August 10th: a trip along The Wallet

Today was about pushing some boundaries.  As far as day sails go, this was longer than anything else I had planned.  I had also never 'day-sailed' along The Wallet:  an inshore waters passage (swatchway) in the Thames estuary connecting the various tributaries of Harwich Haven with the Blackwater estuary.  Venture too far out to sea, and one hits the Gunfleet Sands, now one of a growing legion of windfarms.  Hit it with the tide in your favour, and enjoy the ride!

I intend cruising the Blackwater later this month, weather permitting.  Today was a sort of trial run in terms of the necessary trip along the coast.  Tides and weather were right for an early start, so I left home at 5am and was casting off the mooring soon after 7am, taking the last hour of the ebb out of the Orwell, and then picking up the fresh flood tide along The Wallet.  The incoming tide runs at a good 2 knots in places, particularly past Walton-on-the Naze and Frinton-on-Sea, so speeds in excess of 7 knots were possible even in today's calm conditions.
In the event, there was a good westerly F3-4 breeze to take me almost all of the way to the Blackwater - certainly, it was in full view - one more sequence of tacks and I could have been cruising up the River Colne towards Brightlingsea - as I reluctantly turned round for the run back home.  On the return trip, winds disappeared -as per forecast - passing Frinton, so I used the outboard for the remainder of the return trip.  All in all, 46.2nm in one day must be a record for me.

46.5nm; season's total: 455.7nm.

The Naze tower - how long before the flood defences give way?

Walton on the Naze pier plus town, highlighted by the sun

Clacton on Sea plus pier

The Two Towers

Another bank holiday, another chance for a sail.  Arose at 5am, motored down to the coast, and was casting off from the mooring soon after 7am.  The weather was calm, a gentle northerly breeze promised much, and certainly did well for the first two and a half hours, enabling me to reach most of the distance to Rough's Tower.  Thereafter, mostly motor sailing whilst the fickle wind worked out what it wanted to do...

Rough's Tower

Rough's Tower is an extraordinary monument from WWII, during which it was apparently created to defend the port of Harwich.  Since then, it has been passed through various hands and is currently a self-declared Principality of Sealand.  The wikipedia link says it all, really...

Anyhow, several miles off the Suffolk Coast, this makes a good target for a sail in benign conditions!

Naze Tower

Following Rough's Tower, I thought I'd take in another tower - this time the Naze Tower.  En route, I had to dodge the Cork Sands which explains the rather strange track below.

Photographing this tower was rather trickier, given the general haziness of the day, so this link should provide a better idea of what its about.  This splendid octagonal structure was built in the 18th century as a marker for ships - before lighthouses were invented, one imagines.

Must get a proper viewing at some stage...

33.1nm - season's total 112.3nm.

May 22nd - Trip to the Naze Tower, Walton on the Naze

Today, I took advantage of some splendid weekend weather to take in a trip of reasonable length, involving the open sea, and some tacking practice.

I thought it was about time to go and see the Naze tower at Walton on the Naze, from the sea.  Unfortunately, the wind pretty much gave up whilst at sea, and its general north easterly flow had made the sea state rather loppy - fine when there is wind to work with, but no fun whilst waiting for such a breeze;  so, having reached the tower, I retreated to more sheltered waters, whereupon the breeze magically returned, and I had a marvellous run back through Harwich harbour, topping 7 knots on the new flood. 

I had some great times tacking today:  one section on the outward trip with the ebb, out through Harwich harbour; then following a long run almost up to the A14 Orwell bridge, I turned back against wind and tide, and tacked back to the mooring - hence the photo which  was kindly taken by some friends who happened to be on the river.

The total trip length was 27.0nm - one of my longer day trips....
The season's total now stands at 72.2nm.