Went for a sail in, for me, uncharted waters, with my sister-in-law Gilly, nephew James, plus Sally and Tom. Launched at Bradwell Marina and had a wonderful sail with the outgoing tide as far as the mouth of the River Colne, and then a marvellous broad reach/run back with the new flood. Wind was ESE, F3/4. For most of the journey, we used reefed main with jib and mizzen; on the return trip, I shook out the reef, and we often topped 6 knts. What particularly struck me was the sheer expanse of water even at low tide. Clearly, the South East corner of Mersea Island has some issues concerning depth, but the remainder of the sail was simply glorious. Easterly winds against the ebb left some wonderful waves to negotiate, and we all had a good dose of saltwater - all added to the excitement.
We anchored off the southern shore of Mersea Island for some well-earned lunch.
Today's track was 15.5nm; season's total now stands at 328.3nm.
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| Slipway at Bradwell Marina |
The slipway at Bradwell Marina. The costs were £16, payable at the office. The slipway is relatively narrow, but with a gentle gradient. The water is shallow at low tide; I launched at HW+4hrs, and, whilst the lower reaches were very slippery, the car coped well. Recovery was equally straight forward. Definitely recommended.
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| Happy crew |
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| Return to Bradwell |
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