Norfolk Broads - Day 1

 We came to Norfolk for the Broads, the network of rivers and lakes in Norfolk that can be navigated for miles without any locks or dams. This area is a national park, and a whole infrastructure has grown up around it, including hire boat rentals, wetland restorations, and historic monuments. I've been waiting for this for a long time. 

And ... it was hard! We did all the book/map/internet learning we could before we came, but there is so much more that could only be discovered once we arrived. So it's been a steep leaning curve, but we're alive to tell the tales, and both we and the boat are in great shape!

Our boat is called the Encore 1. It's a wide tubby boat. Tubby because the shape is kind of like putting a campervan inside a wide bathtub. We have to climb the sides to get in or out of the boat. Inside, it is beautifully appointed, with a (narrow) kitchen to rival most airbnbs, a bedroom, and a living room turns into a second bed. It even has a tiny bathroom/shower, and comes equipped with wifi and a TV. The top of the "living room" slides back on nice days, but everything can bundle up tight and stay warm with the heater. Pretty nice, right? 

Ours is the one *behind* the one flying pirate flags!

But driving a boat is a lot different from driving a car, and Wendy isn't here to do it all for me. There's no break! Instead, I can throttle forward, or back, or push the front of the boat to one side or another with these really loud bow thrusters. Everything is delayed. Have you ever played that game at the Science Museum about driving a tug on the Mississippi? It's really hard to turn and not hit ground. This isn't as bad as that - but it's different. Even going only 3-5 mph, it's not easy to go where I want. And then there's stopping - or mooring. I drive up to the mooring place, put the boat in neutral, leap out of my seat, climb up out of the boat, along the edge, and hop off so I can tie off the front end. Then I grab the back rope and pull the boat in place, and tie that up too. Sounds easy, right? Tonight I tied the front rope, and then the boat swung around 180 degrees! OK, boat, you win. It really is getting easier....

This morning we stopped at a wetland restoration project called Hoveton Great Broad. There was a delightful nature trail that ended in a hide with binoculars, looking out at a raft built for the birds. This Great Crested Grebe was swallowing a fish, and one of these Common Terns (different from the Arctic Terns we saw in Shetland) was bringing a fish to try to attract a mate. 

The birds are amazing. Today we passed a pair of mute swans nesting about 10' from the trail, and I got closer to this Gray Heron than I've ever gotten to a Great Blue at home. There are mallards everywhere, including that one above that rode on our boat for a while. 

Last night we were almost alone at our mooring, and the night felt SO quiet and dark. Tonight we're in a long string of boats, but all we hear is the sound of warblers, ducks, and the occasional splash from a fish, the gentle rocking of the boat as the sun sets is very peaceful.