise, memorable for the failing electrics and overheated engine.
Onward to Salhouse Broad
Once through the business of Horning, the river becomes quiet again.
It's 12:55 as I enter Salhouse Broad to find that I must be the last of the 18 HSBC member boats to arrive.
In spite of some forecasts the previous week that were suggesting the weather might not be perfect it remained dry through the Meet and was mainly sunny, with many of the attendee's spending their time sitting in clusters beside their boats on the bank as can be seen from the report of the event on the HSBC Site. Part way through the afternoon there was a little shuffle around, to leave a space for other boats to access the water tap on the mooring.
Club Administrator, David, had made people aware that I was attending the event, hoping to get the opportunity to collect information and photographs for my Hampton Safari History site. It didn't feel right to break into too many people's little groups and I didn't manage to speak to as many as I hoped I might be able to, but those I did were most accommodating.
One of the first couples I met were Liz and Tony, the owners of the boat launched as San Augustin 1 (L57), now called Veyatie. You'll realise the importance of seeing that boat if you know that Singing the Blues original name was San Augustin 2. Both were clearly fitted out by the same yard and, from the evidence gathered so far, that confirms that the yard fitted out its own Safari shells as they are significantly different to those fitted out by Hampton Boats Ltd.
Thanks must also go to Debbie and Steve of Sparcol (350F), Dave of Regal Safari (J663) and Mel and Shirley of Sapphire (G789)) all of whom invited me aboard.
It's 21:17 and, after submitting this image, the last of three submitted to BBC Weather Watchers today, I am about to settle down for the night.
Next, Greg returns from the Safari Owners Meet.