Today's sail was all about being on the water, going nowhere in particular but enjoying not being at work... I stuck with the Orwell, leaving the mooring at around 11am in a rather inelegant manner, promptly sailing aground and needing an emergency blast from the engine. It was an hour into the new flood and, once free from the clutches of the muddy shore, I set about sailing against the tide downstream. It took a while for the wind to get going but, once beyond the unfortunately named 'Foxes Bottom', the forecast NE F4 set in which enabled much more effective leeway. I worked my way up Long Reach to a handy lunchtime anchorage on the NE shore of the bend in the river in the lee of Sleighton Hill.
After lunch, the reward for all of that beating against the tide was a glorious beam/broad reach back upstream with the continuing flood, reaching a top speed of 7knts and regularly in excess of 6knts.
Sailing past Royal Harwich YC, I took some footage of coaster Valentine on her new mooring.
Valentine shared in a part of last summer's Blackwater cruise. Her new owner is now trying the Orwell as a sailing base, quite possibly following my recommendation! Either way, Valentine is Daisy II's twin sister, seeing as she is Coaster No281 - the very next model after Daisy II and sharing the same unusual round porthole windows, so there is something almost predestined about this renewing of their acquaintance.
Sailing up through the Orwell Bridge, some quite hefty gusts started coming over. I already had a reef tied in the main in anticipation of this. Turning at the entrance to Fox's marina, I dispensed with mizzen and put a few rolls in the jib for the return trip. Even so, I was regularly in excess of 5knts against the continuing flood and the gusts caused a fair amount of heel.
Cruising downstream along Downham Reach, I happened upon a motorboat in 'non-functioning engine' distress, which prompted me to drop sail, start up the engine and offer my towing services. Fortunately, the engine problem resolved itself before towing commenced. Having already dropped sail, I resolved upon motoring back to the mooring.
This is a log of sailing activities aboard Daisy II, a 22ft Drascombe Coaster No.280. Formerly named Aquarius, she was built in July 1997 by Honnor Marine(UK) Ltd of Totnes, Devon. The original Daisy, a Devon Lugger, was purchased in 2005 following an unexpectedly early opportunity to realise a mid-life crisis! Daisy II, with cabin, afforded more scope for overnight stops, and was purchased at the end of 2006.
For several seasons she was moored at Pin Mill on the River Orwell, Suffolk. More recently, the trailer sailing option, utilising a versatile ‘roller coaster’ road trailer, has extended the sailing range. Over the years, we have sailed from various locations off the south coast from Cornwall to Hampshire, a number of inland reservoirs and the Norfolk Broads. However, her key stamping ground is the east coast, usually based around the Harwich area and reaching destinations ranging from North Kent up to Southwold, whilst also launching on the North Norfolk coast at Wells next the Sea. Most recently, a trip from Harwich to Whitby has served only further to whet the appetite: perhaps, one day, Daisy II might complete her journey, in small stages of course, around the UK!
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