Second summer cruise - August 22-24

This became pretty much a repeat of my sail earlier this month.  Again, I was rather dependent on forecasts and had hoped to get up to the Ore/Alde.  However, I decided not to, given the forecast for later in the week which, yet again, turned out to be unduly pessimistic.  However, following a very enjoyable non-sailing holiday in Portugal, it was nonetheless just so good to be out sailing again!

73.6nm;  Season's total 369.5nm
Red track 22nd August; White track 23rd August, Green track 24th August

I arrived at Daisy II at 2am on Wednesday 22nd.  After several hours of kip, I arose, had breakfast and  took the last of the ebb down the Orwell and sailed round to the mouth of the Deben.  For the first time, I think, I sailed in without using the engine.  I stopped, briefly, for a coffee just beyond Felixstowe Ferry and then worked the flood all the way up to Woodbridge for HW which was around mid afternoon.  I intended to call in at Woodbridge, but there was little space at the quay, so I kept going past Robertson's Boatyard and beyond, eventually returning with the tide to a favourite anchorage on the south-west shore just seaward of Ramsholt.

On Thursday 23rd, I took the last of the ebb out of the Deben entrance, this time not experiencing such dramatic overfalls as I had earlier in the month.  Winds were initially light and flukey. I motor-sailed out through the Deben entrance...

Entrance to Deben, looking out to sea

 ....to sea, and then shed the engine and tacked back towards Felixstowe Pier.  Finally, a decent breeze carried me around Landguard Point and into Harwich harbour.  I looked for landing at Halfpenny Pier, but the harbour was full so, after some pottering around taking snaps of big boats in and around Old Harwich.....

 ... I worked my way up the entire length of the Stour estuary as far as Manningtree and then back again, with a final trip out to Landermere Creek in the Walton Backwaters.

On Friday 24th, I returned to the mooring and met Mike who has just purchased his new pride and joy, the coaster Bounty which he sourced in Germany.  Mike spoke to me earlier in the season, when I was launching Daisy II, and mentioned that he was looking for a coaster.  She looks a real picture, is in tremendous condition and, I'm pleased to report, will be moored at Pin Mill for the remainder of the season.  Hopefully, we'll have several sails together before she eventually goes to a new home in, of all places, Kenya!

Coaster "Bounty"