Orwell to Walton Backwaters 15-16 June

Moonlight over Horsey Mere

A spare weekend, and an opportunity to pop down to the coast for a one-nighter.  

Launched at Woolverstone, and mostly motored over to the Backwaters almost directly into a fresh Southerly F5/6 blow.

Seals in Kirby Creek

Sanctuary in the Backwaters was found up Kirby Creek, trying not to disturb the local wildlife, including a colony of seals a little further upstream.  Conditions in Landermere Creek were too windy, but there is always more shelter to be found somewhere.

Wind over tide, departing from Hamford Water

The reward for motoring all that way was a delightful return sail with the wind behind me almost the entire way.  I left the Backwaters on the fresh flood, and sailed across Dovercourt Bay in increasingly lumpy conditions, reaching the safety of Harwich harbour before the forecast winds of 20mph arrived.

Thames barges moored on the River Orwell

Back in the Orwell, a reach past Pin Mill as always presented plenty of boats to admire.

New rope clutch replacing the previous cleats.  Still some tidying up to do.

The latest modification is a rope clutch for three halyards, replacing the two cleats that used to be there.  Works well.

White track, Saturday 15th June, 14.3nm; Red track, Sunday 16th June 16.4nm; Total length 30.7nm

May 29-31, Walton Backwaters

Sunset over Skipper Island

Another May half term cruise.  Other commitments narrowed the window of opportunity to these three days.  Winds were S backing SW F5/6 initially, becoming F4/5 later.  Gusty conditions such as these are never my favourite, but it was good to be challenged.  Selected Walton Backwaters as a base, due to strength of winds in the forecast, and the abundance of safe anchorages.


Wednesday 29th May

Muddy slipway at HW+4, Titchmarsh Marina

Launched at Titchmarsh Marina.  Short trip down the Walton Channel, and briefly looking out into Dovercourt Bay.  Southerly F6 gusts made for rough conditions (by my standards) so retired to Landermere Creek.

Anchored in Landermere Creek

Thursday 30th May
Brief hiatus when outboard wouldn't start, so returned by sail across Horsey Mere to the Marina.  It turned out that the outboard had merely flooded.  So, returned across Horsey Mere by motor, and then by sail out of the Backwaters.  Winds had abated too F4/5 SW, so sailed across to Harwich and over to Shotley for lunch, and then up and down the Orwell.  Returned by sail to the Backwaters for an extremely pleasant anchorage/drying out opposite Honey Island (Kirby Creek).

Seals in Kirby Creek

Friday 31st May

Winds still SW gusting to F5.  Had to take the boat out at HW (10.30am) due to commitments elsewhere.  Brief sail towards Landermere Quay before returning via Hamford Water and the Walton Channel to Titchmarsh Marina.

White track: 29th May, 6.5nm; Green track: 30th May, 29.6nm; Red track: 6.4nm.  Total length: 42.5nm

Walton Backwaters - Drascombe Association Rally, 31st August - 2nd September

Sunday lunch at Stone Point

Ten participating boats:
Coasters: Daisy II, Dewiniaeth, Kathleen
Dabbers: Lily, Teal, Bob'n'Annie, Blue Teal
Luggers: Rita May, Petrel
BC23: Kestrel



White track, Friday 31st August (12.0nm); Red track, Saturday 1st Sept (13.2nm); White track, Sunday 2nd (10.2nm); Total track length: 40.0nm

Friday 31st August - trip from River Orwell to Titchmarsh Marina, Walton Backwaters
Just because it was possible, I decided to launch over in the Orwell.  Part of the fun of the Walton Backwaters is the trip across Dovercourt Bay over to the Walton Backwaters.  Unfortunately, I hadn't planned the tides very carefully and ended up motoring against the flood down the Orwell and, once in the Backwaters, against the ebb up the Walton Channel.  Still, it was a splendid sail across the bay from Harwich.

