Summer cruise, 17-22 July, Harwich

At anchor, opposite Cob Island, Aldeburgh

Saturday 17th July

The school term ended pleasingly early on 16th July.  The next day, with the intention of using the late afternoon tide, I set off for the coast.  Initially intending to launch at Bradwell, long delays by road forced a last minute change to Woolverstone Marina.  This is more expensive, but closer.

Initial manœuvres below the Orwell Bridge

Evening victuals at anchor off 'The Cliff', near Pin Mill

The wildlife impressed!

Sunsets always a special treat!

Day 1: 6.0nm

Sunday 18th July

Winds for the week were disappointingly easterly, although the promise was for a steady, gentle breeze.  Easterlies cause loppy seas so discourage long coastal hops.  Whereas I'd like to have ventured further afield, on this cruise I decided to say within the Harwich area.  Today, it made sense to use the morning ebb to sail up the coast.  Motor sailing helped negotiate the tricky entrance at Orford Haven.  Then, the flood tide provided a welcome beat up the River Ore into the River Alde at Aldeburgh.

I've used the anchorage opposite Cob Island before but found the walk into Aldeburgh tricky to find.  Recent housing developments have now made this landing point (the Old Brick Dock Jetty - the jetty for which is now a load of rotting wooden stumps) much easier to use, with a couple of clear options for walking into town.  (photo at the top of this blog post)

Day 2: 27.4nm

Monday 19th July

Having successfully accessed a supermarket in the morning, the tide was now ebbing, so I reached down the Ore, back along the coast and decided to make passage up the River Stour to a favourite anchorage between Harkstead Point and the village of Harkstead.

View from the hatch.

Day 3: 25.7nm

Tuesday 20th July

The remaining flood tide of the morning, along with very gentle easterly winds made for a very pleasant run up the Stour.  Opposite Mistley, the tide had turned and, with the easterly now moving through the gears, I had a pleasant beat back down towards Harwich Harbour, and then across Dovercourt Bay into the Walton Backwaters.  

The forecast gave warnings of thunderstorms, and I needed to restock with fresh food, so I booked a berth in Titchmarsh Marina - it seemed a sensible option, and the calm and security of the marina was more than welcoming.  

I'm sure I've been in this berth before...

More victuals.  There is a new Aldi supermarket about 1.5 miles walk from the marina.

Day 4: 20.4nm

Wednesday 21st July

Thunderstorms didn't really get going, although there was some rain.  I wasn't ready to end the cruise, but had an option of a second night at Titchmarsh, so enjoyed a day sail from this location, initially with the remaining flood up Landemere Creek, and then out into Dovercourt Bay.

Day 5: 24.1nm

Thursday 22nd July

It was time to end the cruise so, departing the marina at 0530, I motored against the flood out of the Backwaters.  I had a go at sailing, but the wind was not really strong enough, so I opted to motor all the way back to Woolverstone.  The engine behaved well - just as well, for the money it cost...

Day 6: 12.3nm

Overall trip: 115.9nm

Orwell Meet-up

 

Daisy III in Harwich Harbour

Things came to a hiatus over the end of May half term holiday when the outboard refused to start, after having launched at Bradwell Marina.  To cut a long story short, the outboard had somehow allowed fuel past the pistons and mixing with the oil.  The engine was poorly, and inexplicably so.  The only thing to do was to invest in a new outboard, so Daisy III now has a new Mercury 6 installed, at vast expense.

So, last weekend was the first opportunity to try out the new toy, and the outboard naturally behaved well. Hopefully, problem solved!

Some Drascombe friends, owners of luggers Rita May and Jimbo, joined me for a second year on the Orwell.  We launched at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on Saturday morning, and sailed all day, incorporating a very pleasant stop at Halfpenny Pier, Harwich.

Due to a less promising Saturday evening forecast, it was decided, for the sake of the open boats, to return to SYH for them to stop aboard their vans rather than camping in boats.  Whilst the sailing was cut down to a single day, nonetheless it was good fun.

The video below gives a little flavour of the weekend; this includes the usual google image of our track, which was 17.9nm.