Chapter VI: Wroxham Broad

[Picture: Decorative drop capital] I had scarcely closed my eyes, it seemed to me, ere I was awakened by Wynne moving about.

"What are you up to?" I cried.

"I am going to paternoster for perch, and I'll take the casting-net to get some small fry."

"Oh, dear! why can't you wait until the morning?"

"It is morning. It is four o'clock and broad daylight."

"Then go, and don't come back until breakfast time." And I drew the curtains over the windows, and tried to think it was quite dark, and to get to sleep again.

On awaking I heard the sound of a piano. My first thought was, "Where am I?" I found that I was on the boat, sure enough, and it was seven o'clock. There was no more sleep for me, for a wherry, fitted up as a yacht, was lying near, and her crew had not only got a piano on board, but played upon it at seven o'clock in the morning. It is an excellent plan to rig up a wherry in this way for a cruise, as good accommodation for a large party is secured, and the interior can be well divided into several sleeping-rooms. The presence of ladies aboard the wherry, and up so early, was rather a nuisance, as one had to row away for one's dip. Up to eight o'clock, the Broad is generally sacred to the men, who can take their plunge overboard with safety.

Presently Wynne came back.

"Well, what have you caught?"

"Two jack, about five pounds each, and three perch, about a pound each. If I could have got some minnows I should have done better, but the roach I got were too large for paternostering, and not lively enough. I got into a row, too. I found a bow net set among the weeds, and there were three large tench in it. As I took it up to look at it, its owner appeared, and slanged me considerably at first; but when he cooled down, he got talkative, and told me that the reaches of the river by Salhouse and Hoveton Broads are the best for pike, but that all the way down to Horning Ferry is good. By the way, I saw a lot of boats fishing on the Broad when I set out, and they went on to the river when they saw me. The Broad is not preserved, is it?"

"No; but one of the owners, Mr. Chamberlin, levies a tax of 2s. 6d. on fishermen, and as it goes to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, one ought to pay it willingly. Poor men can't pay it, so they fish on the Broad in the early morning, and then leave for the river. They walk here from Norwich, overnight, and begin to fish before daylight, and as they can get a boat at Wroxham for a shilling a day, it is not an expensive pastime for them."

"I saw some notice boards at Salhouse, but there was so much on them, and the letters were so small, that I could not read them, but I suppose they were meant to warn people off."

"Yes, there is unfortunately too great a disposition amongst owners to try and close the Broads against the fishing public, and even to interfere with the old navigation rights, but there are praiseworthy exceptions, and here comes one, the owner of this end of Wroxham Broad." {70}

As the sun rose higher, so it grew hotter in too great a ratio, and the breeze was too light to afford much excitement in the way of racing. Still, it was a wonderfully pretty sight, such as could be seen on no other English inland water, save Windermere: the yachts, too, are very much like the Windermere yachts, but carry even more canvas than the latter do. The following are the dimensions of a 10-tonner of that time: length on keel, 25 feet; over all, 34 feet; beam, 10 feet. Ordinary canvas would be, mainsail luff, 23 feet; head, 28 feet 6 inches; foot, 35 feet, and leech, 42 feet; jib, leech, 23 feet; foot, 36 feet; and luff, 48 feet, with a topsail yard of 23 feet. For racing, these dimensions are largely increased. For fast sailing and quick turning to windward, these boats are justly celebrated, but the Broads are so rapidly growing shallower, that their draught, about five feet, closes many of the Broads to them. A much more sensible type of a large boat for pure comfort in cruising (though not for sport in sailing) is one founded on the wherry plan, with a large mainsail, and drawing not more than three feet of water. For such boats under 10 tons, the "Una" type is the best. Its shallow draught would enable it, with the centre-board up, to go anywhere, and penetrate into the most charming recesses of this wild country, which the deeper yacht can never see. Its beam gives safety, and also minimises the inconvenience of the centre-board case in the cabin, and a high booby hatch would give head-room. The one sail is very handy, and if her owner has but ordinary skill and energy, he could sail her alone, and so dispense with the expense of keeping a man. Without this expense, yachting in these waters is a reasonable and very cheap amusement. These remarks are for the benefit of the great number of people who have written to me at one time or another, to know what facilities for economical boat-sailing and living exist in these waters. For fast sailing and ease of handling by a _skilled_ person, the present improved type of sloop or cutter cannot be surpassed on any waters.

Well, 10-tonners and 4-tonners, open cutter-rigged sailing-boats of a very fast type, canoes with battened sails, luggers and boats, and wherries sailed to and fro, and steam launches puffed noisily about, and marred the beauty of the scene, as well as upset the glasses and dishes of breakfast or luncheon by the swell which they caused. The people paid very little attention to the racing, but set themselves heartily to enjoy this great water picnic.

Wynne went ashore, and discovered some pretty woodland vistas, with glimpses of the Broad, and the glancing sails between leafy boughs of oaks, and under lofty arms of Scotch firs. Also, he discovered that at the farm at the lower end of the Broad, Mrs. Newman's, there were rooms to let, and that an artist friend of his had taken them, so there he stayed for a long time, and kept the jolly, in spite of vigorous hails for it.

Of the adventurous journeys of yachts up to divers Wroxham Regattas, of the exploits of elated yachtsmen, and the mishaps of careless ones, of the fun and merriment attendant on these annual gatherings, the writer has written in another place. At present, we must hurry on.

In the evening we sailed, or rather quanted, up to the Bridge. These reaches of the river were lovely in the extreme. The clear and brimming river reflected the marginal flowers and groups of trees, while acres of marsh shone with the yellow iris flowers. But, alas! the woods and the sloping fields kept off the wind, and made one wish that the _upper_ entrance to the Broad were widened and made navigable.

We came to the Bridge at last, and moored to the bank, watching the homeward-bound holiday makers arrive in yachts, and boats, and wherries; a goodly number of the latter having numerous passengers.

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Wroxham has two decent inns, where good boats and bait may be obtained--Jimpson's (the "King's Head"), and Whittaker's, the former the largest, but both comfortable.

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