12.0nm

Saturday 1st September - cruising in the Backwaters, trip to Beaumont Quay

Daisy II leaving Titchmarsh Marina (courtesy of J. Peal)

Today, we left Titchmarsh soon after LW at 11am.  Winds were SE F3/4.  Sailing against the new flood out of the Walton Channel, we picked up the flood into Hamford Water.  After a bit of to and fro', we reached Landermere Quay, anchoring for lunch.
Dabbers amongst us helped those that could to reach the historic Beaumont Quay, the western most point of the navigation. 
Afterwards, with some flood still left, we sailed back down Landermere Creek, into Kirby Creek and across Horsey Mere, succeeding in crossing The Wade around HW at 4pm.

Bob'n'Annie in Hamford Water

Kestrel slipping along gracefully

 

Dewinaeth and Petrel



Blue Teal

Petrel

Bob'n'Annie

Kathleen

Dabbers moored at Beaumont Quay

Lily taking to oar-power

Beaumont Quay - stones laid in the 1820s, recycled from the old London Bridge

Drascombes departing Landermere Creek

Dewinaeth

Bob'n'Annie

Blue Teal and Bob'n'Annie

Blue Teal leans into Kirby Creek!



Kestrel and Dewinaeth in Kirby Creek



Dewinaeth

Bob'n'Annie

Lily

13.2nm

Sunday 2nd September - lunch at Stone Point; departures...

Rita-Mae

 Today, a slightly reduced fleet repeated our trip along the Walton Channel, having another play in Hamford Water, before pulling up at Stone Point for lunch.  Thereafter, the fleet departed its various ways, some back to Titchmarsh, others back to the Orwell.

Dewinaeth

Beached at Stone Point

Panorama at Stone Point

Perhaps time to depart...

Dewinaeth back in Harwich Harbour

14.8nm



Easter Shakedown Cruise 2018

Things have been dormant on here over winter.  Finally, I've managed to launch and have some fun, albeit on a cold, damp, and mostly murky few days on and around the Orwell.  Rather than post pictures here, it has all been put in a youtube video.  Here's to great sailing in 2018...!

October half term mini-cruise

Back to Harwich

October half term wouldn't be worth it unless some sailing were involved.  Not that I have always managed it, but this year the stars were in alignment and I was able to pop down to the Orwell for a brief 'overnighter'.

Full track for both days, 31.2nm

Between other commitments and howling gales, the weather cleared and I launched at Woolverstone for what has turned out to be the final coastal sail of the season.  There may be opportunities for a day trip to somewhere like Rutland Water later next month.  We shall have to see!  However, the engine is now at Seamark Nunn for winter storage and servicing - expensive but worth it if, like me, one has little understanding of the workings of the infernal (sic.) combustion engine...

Once again, launched at Woolverstone Marina.  It doesn't get any cheaper but it is a convenient place from which to set off - plenty of room for onshore parking and a half decent slip, although I do wish they'd do something about the green algae which makes it treacherous under foot.

Winds were benign on the day of launching (26th October) and, given fading light, the best I could do was to motor downstream with the tide, and cross over to the Walton Backwaters where I anchored in a creek intriguingly known as The Dardanelles.  In all the time I've been doing this trip, this was the first time I have anchored here and it was well worth it - although I didn't get to see much of it in the lengthening hours of darkness at this time of the year!

October 26th, trip from Woolverstone to Walton Backwaters, 10.2nm

Fortunately, winds picked up overnight, so the next day, I breakfasted off Stone Point, before sailing out of the Walton Channel and over to Halfpenny Pier in Old Harwich.

Halfpenny Pier.  It's never accessible during the summer, and it is so good to have it all to one's self during the off-season.

Walton Channel to Halfpenny Pier - 6.9nm

I had the option of spending another night aboard, but the forecast was for strengthening winds - Inshore Waters projection for the next 24 hours to be F5-7 with occasional gale F8.  That put me off, so I resolved, after elevenses, to enjoy the remainder of the sail taking in a bit of The Stour, and then returning up the Orwell for a late lunch in the lea of Deer Park on the north side of the river.

Drilling jack, Paragon B391 at Harwich docks

Felixstowe was its usual, busy self.

 After food, it was a simple case of returning to base, recovering the boat and returning home.

Afternoon track - return to Woolverstone, 14.2nm