A trip into Ipswich docks - Saturday June 13th

June 13th, 2009. 10.8nm.
Tom and I took a trip from the mooring up into Ipswich docks with the incoming tide. From our mooring, the estuary moves (upstream) in a North Westerly direction, underneath the rather spectacular Orwell bridge (A14) and then turns through North into Ipswich docks.
The main channel of the Orwell is dredged to allow ferries, container and cargo ships to access this dockland area.
On this occasion, the wind was a Force 3 North Westerly. In the dock area, the wind was flukey, and we resorted to using outboard power when coming back downstream to the East side of the bridge, where we anchored for a snack. Thereafter, we had a lovely sail tacking all the way back to our mooring.

This picture shows the Freston Folly, a rather interesting tower on the Southerly bank of the Orwell, built in Victorian times. I read somewhere that the original owner of the estate would have meals served at the top of this tower. These days, I think it is some sort of holiday let accommodation.
http://www.freston.net/tower/

Tom, looking enthusiastic...

Approaching Ipswich docks

On the North Westerly side of the Orwell Bridge, these old rusting trawlers (?) seem to have been left to decay...

The Orwell bridge.

Some old sea dog...

Thus far, this season, the tachometer reads 65.0 nautical miles...

Walton Backwaters revisited, May 28-29, 2009

Another half term holiday, another trip, and where better than the Walton Backwaters? This trip comprised 24.9nm over two days. Check out this video clip of Daisy II in motion...and then another one in slightly faster motion...! These clips were taken on the 29th, on the return journey from the Walton Backwaters, approaching Harwich harbour. Felixstowe docks can be seen in the distance and, in the second clip, one of the Harwich harbour pilot boats is crossing in front of us.

The above picture was taken at anchor, low tide, in Kirby Creek. Horsey Island is behind Daisy II to the right, and, to the left rear of the unfortunately grounded vessel is Skipper's Island. Almost everything else is glorious, thick, glutinous, east coast mud...

I was in good company... Additionally, I managed to anchor next to a flock of restless, 'racketsome', roosting gulls. Certainly helped me to rise for breakfast at 4.50am on the 29th, setting sail an hour later...

This is proof that, despite the recession, someone is still importing something from China - unless this one is returning unsold goods to their origins...!

Another snap, at anchor in Kirby Creek. As I rowed back to Daisy II, the sunset seemed to be highlighting her above all else.

The track below shows the detail of the circumnavigation of Horsey Island. This time, on entering the Backwaters, I headed south - up the 'Walton Channel' and into the 'Twizzle' - towards Titchmarsh Marina. It was huge fun tacking, with the remainder of the flood tide, past the moored yachts outside the marina. I then crossed Horsey Mere, aiming for Kirby Creek, but then ran into fairly strong tidal currents. The outboard was deployed to help me arrive at a suitable anchorage (marked with a waypoint).