August 27-28: Stour and Walton Backwaters mini-cruise

Red track: 27th August; yellow track 28th August; 37.3nm with tide-assisted top speed 7.1kts

Cruising has taken something of a back seat recently while other matters have been attended to.  In so doing, a greenhouse has been purchased on ebay, disassembled in Stevenage and reassembled at home with a new base - all for the cost of £51.

 The attic has been cleared - probably one of those 'moving in one's mind' moments.  I also accompanied mother on her recent cruise along the Kennett and Avon Canal, negotiating around 60 locks from Devizes to Reading.

Weather has also played its part, so the past few days have presented, realistically, the last opportunity of the summer holidays for an overnight stop. 

Wednesday 27th August - winds E/NE F4.
Arriving later than planned at the mooring, I motored against wind and tide out of the Orwell, raising the main at Collimer Point.  I switched off the motor off Shotley Point and had a run with the last 90 minutes of the flood up the Stour.  Around HW, I turned, just off Mistley, and tacked back downstream with the ebb, turning the corner off Harwich crossing safely in front of the arriving evening ferry.  There was then the exciting prospect of a glorious reach across Dovercourt Bay into Landermere Creek for the night.

Dovercourt Bay

Thursday 28th August - winds SW F3/4.
After morning rain had cleared, I had a clear run, initially against the flood, back across to Harwich before picking up the remaining flood with a wonderful reach across Harwich Harbour and into the Orwell, where a top speed of 7.1kts was managed with flood.  Turning at Collimer Point, the final stretch up the Orwell was a close reach.

New ensign pole working well!

This will be the final cruise before term recommences.  There are still potentially a number of cruising opportunities ahead this year, most particularly another Norfolk Broads event in September.  I'm also ever-hopeful of a cruise during the October half term, although we're very much at the mercy of the weather by then!