River & Chat: A Simple Blog

[@tonyp011]

Robin its great to see you back out on the river and on one of your boats, hope we get to see more of you in the future doing vlogs on the rivers, we cant wait for September as we have our second broads experience as we have hired from Richardson's again but got a bigger boat this time as we're having one of their pet friendly Broadsman boats for 2 weeks again, as our first experience was 2 weeks and we had Swan Radiance and we went over to the southern broads and will be doing that again, whats the best way to get to Horsey ? as I dont think Broadsman will get under Potter Heigham Bridge, is it worth while getting a day boat from Herbert woods?

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

Easy to get to Horsey by car. There is a paid car park and then just over the Dunes is the beach (and Seals). You can also visit the Wind Pump - further inshore by the river - and likely not open to go in during these times with social distancing etc, but a lovely place none the less. Then why not have a bit to eat by Hickling Broad at the Pleasureboat Inn

[@tomjxn]

My mate is a class 1 HGV driver and has been for a good twenty years. He absolutely loves it!

[@thiswan1]

It's fascinating to see how much clearance you have underneath always thought the Broads were deeper.

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

Far deeper on the southern rivers - at high tide around 25ft of water on Breydon in the main channel for example - yet on the Ant it may drop to just 5ft deep.

[@redvalley9]

Did you get a mains UK charger with yours? Mine’s just got a usb plug which I guess is for laptop or cigarette lighter.

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

I did yes - little step down charger. Looks alright but another set I bought you needed to use a ‘death-daptor’ and since I don’t want to end it all just yet use the 12v accessory lead to charge it

[@djsherz]

Is there anyone on the Broads that the Irstead lady HASN'T moaned at? :D

[@stevesrepairs3815]

Thanks Robin for another very interesting and informative vlog and it's like old times with you criticizing your own character which I always laughed at, lol. Take care and all the best. Stevie

[@matthew-fx5tk]

great to see you back

[@alismith6353]

Good luck with your career change mate. I have a friend who has been an aircraft engineer for almost 30 years, who decided to get his HGV license and he hasn’t looked back since and is really enjoying it. Let us know how you get on 👍

[@David-ln5zu]

Thanks for the update on the situation on the Ant, and the volume of boats on the northern broads. Thinking about staying south and cruising into Norwich, need to get to Boots and a box of face masks before the mandatory wearing happens from 24/7. Good luck with the hgv training, sounds like a great challenge, enjoy it!😀🚛🚚

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

Yeah southern Broads are lovely. I know the distance between places is larger and less wild moorings but I think other than the Bridge Inn at Acle and Lion at Thurne the pubs are better down south. Norwich is fab the more I’ve found out and places to go - even has ‘little London’ which is a shabby part (Magdalen Street) that reminds me of east London. European food shops and proper kebab shops make me feel like I’m back home.

[@biburybill]

Great to see you back Robin

[@mel13live]

Lovely to see you back 🦋

[@melissaburrows8236]

Lovely blog x

[@peteralexander5185]

Well this Ant and Deck I like ;o)

[@redvalley9]

Morning, me again! Is that the aerial that came with the radio?

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

No, separately purchased on Amazon.

[@jonnyjones5201]

Go faster dad were not catching up 😆😆😆

[@Jack-cu7rl]

i work in structural waterproofing, even though i sit at a desk everyday is different and its brilliant

[@c7425]

Well everyday’s a school day! I always thought that all the moorings at Irstead were private. On a side note, I too work in an office job but would love a change, but due to the fact I play in a band,HGV wouldn’t be an option because of the hours! Hey ho! Also bud, my Mrs would love it if you could give a shout out to Si and Jen from Teesside on your next broads blog! We are both avid followers! Keep up the good blogs! Si and Jen

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

I’m going to try and remember 🤔

[@rayinnes3562]

Good to see you 😜

[@DrummerboyUK1]

