The Idea

The first bit of the concept was simply that the three of us should have a sailing trip together.  We settled on June as the ideal time for the long days and generally good weather.  Around 17 hours of daylight allows for a lot of options.  We are aiming to get as much sailing in as possible.  However, as the holiday gets nearer, Jon raises an interesting question.  Shortly afterwards he is to visit Uganda to work with the Romans One Eleven Trust.  He is interested in the idea of being sponsored to raise money to support the work of the trust.  The question is, how would such sponsorship work?

Being sponsored by the mile seems a bit tame and ordinary but after a couple of telephone conversations during which ideas get kicked around we settle on what we believe is the most interesting way of approaching this.  We will endeavour to reach the limit of navigation on every branch of every river.

One problem with navigation limits is defining them.  The main ones are obvious, but if you decide to count the head of every publicly accessible dyke, then the whole exercise becomes ridiculous.  It is also compounded by the fact that there are places that the yacht cannot reach, but which may be accessible by dinghy.  The North Walsham and Dilham canal certainly used to be navigable as far as Honing Lock, but is rumoured to be too overgrown.  At the upper end of the Bure, Coltishall lock is no longer operational, but the river above is navigable for a further 12 miles to Aylesham in a small craft which can be carried round the lock.  The Waveney has canoeing above the navigation limit at Geldeston Lock, but we have no more details about what is possible. 

Eventually we settle on the following, arranged by river:

River Bure

Coltishall

Aylesham (by dinghy)

River Ant

Dilham

Honing Lock (by dinghy)

River Thurne

The Pleasure Boat, Hickling

Bridge Farm, Waxham New Cut

Horsey Mill

West Somerton

River Yare

Norwich

River Chet

Loddon

River Waveney

Geldeston Lock

Lowestoft (Mutford Lock on Oulton Broad)

Another suggestion comes from David.  He is keen to support an organisation which he is involved in, the Guillain-Barré Syndrome Support Group.  He is himself recovering from Guillain-Barré Syndrome and has been acting as a research “guinea pig” Therefore he suggests that we each try to raise money for an organisation we wish to support.  On this basis I decide to seek sponsorship for The Association of Young People with ME (AYME).  Both of my children have ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), and AYME has been a great support to the whole family.  Jon will, of course, stick with the Romans One Eleven Trust.

So that is settled.  A sponsor form is prepared, listing the ten navigation limits and the two extra “dinghy only” ones.  Along with all the other preparations, we now have the job of recruiting sponsors.