All about the base

"Its all about the base, no trouble" We are all travellers, we are all migrants, we are all gypsies. It's just a case of how far you want to go back. I hear the word gypsy in a positive light. To be considered a descendant of a unique people of around 11000 initially, forced to leave northern India many centuries ago because their music, dance, colorful ways and free spirit was considered a threat to the religious orthodoxy of the time is a proud heritage. Just don't call me Pikey. My name,Jervis, derives from "Gervais". My ancestors came from France in 1066 and those awarded lands in England became Jarvis's, those rewarded with Welsh titles, Jervis's. I suspect Viking, Roman, Mongolian, and who knows what other bloodlines and gene types pulse through my veins. We are all a bunch of migrants somewhere down the line. If our boats were million $ gin palaces I suspect our few detractors would love us here. Property prices! But that's never going to happen. Our Island is between the 2 lowest bridges on the broads.What kind of person buys a house next to a river then complains about boats? The same breed that buys a house next to a long established live music venue then complains about the noise. Making a boat my home means I could and do go with the flow if you pardon the pun.I have my job, friends, family here in Norwich.For now I wish to mostly stay here, paying rent on private water. But powers that be say the Sheriff on Norwich owns the river bed, the crown in the rest of the UK. Try walking on it. I have no intention of being moored on it. This is a cynical, devious archaic device. Our common land has been mostly stolen over the years.The water, tidal to three and a half feet even in Norwich is our battle now. Water, in constant ebb and flow, constantly changing.Water is the ultimate traveller,its permanent flux one of the few genuine constants.We are not building houses here, We are living low impact lifestyles on boats which have graced these waters far longer than even the oldest buildings riverside, but to function as positive and active members of our community we need safe local moorings.That's what this is about. It's all about the base, we're no trouble