A long history of success
The first official cruise took place way back in 1924 when brothers Joe and Bill Church took five teenage boys on a single yacht. It proved so popular that the second cruise (of 2 yachts) took place later the same year. The first brochure was printed in 1926.
At this time, each of the local boatmen who earned a living on the water used to wear a distinctive drooping moustache that made him look a bit like a bull walrus... hence the name that was given to the cruise.
The yachts have become more sophisticated and the living conditions less rigorous but the basic ethos remains the same... to provide a challenging environment where each person can have great fun and, at the same time, learn more about themselves and their faith. Many different cruises and other activity holidays have sprung up from these modest beginnings, influencing the lives of thousands of young people over the years.
History of the Norfolk Broads
The majority of lakes which comprise "the Norfolk Broads" are believed to have been originally formed from medieval peat diggings in the 12th Century. For approximately 350 years, turf cutting (digging for peat) was carried out on a phenomenal scale until about the 14th Century, when they were abandoned - historical records indicate that the tendancy of the pits to fill with water made it impractical to continue digging.
The original economy of the Broads was based on farming - the climate is relatively mild, while the ground fertile and well irrigated. In addition to arable farming, there was also a highly profitable wool trade.
By the 16th Century, Norwich was the second larget city in England after London, the Norfolk Broads providing a direct access via waterways to the sea (and thus the rest of the world) at Great Yarmouth. Norwich's prosperity was based on a range of industries, from weavers and the wool trade, through fisheries, agriculture and general trade.
It was originally proposed as a National Park in 1947, but it wasn't until 1988 that Parliament passed The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act which created the Broads Authority (a Special Statutory Authority) which has a duty to manage the Broads, primarily for the threefold purpose of conserving the natural beauty of the broads, promoting the public's enjoyment of the broads and protecting the interest of navigation.
Norfolk Broads Today
The Broads consist of some 50 shallow lakes and 125 miles (200km) of lock-free waterways. Although the hire boat industry is past its hey-day, tourism is still an important part of the local economy.
Its distinctive landscape (and many windmills) graces many items, from postcards and tea towels through, to paintings and china, many of which are kept as mementoes by some of the million or so visitors that visit the Broads each year.
The Broads is Britain's largest nationally protected wetland. Its rivers, broads (shallow lakes), marshes and fens make it a unique area, rich in rare habitats, which support myriad plants and animals. Globally, wetlands are among the most threatened of landscapes.