Back on the water. This is the Blackwater with F5, gusting F6 easterly winds. So, going upstream against the tide, the jib worked well enough.
Daisy II has been quiet for several months, but things have been happening and, at last, it was good to be back on the water.
Monday 15th April - White track (6.7nm); Tuesday 16th April - red track (30.9nm); Wednesday 17th April (9.0nm). Total track length 46.6nm
I've been having issues getting the Garmin software to work with Google Maps. The above is a compromise for now, whilst working a better way round the various barriers which seem to be in the way.
Log summary:
Monday 15th April. Launched at Bradwell Marina. Winds F5/6 easterly. Tide receding. Left the Marina at noon, mid-tide, set full jib and worked a way upstream. Conditions were awkward with big 'wind-over-tide' waves midstream. Stuck to the edges of the channel where the water was calmer. Worked upstream to Lawling Creek for anchorage.
Tuesday 16th April. Winds F3/4 easterly backing north-easterly. Took the tide down to Heybridge and then turned with the fresh ebb to work downstream. Lunch at anchor off Bradwell Power Station. The seas had calmed down sufficiently to sail across to the Colne for evening anchorage in Pyefleet Channel.
Wednesday 17th April. Becalmed. Motored back to Bradwell Marina, pulling the boat out at 12 noon.
Daisy II waiting patiently on the jetty at Bradwell Marina
Bradwell Marina continues to offer an excellent slipway, and remains a great place from which to cruise this wonderful sailing area.
So much better than the oval windows on other Drascombe coasters
Sunset on Pyefleet
The exciting repair is a new rudder/mizzen capping since the old one was completely warped and in danger of falling apart. This new one is from Churchouse Boats - they made it specifically to fit since the old one seemed to be slightly different in size from their standard fitting.
Easter cruising has been in Daisy II's repertoire since I purchased her in late 2006. So, this year sees the eleventh incarnation of the event. Last season's early Easter yielded a launch date on the last day in March at Bradwell Marina and a lovely cruise within the confines of the Blackwater Estuary. This season, musical commitments up until 1st April somewhat delayed proceedings. I then needed a few days of recovery before spending 3rd April putting things back on the boat and preparing for launching the next day.
112.0nm
The forecast for the week was dominated by a high pressure system moving slowly across the UK. This presented an opportunity too good to miss and the chance to do some coastal hops. I would like to have gone south, perhaps back to Kent and could well have done so, but would have needed afternoon tides to achieve this and it's really good to make use of mornings.
Tuesday 4th April
Afloat once again at Bradwell Marina slipway.
Bradwell Marina was once again the selected launchpad for the season's shakedown cruise. Tides were right to drift off to Osea Island for an evening anchorage on the south side of the island.
Light winds on the way along to Osea Island
8.2nm
Wednesday 5th April
Tides were right for an early start and a trip up the coast to the River Deben. Winds were, as promised, from the north-west and a pleasant F3 was good for sailing up to the pier at Walton. At this point, the tide was slack and, to speed things along with the wind now on the nose, I used the motor for the trip across to Landguard Point. Once across the shipping channel, I went close in to shore and sails were set once more for a sail past Felixstowe. The motor was employed once again to negotiate the sometimes tricky Deben entrance before a pleasant beat with the tide upstream against a fading breeze to a quiet evening anchorage just short of Methersgate Quay.
Evening anchorage near Methersgate Quay (well, actually, I think it's the next morning...)
Detail of tacks up the River Deben
40.8nm
Thursday 6th April
The first task today was to pop up to Woodbridge for some shopping. As is so often the case, there was little early morning wind so the motor was used.
Briefly tied up at Tide Mill Quay, Woodbridge.
The tide had now turned so I set sail for a trip back down the Deben, out to sea and south west to the Walton Backwaters. I sailed rather close in to Landguard Point by which time it was close to LW and I clumsily scraped the centreplate on the shelf there. Winds were turning more westerly as I reached the channel into the Backwaters.
Lugger entering Oakley Creek
I then found an afternoon anchorage on the north side of Horsey Island for some early supper during which time a green lugger with several passengers aboard made its way from Landermere and up Oakley Creek. Closer inspection through the binoculars showed a remarkable colony of seals at the entrance and I resolved to pop up there myself later the same evening. I wasn't disappointed.
Seals in Oakley Creek
21.5nm
Detail of track in Oakley Creek
Friday 7th April
Low tide was at 4am and I resolved to rise at 3am in order to be off the Naze Tower ready to hitch a lift on the fresh flood tide. Unfortunately, I miscalculated and found the boat high and dry. So, it was back to the bunk for a couple of hours. At 5am, Daisy II was afloat and I departed, taking in breakfast along the way.
Sunrise off the Naze Tower
Unfortunately, there was little by way of a meaningful breeze, so I had to put up with noise from the engine for the trip down The Wallet. By 9am I was pulling in to Brightlingsea. It would be good to pull in there, one day, and find an open cafe. Yet again, I was disappointed today.
