October 29-30 - season's swansong?

Season's swansong...?  Well it depends on weather and commitments over the coming weekends, but it might be good to go up to Rutland Water before putting covers over the boat.  We'll see.

10.7nm; Season's total 580.2nm

Travelled down to the mooring on Saturday afternoon, and had a wonderful sail up and down the Orwell (Green track) topping out at 6.8kts with the tide and including some time messing about with my 'state of the art' navigation lights.  These consist of a set of three clip-on,  battery powered, LED 'bike' lights in red, green and white - purchased on ebay.  They worked exceedingly well from my viewpoint, although it would be good to know how visible they might have been at distance.  I haven't yet found a permanent home for them; on this occasion, I clipped the Port and Starboard ones to the shrouds, and the rear light to a bungee cord tied around the mizzen.  It is certainly an easier option than drilling holes in various parts of the cabin to install permanent ones, especially as I don't currently make a habit of sailing in the dark.  However, I would like to do more of this in future seasons, so may move to a permanent solution in due course.  In the mean time, these seem to do the job.  Incidentally, I also have a white masthead anchor light, again LED, and this works from a 12V socket via the main boat battery.

On the subject of batteries, I had hoped to take some video footage.  However the camera battery had other ideas and conked out.  I'll have to see if anything has been recorded.

After a fish and chip supper, I spent a profitable hour in the Butt and Oyster sampling their beer (Adnams Broadside), whilst waiting for low water to pass so that I could get back to the boat.

On Sunday, I woke reasonably late, except that it was still early, the clocks having gone back.  I needed to wait until High Water before taking the boat out, so went for another marvellous sail up and down the Orwell - red track.  Finally, having taken down the mast, Daisy II left her mooring for the last time this season, and is now sitting on the drive.  Let's hope we can manage a little more sailing before the year is out...

October 27, penultimate trip...

4.5nm; season's total 569.5nm

 Half term, and the almost annual trip with mother.  Pleasant run upstream to a lunchtime anchorage opposite Freston Tower.  Then a return beat to base.
One more planned trip this year, and then....
At the beginning of this trip, another boat owner sailed by, calling out that he had been reading and enjoying this blog. Good to know! Drascombes forever....

October 16th, light winds

Indian Summer conditions, light winds, lots of sunshine, and a chance to leave the mooring for some gentle sailing on a Sunday afternoon. 

4.8nm; season's total: 565.0nm

October 8th, Orwell, Stour and Harwich Harbour

Having missed out on last weekend's balmy, unseasonal weather, this week promised a return to more typical seasonal conditions.  For once, I had company, and spent the whole day crewing (enjoying the view), which was a great pleasure!
Winds, NW,  starting off at F4 gusting F5, but gradually decreasing during the day.  There was some rain, but most of the threatening clouds passed west of us. 
We took the tide out of the Orwell, and motor sailed up the Stour to a lunchtime anchorage near Erwarton Ness.  After lunch, a pleasant run through Harwich harbour was followed by motor sailing against the last of the ebb to the mouth of the Orwell, when we raised the main, eventually unreefed, for the remainder of the trip, including a pleasant beat back up the Orwell.

19.4nm; Season's total: 560.2nm



River Stour, eastbound.



I'm not sure this lunchbreak quite went to plan...

Port tack on the Orwell, winds decreasing...

A run down the Stour...