Daisy II: Summer Cruise, July 28th to August 4th 2014

Coaster Valentine sailing NW along the Blackwater from Osea Island

Participants: Drascombe Coasters Daisy II and Valentine.
Identified, active Drascombes encountered along the way: Longboat Cruiser Pen; Dabber Susie

This has been the most ambitious and, ultimately, most rewarding cruise undertaken in Daisy II to date. A track log of 204.3 nautical miles speaks for itself. In partnership with coaster Valentine, the voyage covered six estuaries/rivers (Daisy II covering a seventh - the Deben - after Valentine shortened her trip by a day returning directly to the Orwell from the Crouch), undertook three lengthy sea passages and, but for one night on a mooring in West Mersea and my final night at Woodbridge, enjoyed the spectacular freedom of spending all remaining nights at anchor.

The only minor blot came afterwards, when downloading track data and realising that we had travelled too far for the memory of my previously trusty Garmin GPS, which dutifully deleted the tracks from the first six days in recording the seventh. Having realised something was up, I recorded my final, eighth day on a Motion-X GPS App for the iPhone. Hence, I've had to draw the rough outline of the first six day's cruises on the map below.

204.3nm
All but the white and blue tracks are 'best guesses' plotted onto the map after the GPS deleted the real tracks

The final two days - in white and blue - are genuine, the remainder are best guesses and, naturally, miss out the many passages where we were beating into wind, such as north from Colne Point to Mersea Stone Point and a particularly arduous stretch south west into the Crouch after having previously passed through the Rays'n Channel.

Monday 28 July
Left mooring at 2pm, sailed upstream briefly for rendezvous with coaster Valentine. Sailed downstream and then up the Stour for evening anchorage off Harkstead Point.

Valentine cruising towards Felixstowe Docks. Note the newly-fashioned mainsail boom.

Valentine cruising up the Stour

Sunset over the Stour

Tuesday 29 July
Left anchorage early, taking remaining ebb out through Harwich harbour, on to past the Naze Tower, and joining the new flood tide down The Wallet. We turned into the wind past Colne Point, beating along to lunchtime beaching and afternoon anchorage at Mersea Stone. Later in the afternoon, motor/sailed up Brightlingsea Creek, and then tied up to public pontoon. Early evening sail along the Pyefleet Channel to evening anchorage adjacent to Maydays Marsh.

Valentine on a run from Harwich Harbour

Daisy II cruising along The Wallet

Winds diminished for a while along The Wallet, opposite Clacton on Sea

Daisy II beached at Mersea Stone

Coasters at Brightlingsea

Sunset over the Pyefleet Channel

Wednesday 30 July
Returned to the Colne, past Mersea Stone and then SW down the River Blackwater. Late morning beaching at Osea Island. Lunchtime encounter with LBC Pen (which is based at Marconi SC) off Osea, then sailing in dwindling winds up towards Heybridge. Returning with the ebb past Osea and on to West Mersea for evening meal in West Mersea Yacht Club, and then borrowing one of their moorings for the night.

Approaching Osea Island from the east

Beached off Osea

Longboat Cruiser Pen

Valentine keeping a lookout!

Silhouette over Osea

Thursday 31 July
Left West Mersea, after briefly calling in once more at West Mersea to deal with Valentine rudder stock issue. Sailed around St Peter's Flats, then south through the Rays'n, finally beating SW into the River Crouch. past the Inner Crouch buoy. Then, dropped sail and motored up to public pontoon at Burnham-on-Crouch for early evening meal. Finally returned down Crouch, into River Roach, anchoring in Brankfleet.

Little and Large: Thames Barge Reminder meets Drascombe Coaster Valentine

Valentine beating, in a loppy swell, SW into the River Crouch

Safe haven at Burnham-on-Crouch

Twilight over Brankfleet

Friday 1 August
Morning trip to Burnham, followed by sail with flood up the River Crouch as far as Brandy Hole Yacht Club. Mid-afternoon lunch in restaurant, then return sail with the ebb, anchoring once again in Brankfleet.

Valentine cruising up the River Crouch

At the cunningly named 'Brandy Hole Yacht Club'. Contrary to information in the otherwise excellent Imray publication, East Coast Pilot, there is no official club pontoon. We had to scramble ashore to gain permission to pull up here.

Captains enjoying excellent afternoon meal at Brandy Hole Yacht Club!

Panorama of view from Brandy Hole Yacht Club restaurant

Afternoon reach, with the help of a strong ebb tide, achieving the cruise's maximum speed of 7.9kts

Daisy II returning to Brankfleet for evening anchorage

Saturday 2 August
Morning trip to Burnham, picking up crew and returning to River Roach, sailing up the Roach past Paglesham, where we had a rendezvous with Dabber Susie, and on to an area just beyond the entrance to Bartonhall Creek; returning for mid-afternoon snack at anchor. Returned past Paglesham, into Devil's Reach and then south into Yokesfleet Creek, clockwise around Rushley Island, taking in the view of Havengore Bridge and Creek and the rough seas beyond. Past Sutton's boatyard, returning down Yokesfleet, along the Roach, and then returning crew to Burnham for evening meal. Return to Brankfleet for final anchorage.

Isn't the outboard sort of ..... cheating....?!

Dabber Susie joins us off Paglesham

Reaching down the River Roach

Valentine on the Roach

Valentine's skipper proud to reach Havengore Bridge. One day, we hope to return to see the bridge rise as we return from a voyage to the north Kent rivers.

Assistance from crew in Yokesfleet Creek

Sunday 3 August
Sailing out of the Crouch, along the Whitaker Channel, past the Swin Spitway, into The Wallet and back past the Naze Tower. Valentine returned to the Orwell, Daisy II continued to the River Deben, ending the day at the Tide Mill Quay, Woodbridge.