Trip up the Stour, August 25-26

This trip was much overdue - I've not visited the Stour nearly as much as I ought - a lovely estuary. Perhaps the thing that has put me off as much as anything is the state of the water, when rounding Shotley point into the Stour, which is often fairly heavy, especially in a westerly. This time, I worked my way up to Wrabness (red track), and sheltered for the night in the lea of the cliff on the South side of the river - all well and good until the tide turned, and the incoming tide against a fresh Westerly breeze created a fairly uncomfortable night! That's the Stour. I always have difficulty finding a comfortable anchorage, since, at some stage, wind and tide come into conflict, and there seem to be few obvious places of refuge. The best solution, last year, was to dry out in Holbrook Bay!

Sunrise on the Stour - looking East towards Harwich & Felixstowe.

On Wednesday 26th, after an early breakfast, I motored past Wrabness up to Mistley, and then used the remaining ebb, and a freshening Southerly breeze to sail East along the Stour and then the new flood tide back to Pin Mill (yellow track above). The wind was very gusty. At one point, even with reefed jib and mizzen, I achieved almost 5 knts... Earlier, with all three up, reefed main, almost 7knts was achieved, although the wind was unpredictable, and the boat became difficult to control in the gusts - hence the reduction in rig for a more leisurely cruise.

Mistley from the Stour

Approaching Mistley

Moored boats at Wrabness

including the Drascombe longboat, Camilla Rose, which, along with her owner John, came on this year's Walton Rally

The trip's track was 23.8nm. We're up to 268.8nm for the entire season...