I HAD always thought that luxury sailing trips were the preserve of the rich and famous, made solely for billionaires who have ballrooms and swimming pools on their yachts.
But I could not have been more wrong.
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And you do not even need to escape the UK to experience it.
My partner and I, frazzled by the school holidays, had just whisked our three kids and their grandpa off for a three-night boating getaway in Norfolk.
Home for the weekend, the Fair Statesman, was a gleaming white motor cruiser rented from Norfolk Broads Direct, which although no billionaire yacht, had ample space for our party of six.
The aft cabin (am getting there with boat lingo — it means “at the back”) featured a spacious double bedroom with an en suite.
Then there was another double in the mid-cabin with a bathroom directly opposite and a forward cabin in what I called “the nose” of the vessel with cute bunks where all three of my kids could snuggle down.
Again, they had their own bathroom. The kitchen came kitted out with an oven, a microwave, toaster and full fridge, while the spacious lounge area offered comfy banquette seating and a table that folded out — with a large telly and a games console.
But my kids didn’t need electronic distractions because we were lucky enough to have glorious weather, which we regularly soaked up from the comfy seats on the top of the sundeck.
We had been sailing through Norfolk’s Broads National Park, home to 125 miles of open waterways that offer breathtaking views of nature.
Prior to the trip, I had not so much as steered a dingy, but Norfolk Broads Direct made us feel fully prepared with advance safety videos and the friendly staff member who ran through everything on arrival.
The 5mph speed limit on the broads meant life moved at a leisurely pace as we meandered along these wildlife-fringed waterways, observing herons, swans and dragonflies the size of small birds.
Come 4pm each day we would find a mooring point and tie up for the night, using the opportunity to connect to power or fill the water tank up.
Luckily, Norfolk Broads Direct had given us detailed maps plus an easy-to-follow itinerary that meant we could navigate like pros.
After a tranquil first night spent on Salthouse Broad, we were up early to head to Ranworth, where we climbed to the top of the pretty St Helen’s Church nicknamed “Cathedral of the Broads”.
The spiral steps of the tower may have tired our legs, but the view from the top was well worth it.
This area is home to a nature reserve that has a fantastic wildlife centre on stilts above the broads.
Visitors can rent binoculars for birdwatching, while children get stuck into the interactive exhibits. Our kids loved the stickers they were given, each featuring a different local bird that matched their “wingspan”.
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Next stop on our list was St Benet’s Abbey, whose ruins make for a dramatic picture.
At the meeting point of the rivers Bure and Ant, this historic site dates back to Anglo Saxon times.
It has been a favourite spot for artists, poets and photographers for 200 years.
Our boat adventure finished in the bustling town of Wroxham, just a 30-minute car ride from Great Yarmouth
We struck lucky as our visit happened to fall on the one Sunday of the year when the Bishop of Norwich, still officially the Abbot, conducts a service.
It was quite a sight seeing him arrive in billowing ecclesiastical robes on one of only eight remaining “wherries”, the traditional wooden sailing ships that used to transport cargo around the broads.
After even more picturesque waterways and stops, our boat adventure finished in the bustling town of Wroxham, just a 30-minute car ride from Great Yarmouth.
Being so close, we could not resist swinging by to watch the epic show at their famous Hippodrome circus — one final treat for the kids.
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It has certainly got the wow factor. And the finale was truly one of the best things I have seen in a theatre as the circus ring filled with water to allow for a spectacular synchronised swimming and water acrobatics performance.
A fitting end to our water-born family holiday.
GO: Norfolk
A BREAK on board Fair Statesman costs from £158pp per night, based on eight people sharing and including fuel, damage waiver, parking, and wifi as well as welcome pack with a bottle of wine.
See broads.co.uk or call 01603 782207.