Brightlingsea
So, I anchored up the Pyefleet Channel for a bite to eat. Later, I sailed out of the Colne and as far round the Mersea Flats as I could before the ebb overpowered the effect of the sails. Then, engine was once again deployed for a trip in to West Mersea for mid-afternoon fish and chips.
Finally, an afternoon breeze took me up to an evening anchorage off Mundon Stone Point in Lawling Creek.
Mundon Stone Point anchorage
36.0nm
Saturday 8th April
The morning brought on sea fog, so it took longer than anticipated for the planned return to Bradwell Creek.
5.5nm
The final piece of excitement was a broken mast crutch somewhere in Braintree! So, I improvised a splint consisting of two pieces of wood and lashings of rope - which, having had a winter clearout, if nothing else made it clear to me as to why it is necessary to have copious quantities of rope aboard. It also drove home a good reason for keeping pieces of wood well varnished...!
Improvised splint supporting the broken mast crutch.
Dried out on Saturday evening off the western shore of Osea Island. It's a little rocky this close in, but I took a chance and was lucky. The wind was strengthening from the east, with overnight rain forecast; this tiny cove off the west side of Osea provided perfect shelter.
As is the way, these days, a window of opportunity for the first cruise of the season arose during the Easter holidays. In fact, an early Easter combined with the lack of need to antifoul the hull enabled a launch in March - that's never happened to Daisy II before!
Thursday 31st March - launch at Bradwell Marina, trip to Osea Island
Being unencumbered by a mooring this season, different launching venues beckon, so it was good to visit Bradwell Marina for the first time since 2011. It is pleasing to see that little has changed.
The slipway at Bradwell Marina
The slipway is just as long as it always was, but it is pleasingly accessible and they obviously take care with maintenance, in particular by keeping the lower reaches relatively algae-free. £19 for launch, recovery and parking over four days represents reasonable value for the east coast. It's also refreshing to note that they take the trouble to check launchers possess basic safety equipment such as VHF, flares and life jackets but then they leave you to get on with it - a no nonsense, fuss-free approach.
Cruising in March - a first for Daisy II
Launching at Bradwell Marina, a quiet sail to Osea under jib and mizzen drying out close to the south western shore of this delightful island.
Friday 1st April - River Colne to Colchester
As is so often the way at this time of the year, a thick sea fog greeted me in the morning. The night was very cold and frost had formed on the deck. HW was around 6am, so I moved to deeper water for breakfast, with the somewhat forlorn hope that the fog would clear.
Unable to distinguish between sea and sky!
The sun was trying to poke through, so I pulled in the anchor and, under motor, made my way with the tide north east past the island. The sun doesn't always help in the fog, the bright rays glistening on the fog as the following picture attempts to show.
A panoramic view under way!
Finally the fog lifted opposite Stone Sailing Club.
The fog finally clears
Sailing out of the Blackwater to the end of the Colne, I stopped at Mersea Stone for lunch and, after a brief trip up Pyefleet Channel, sailed up the Colne past Wivenhoe to the more welcoming Rowhedge with its visitor's jetty.
Approaching Wivenhoe. It looks a pretty place but it's disappointing they haven't made shoreline access easier. A 2 hour jetty, such as many other seaside towns offer, is all that would be required. I'm sure visitors would spend some money in your town!
Rowhedge - a welcoming visitor's jetty. The two hour limit is sufficient to visit the local amenities. Neighbouring Wivenhoe could learn something from this.
Following a welcome pint in the Albion public house at Rowhedge, I motored along to the end of the navigation (at least, without having to lower the mast) at Colchester, just a few miles further on. For the record, there is another visitor's jetty here, although little to suggest a stay and exploration would be worthwhile. I turned round and returned to Pyefleet for the night.
Saturday 2nd April - Blackwater to Maldon
I called into Brightlingsea briefly before setting on my way.
At Brightlingsea
I motored out of the Colne in steep pitched 'wind over tide' waves. Then set sail bound for Maldon. On the way, knowing that I needed to wait for the tide to reach the head of the Blackwater, I called in to Lawling Creek.
Seals along Lawling Creek
I've not had a huge degree of success in the past reaching Maldon. Today, I sailed in under jib alone - the tide was still 2.5 hours before HW and I wasn't sure of depth. Today wasn't for stopping although it looks like an interesting place so I will call in again for a longer visit.
Approaching Maldon
Finally, Osea beckoned, as explained in the opening photograph in this posting.
Pyefleet to Brightlingsea, then out of the Colne, up the Blackwater, via Lawling Creek to Maldon, finally retiring to the west side of Osea.
Sunday 3rd April - return to Bradwell Marina
Dried out off Osea
Sunrise over Osea
Breakfast
After breakfast, a quick trip back to Collier's Reach, off Heybridge, lead to a wonderful reach back down the Blackwater, returning to Bradwell Marina for hauling out.
