This site was originally created to document the cruising adventures of the superbly-equipped Broom Ocean 42, Lady Martina, from 2002-2007 with its former crew of David Broad and Louise Busby as it cruised many thousands of nautical miles and toured the coasts and inland waterways of Eastern and Southern Britain and the Channel Islands; France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and, particularly the Netherlands, which were, and still are, particularly accessible from the base in Horning on the Norfolk Broads. In later years, it was then continued under the authorship of its long-term skipper David who, by now had completed nearly 10,000 nautical miles at sea and with the encouragement and help of its new enthusiastic mate, Kathleen Waite, whose first request would be, 'Can we visit the Channel Islands' and so the story continued..
Take a tour of Lady Martina - The last of a remarkable breed
The original design and pages were maintained to chronicle these ports and destinations and the many and varied photographs taken. The comprehensive passage plans and detailed logs written led to many instructional lectures and boating magazine articles being requested to inform and educate other about these experiences. Also to the authors founding the Broom Owners Club. During winter periods of lay up based at Limehouse in Docklands, the crew were available to The Cruising Association where David assisted with the incorporation and development of this historically significant organisation as one of its first Directors and Louise assisted with its website and became the Dutch and Belgium regional editor for the CA/Imray Almanac. This eventually led to their authorship of the Imray publication on 'The Inland Waterways of the Netherlands' which remains as one of the only authoritative works in the English language on the whole of the Dutch network of meres, rivers and canals that represent this wonderful venue for cruising enthusiasts.
After many years of enjoying this liberating vocation, David has become very concerned about the future of British motor-boating in particular with UK-flagged vessels becoming a rare encounter at sea. in 2017, when we completed some 37 sea passages along the South Coast of England and North Coast of France, not a single such vessel was sighted underway with most just moored up as holiday bases and second homes or not used at all. Once freely-available and cheaper red diesel kept costs under control and the modest fees charged by marinas and harbours have been escalating in the belief that owners 'can afford it' when, in reality, the wider costs of licensing, insuring and maintaining vessels are taking their toll on the owners of larger boats most suitable for offshore use.
Thanks for reading :-)
