Posted by Ken on April 30, 1999 at 12:16:25:
In Reply to: Re: "A Friendly Native" posted by Peter Willis on April 30, 1999 at 09:34:50:
Greetings Peter:-The wherry's name is Albion, built 1898.I started about 1967 when the wherry ran out of the traditional skippers,and the Wherry Trust decided to ask The Norfolk Schools Sailng Instructors if they could help,to which we agreed.The Trust Chairman,James Forsythe arranged a Training cruise starting from the Wherry hotel at Oulton Broad,with Jack Cates,a retired skipper as our Mentor.The centre picture shows Jack getting me to do the hard work of getting the 1 1/2 ton sail winched up.Nowadays it has a man-made sail which is much lighter.Our cargo was to be up to 12 week end hirers.They slept in pipe cots in the hold and did their own catering,and the Skipper enjoyed the stern cuddy with its little coal range.In my case I nearly always took my friend,another skipper along as Mate,with a gallon or so of home brewed ale,and vice versa when he was Skippering.Happy Days!Some seasons we were based from Oulton Broad, others at Upton `Dyke.
Previous to that,after the Trust had resurrected the vessel,Jack and Walter Cates were pulled out of retirement,and some local firms were kind enough to have some of their goods carried by Albion,to help out.After a while,Jack and Walter asked to stop, as they felt the firms were doing this out of charity,and that was not part of their old fashioned work ethics.They really were a lovely pair and it was an honour to know them.After they resigned,another former wherryman tookover,given the use of the boat free,and finding his own cargoes.This did not work out to the Trust's satisfaction so the new scheme was brought into use.I was Skippers Rep. for many years and attended Trust Meetings until 1978,when I resigned from the Trust as old age approached!At the time,I found that I was not using my own boat enough,a 34 ft. 6 berth sailing cruiser "Silver Queen",or our bungalow on the riverside at Potter Heigham.
I believe day trips at least are still going,so why not try one?