Its that time of year when the green fingered brigade pour over their seed catalogues and spend the weekend in the greenhouse. Its that time of year at the Boatshed. Egyptian Geese are doing a re-run of Gladiator, crashing about on the roof viciously fighting anything and making a fearful din. Mallard Duck are eyeing up the females, the yard cat has a new spring in her step. It’s the time of change for many Broadland creatures even the sub species of Homo Sapien “Boatperson” is not immune.

For some weeks now, the hardier variety have been observed lying semi prone beneath the passion of their life; sporting old clothes, goggles and masks, wielding a variety of instruments scraping away at the old coatings. Soon, the lovely smell of new paint will hang on the morning air as the bright primary colours of new antifouling are applied to boat bottoms and boatperson alike, it’s a timeless scene. A century ago we would have burnt the weed off the bottom with torches made from reed and sloshed boiling tar on with old mops. Not popular now, wonder why?

Toward the end of March a brave few will brace themselves for the perils of the deep They will migrate away up beyond Trent falls, down to the Thames Estuary or escape to the Mediterranean. Part of our marketing effort is spent reaching people away from these waters encouraging them to spend a season or two here. It’s not an easy task. tales of fearsome hirers battering unchecked through moorings are legion.The inhospitable welcome given to private craft at the Port of Great Yarmouth is universally known. Thank goodness we have Lowestoft Haven Marina and Peter with his staff at Mutford Lock to welcome first time visitors to our waters.

Some of our regular visitors are debating whether to return, citing the 13% tolls increase, and paucity of safe overnight moorings on the lower Yare making going to Sea a stressful experience. The consequential loss in spend at boatyards, supermarkets and restaurants is estimated at £10,000 per boat. We alone have lost five potential customers from out of area since Christmas, that’s at least £50k to the local region’s economy. How many more dare I ask !

The Broads are threatened by Global Warming but is the immediate threat from the Broads Authority just as great a peril to Homo Sapien “boatperson”?