June 21st: longest day...

...and also the skipper's birthday weekend.  So, perfect excuses, with pleasant, warm weather, to undertake a long day-sail.

Winds were variable F3/4, westerly for the first part of the day, swinging round to north westerly for my return to Harwich later in the day and then north easterly, sailing back towards Collimer Point on the Orwell.
Camera action was decidedly wayward, today - just couldn't get decent focus and picture quality.  Maybe time for an upgrade.  This feast of poppies was a delight, sadly not well represented in the picture...

Poppies

For the first time in a few years, I called in at Halfpenny Pier, Harwich and had an early lunch.

Daisy II moored at Halfpenny Pier

Panorama of Harwich harbour - doesn't quite work...!

birthday lunch...

After lunch, I had no plans but plenty of time to sail.  So, with westerly winds, the Walton Backwaters seemed a reasonable target.  After reaching Hamford Water, I turned back for home, reducing my rig to full main with a couple of rolls in the jib and furled mizzen.  This made for much more relaxing cruising.

Whilst sailing out of the Walton Channel, I met Daisy II's twin sister Valentine and crew making their first trip into this delightful corner of the east coast, bound for Titchmarsh Marina.  Lucky them!

Coaster Valentine approaching the Walton Backwaters

Coaster Valentine with excited young crew!

I well remember my first trip across Dovercourt Bay to the Walton Backwaters - the first real bit of navigation I ever did.  This was my second ever sail in Daisy II, Easter 2007.  I sailed out of Harwich harbour for the first time, found the Pye End marker and then turned west towards the Walton Channel.  Very few other boats were about and, just as Ransome described in his book Secret Water, the Walton Backwaters, almost by magic, opened out; I sailed into Kirby Creek and picked up a vacant mooring for the night and, as I recall, endured a very, very cold night!  

Since then, I've enjoyed many such trips across Dovercourt Bay: this particular destination, even as today for the briefest of visits, remains my favourite.

Beating back into Harwich harbour, it was fun sailing close to the container ships!

Latest addition to Drascombes at Pin Mill: coaster Bounty

It really does seem that the local Drascombe population is approaching 'fleet' proportions.  At the latest count, we have no fewer than 5 coasters (Daisy II, Pamela Jean, Windsong, Valentine, Bounty), 2 luggers and 2 longboats at Pin Mill or just upstream at Royal Harwich Yacht Club/Woolverstone Marina.  Dinghy classes aside, I doubt if there is another more popular boat make.

21.8nm, top speed 6.9 knots