End of career mini-cruise 18-21 July

 

Little wind across Dovercourt Bay, returning from Harwich

So, after 33 years, it is time to hang up the mortarboard and take permanent rest from the chalk face.  Much more sailing to come - hopefully, this cruise is just the start of it!

Tuesday….Launching at Bradwell, two attempts were made to depart from the Blackwater, the first being thwarted by leaving the iPad in the car!  Winds were southerly which made for lumpy sea conditions and, as usual, I left it a little bit too late to take the rest of the ebb up to Harwich.  So, I anchored in at Pyefleet for the night.

Wednesday…early start, at 0430, motoring up the Wallet to Harwich.  Winds emerged, finally, off Walton for a reach across Dovercourt.  A brief coffee-stop inside the breakwater in Harwich Harbour was followed by a pleasant beat up the Stour, eventually anchoring in the lee of Stutton Ness.

Thursday…early start at 0500, moving to a deeper anchorage for further sleep.  Then, motoring across to Walton before a light south easterly set in for a slow,  but pleasant trip back to the Colne.  A brief trip up the Colne before an about turn into the southerly, beating back to Pyefleet.

Friday…north easterly F4, reefed main with furled mizzen.  Trip back across to Bradwell.  Anchorage opposite the marina for successful deployment of new, electronic pump for water ballast removal.  Return to slip and to dry land.

87.8nm

End of lockdown cruise, 10-12 July 2020

Dried out off Harkstead beach

Finally, following lockdown we were permitted to do one of the most socially-distant activities of all - spend nights at anchor on our boats.  Weather and conditions were perfect - plenty of challenge, but generally a warm and steady breeze throughout the weekend.

Friday 10th July

Launching at Bradwell Marina in the late afternoon, Daisy III sailed east along to a favourite anchorage in Pyefleet Creek.

Launched at Bradwell, water ballast tanks filling.

Sailing east out of the River Blackwater

At anchor....at last....

I've missed these sunsets

 Saturday 11th July - Rendezvous with Drascombe Fleet at Harwich

Departure from the anchorage at 0515 on Saturday morning, sailing up The Wallet channel which links the Blackwater/Colne with Harwich estuary

 Reaching Harwich Harbour, a planned rendezvous with some Drascombes.  We sailed across Dovercourt Bay to the Walton Backwaters for lunch.

Rendezvous with Drascombe fleet - lugger Jimbo

Reciprocal photo of Daisy III - need to sort out the lazyjacks so they don't make the sail look like a pair of Auntie's sagging bloomers...

Longboat Cruiser, Corkscrew

Coaster Dewiniaeth

Lugger Rita May

Whilst departing the Walton Backwaters to return to Harwich, a productive encounter with Gracie, a Bayraider Expedition No1, from which this picture emerged of Daisy III

And a reciprocal picture of Gracie who, just for the record, outpaced us all!

We returned to Harwich and sailed up the River Stour, eventually settling for the evening on the beach off Harkstead, in Holbrook Bay, from which the photo at the top of this post emerged.

Further evidence of Daisy III dried out

 Daisy III dries out comfortably upright - just a modest amount of rocking either way.  There was no need to prop up the hull with fenders, as is the practice with Drascombes (although I rarely bothered).  This was a delightful, placid night - except for some raucous youths who kept their beach fire party going all night.  In my case, the cabin made a suitable sound buffer, although the intrepid lugger sailers, camping aboard, had a more troubled night!

LBC Corkscrew with cockpit tent

 Sunday 12th, return to Bradwell
On falling neaps, another early start was necessary, retreating to deeper water for breakfast (but not wishing to trouble the outboard...)

Rita May and Jimbo sculling away

Corkscrew applying the Canadian Canoe approach...

After breakfast, we motored back to Harwich in glassy waters, and the fleet split up, Drascombes returning to Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Daisy III readying herself for the return leg to Bradwell.

Glassy waters off Shotley Point

 Off Walton on the Naze, the day's breeze began to breathe - just as well, since the BC20 cockpit rather contains and amplifies the sound of an outboard.

How much longer will that cliff continue to support the Naze Tower...?

Yesterday's sailing was mostly managed with a single reef in the main.  Today, full sail power.

Green track, Friday 10th, 10.2nm;
White track, Saturday 11th, 41.2nm
Red track, Sunday 12th, 29.9nm
Total cruise length: 81.4nm
Now, that's more like it.....