A further day in Great Yarmouth enjoying the beach and then taking Mr Wells’ Glenda Margaret to the Scroby Sands before back to the Palm Court swimming pool and an evening walking along Market and Broad Row before back to the hotel for some fun and games before bedtime. The news is of Botha defying the sanctions threats against South African apartheid and that this area should stay free of rain and stay dry tomorrow
I did not hear Di as she made the morning drinks and only awoke as she gave me my morning tea. A fair night, considering the shortness and softness of the bed and the rather musty smell of the pillow and mattress. A mad scrabble getting the kids ready for breakfast, but down by 8.00am for the start of the meal. A fine day, with a mixture of cloud and sun and, even with a breeze to cool us, it was warm enough for a day on the beach.
We strode off, with some differences between us over the load we were carrying and arrived on the beach to hire 5 deck chairs and two windbreaks. I set the whole up in a semicircle to catch the sun and avoid the wind and the children enjoyed the sun, sand and waves. This morning I took Daniel to the lawns by the beach and we played an hour of bowls. It was the first time for both of us and we enjoyed the experience. The beach sojourn punctuated by regular treats for ice creams, drinks and snacks for lunch, but at least I had sited us with this in mind. Both children swam in the sea, but only briefly, as the North Sea is quite cold. This afternoon I took them on a sea cruise from the beach aboard Mr Wells’ Glenda Margaret to the Scroby Sands, where we saw a number of seals swimming about. A strong swell with the breeze and, despite the spray sheets, we all got quite a shower from the larger waves. At last time to go back to the Palm Court Hotel for the children’s tea, before swimming after in the hotel pool. A poor example, with little depth and less heating, but it was sufficient to keep them amused. Della slept straight away and Debbie was happy to watch the TV, as Daniel joined us for dinner with the grown-ups. Another fine meal and we must compliment the hotel on their cuisine. After dinner, we put Debbie to bed and this time left Daniel to watch the TV, as I took Diana for a two hour walk around Great Yarmouth. First up through St Nicholas graveyard (which I thought to be very grand and well kept) the into the old town centre and along the dockyard, which seems to stretch the entire length of the inner side of Great Yarmouth ‘Island’. I was disappointed to find that the ‘Rows’, old narrow streets that gave former character to the walled town, have been redeveloped into a shopping centre in one part and a large and poor council housing estate in another. Only Market Row and Broad Row, previously the largest of them, have survived and further along, in the depths of the housing estate, Kitty Witches Row (the narrowest) had disappeared and been obliterated. How sad to see these former curiosities decimated in this way. We did enjoy looking at the vast container cargo ships moored up at the Quay, with floodlights blazing. We then cut across, up and then downhill and past the ruins of the old town wall to come out on the sea front near the Winter Garden. Then we walked the length of the illuminated amusements and restaurants, which were all alive, despite the hour. We struggled back to the Hotel, almost collapsed with tiredness but, in memory of the bathing beauties I had seen today (last year’s bathing costumes on fast growing girls in their teens always reveal more than they intend!) Di and I still found enough energy to enjoy half an hour together before turning in. With no radio news today, I only heard that South Africa’s President Botha continues intransigent with his party address defying the threats of sanctions. Tomorrow’s weather is forecast fine, but it is only East Anglia that will be free of the clouds and rain that are spreading from the West across the rest of Britain.