Hanse Festival 2009- Sunday

On my early morning bike ride, I see that the stallholders along the Quay are already up and about before 7am - it is a bright day already and the rain from last night is only evident by the occasional puddle as I cycle along. Arriving back about an hour and a half later, I’m amused to be stopped at the entrance to the Quay by an event security guy who tells me I can’t come in as this is a restricted area!! “Restricted”?? I take it he means that they have closed the road to traffic, and I so tell him I live here, and he lets me through.

In the afternoon I set out again - on foot this time - and see that a lot of the same stalls are there, with a few extra ones. Today we also have a Falconry display - very cool to see these birds of prey up close. Walking along I see that they are starting to dismantle the marquee that housed the blacksmiths - and then I see that their project for the weekend is finished and on display. They have created a piece of public art if the form of a fish drying rack, with various fish on it - this looks really interesting, and I look forward to it being put on display.

Walking further and passing the aroma from the Sausage wagon, I queue to get on board the boat that is causing all this excitement. I don’t have to wait too long, and, as the tide is low right now, I walk down to the floating dock, and get my first close up site of the Lisa von Lubeck from the water line. Walking up the gangway, I’m immediately impressed by the bright shiny wooden planks. I also see that it’s curving away from me to the bow and stern, increasing the impression of height to the two ends of the boat.

First I go into the cabin in the back, and look at the explanatory notes - all in German, so they don’t mean a lot to me. From here we can go down some steep steps into the hold of the boat. I do this and am surprised to see it’s furnished with benches and tables, and has a bar selling German beer! Climbing up from this I then go up more steps to the stern deck, with its wheel that everyone just loves to turn. Standing here looking down the river it’s hard to imagine that this is real, but this would have been how the craft of that generation navigated across the seas.

Climbing back down, I go across the deck and up to the Bow section of the boat, complete with brass bell - which people love to ring - and anchors. Standing right at the bow gives one an unusual view of the Great Ouse as it disappears into the horizon.

The mid section also houses a bar selling German beer - they obviously know how to please the people of Norfolk - and is arranged with chairs. I sit there for a while enjoying the feel of the boat and the slight swell that we have - really only apparent when I look at the quayside and see it moving up and down.

And then it’s off the boat, and I take another walk the length of the Quay - down at the Square they are dismantling the stage. I’m about to return home when I see a friend also out walking, so we walk together for a while, both saying how great it is that the Quay is being used. Most of the time I’ve lived here in Lynn, it’s just been a car park - this shows that people will come to enjoy themselves if there is something of interest for them. I hope to see more use of this area, even if it does mean my quiet corner gets busy from time to time!

I see that the boat is due to sale out on the high tide on Monday at 2pm - unfortunately I’ll be at work then, or I’d have been sure to be seeing her off and wishing her well on her voyages.