Robin - as someone who has changed career to HGVs (and then back again!) my advice would be "think very carefully before swapping". Truck driving isn't a job, it's a way of living. There are no finishing times and you will likely have to work 12-15 hour days all the time (As far as the law allows) to earn the same as someone doing a 9-5. 90 hours a week isn't uncommon. It is as far away from the 'open road, Yorkie eating heroism' that it is sometimes painted as that it is possible to get. A lot of sites won't even let you in for a pee, you can't sit in the truck they imprison you in a tiny 'drivers' room' with no facilities, sometimes for hours on end. The work can be fine but the working conditions rarely are. As a newbie you'll struggle to find work at the moment, as there is a glut of experienced drivers out of work due to Covid. Which means the only jobs will be the low paid stuff no one else wants to do. The traffic jams etc. are honestly the least of the issues you'll experience. Join a forum such as Trucknet and do loads of research. Above all, don't believe the continuous adverts and 'career change' ads you see. These are frankly bullshit. Most are agencies looking for names of drivers 'Just in case '. Or agency training establishments who, should you go ahead you must avoid like the plague as they just take a commission. You'll have virtually zero time for boating if you become a trucker - and no energy to do it either. Don't get me wrong, it can be fun at times. But as a permanent career move I'd think very, very carefully before taking the plunge. Sorry for such a negative post. But as someone who has done it I won't deny the grass was definitely not greener - at least for me. Would I pick up the odd shifts again? Yep. But only if 8 was in a position to say no if I didn't like the sound of it. That isn't really an option if you're doing it full time. Good luck with whatever you decide! And please don't stop the boating stuff - we're on the Broads on the 7/8 for the first time since 2016!! Can't wait!

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

Thanks for taking the time to share all you have. I had a look on TruckNet many months back and found it full of (no disrespect to yourself) old moaning men. Yes, there is good but, like Norfolk Broads Forums and Facebook Groups the amount of hot air spoken can get a little too much. Just as everyone told me on Yachting & Boating World to avoid buying Independence and I’d soon regret such and just what on earth would I do with a boat that size on the Broads - I proceeded as I always do, down my own path. It was and has been just fine. I was told all sorts when I learnt to drive by men In their 50’s and 60’s about how to drive as if I were a 17 year old in a Corsa and then the same men almost having a heart attack when they found my first car was a BMW 7 series long wheel base. It did the world of good purposefully going to multi-stories to perfect parking in tight spots and with pressure. So... I think the issue is many expect too much or frankly go into things with their eyes shut and are surprised what may happen. If truck driving was so absolutely terrible more people would pack it in, but at the end of the day it’s not a hard job. It’s a skill and it’s mentally tough but there are few jobs you get where you’re left alone, sat down for hours on end earning money. If I wanted an easy life I’d go back into working for a local authority - short of murdering a colleague you’ve got it cushty. Keep your head down and snuggle up to the right folk and your do very well, good pension and decent pay. I did that but hated the red-tape, waste and politics. I’ve worked in finance and the legal system and it just is so mundane to me now. I crave change and something new. This is why the idea came to mind to give it a go, a neighbour of mine has been doing it for 26 years and has done very well out of such. Of course it’s not for all, being away from home and family ranks up there as one of the biggest issues but take train driving - another good industry still early starts, long days, weekends and varied shift patterns nothing’s super easy but let’s see how this pans out. Might be a no-goer but still a skill to have achieved none the less.

[@susanhenderson2322]

Is your depth sounder accurate?

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

Yes - adjusted for keel depth so the figure displayed is not how deep the river is but how much water is under the keel.

[@danielde-steunder6500]

I Just don't understand whay people don't go and get a ham license...and then the 20quid uv5r can be used to it full potential...on the other hand amateur users wouldn't be really using uv5r's...and also prm will have side band interface.

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

This is why.. Once upon a time if you wanted a decent radio you had to go to a specialist. You’d join a club, or subscribe to a magazine. It was like radio controlled planes, pretty niche but provided many with a hobby and passion. Then along comes E-Bay and Amazon and people find they can buy things they otherwise would have never need. Why bother to learn the skill of flying an RC plane if you can get a drone and see it hover and take video too and it be super easy to control in compassion. Equally why bother with a ‘toy’ PMR radio from Argos when you get a cheap and cool far more powerful (so think loads more range) UHF radio. As was said previously by someone else what is Ofcom going to do really if people are broadcasting on the rivers every now and then - nothing. So you have the perfect storm of cheap radios capable of all sorts of frequencies in the hands of people who turn them on and because can talk to one another on them out the box believe no harm is done. For me half the time I simple scan frequencies and listen.

[@garyselfe4885]

What about Sheila?

[@TheCaptainsBlog]

Not sure what about - if you mean where is she - she is in London because she is a Nanni and works there during the week then spends weekends in Norfolk. Although during recent times spent over three months up in Norfolk on furlough.

[@chrisallen1965]

Check out Angelica Larsson, she can drive...

[@rogerbixley791]

Hi Robin. This video realy made me laugh...you sure are having the mid-life crisis...lol.

[@brian.7966]

Ofcom won`t do shit. so I would not worry about them.