From Osea, to Heybridge finally returning to Bradwell
Coaster Valentine in Pyefleet twilight, flanked in the further distance by coasters Ultreia, Zandloper and Mellon.
This is the first of three planned posts on this trip. This one deals with the outward bound trip from Suffolk to Kent. Part II is here and Part III will appear in due course.
Firstly, however, let's set the entire trip in context.
Six boats, nine days, one goal: to reach the north rivers of Kent from the Orwell and return to tell the tale. In the event, the trip included many more highlights than we could have hoped for, including a passage across the Maplin Sands through Havengore Bridge, and a chance encounter with Shoal Waters (the late Charles Stock's old boat) in the River Roach.
This was the most ambitious summer cruise yet planned in Daisy II and it was splendid to have additional company in the form of four Drascombe coasters and, for a shorter time, a longboat. Two of the coasters came from The Netherlands, and one from Germany providing additional spice to the journeys of the two resident coasters from the Orwell. We learned a huge amount more in terms of potential for modifications, organisation and sail trim.
In summary, we sailed in the River Orwell, Walton Backwaters, River Colne, through the Thames Estuary to The Swale, River Medway, back across the Thames and across the Maplin Sands through Havengore Bridge, on to the River Roach, River Crouch and, finally, a return sail along The Wallet back to the Orwell.
Total track length: 197nm
Rob Moot, skipper of coaster Zandloper has put together an excellent video summary of our trip:
31 July - 2 August: outward bound from the River Orwell to The Swale
Our trip south was managed in three sections, the first of which consisted of a 'shakedown' cruise from the Orwell to the Walton Backwaters. Strictly, this isn't a necessary part of the journey but it did allow six boats, and associated crew to get to know each other.
31 July: Orwell sailing and trip to the Walton Backwaters; 20.6nm
Valentine ready for the trip to come
Delayed Badekar readying herself for a dunking.
Ultreia and Zandloper from The Netherlands introducing themselves
Brief 'conflab' on the pontoon at Pin Mill
Sailing through Harwich Harbour on the way to the Walton Backwaters
Badekar cutting it amongst the big ships
Anchored in Hamford Water
On 1 August, we set sail very early in order to catch the flood tide down the coast, bound for the mouth of the River Colne. On arrival, there followed various bits of 'to-ing and fro-ing' as various boats anchored off Mersea Stone, nipped in to Brightlingsea and wandered up and down the Pyefleet Channel to our eventual, delightful anchorage.
27.0nm
Ultreia goose-winged, leaving Hamford Water in light winds
Introducing the ingeniously, much-modified coaster Mellon from Germany.
The continental contingent in the vanguard, as they nearly always were!
Ultreia
Badekar off Frinton on Sea
Further conflab in the Pyefleet Channel
Locating anchorages in Pyefleet
The picture prefacing this post is also taken in the Pyefleet Channel.
The third stage of our trip south, the next morning, consisted of a trip through the Swin Spitway to the East Swin Channel, leading SW, turning South at the SW Barrow buoy aiming for The Swale. Due to feeling unwell, the captain of Badekar pulled out leaving five coasters to continue. Winds were largely non-existent at this point and there was a plethora of boats making similar trips, many of whose skippers we encountered again at various other stages on the trip. I think they were all impressed both by the ambition and capability of our pocket cruises in negotiating such a trip. Fortunately for us, weather conditions were almost perfect for this stage of our voyage: a SW flow to the air, and very light winds for our morning passage.
39.0nm
A feature of the cruise was swimming from the boat. Started by Else, from Ultreia, this spread to the skipper of Valentine.
Valentine sailing along the East Swin
The Maplin buoy, adding to the collection gathered on my Easter cruise
Once south of the Swin, we spent some time sailing with the aid of the strong SW current from the flood tide. Winds were still light at this point and we resorted to engine to cross the shipping channels.
This buoy wasn't marked on my chart
Redsand Towers buoy
The extraordinary Redsand Towers, gun emplacements still standing from the war.
Now a haven for various birds, it is quite amazing these things have withstood the ravages of time and weather.
Once past the shipping lane, the winds had picked up sufficiently, and turned easterly for a delightful trip across The Cant, sailing past Whitstable before entering The Swale
Our final anchorage for the evening was at Harty Ferry on the south shore. Having grounded, one skipper made a dash for the shoreline!
Grounded at Harty Ferry
The second part of this cruise report continues here.
Participants:
Coasters: Daisy II, Valentine, Ultreia, Zandloper, Mellon
Longboat: Badekar
This is a log of sailing activities aboard Daisy II, a 22ft Drascombe Coaster No.280. Formerly named Aquarius, she was built in July 1997 by Honnor Marine(UK) Ltd of Totnes, Devon. The original Daisy, a Devon Lugger, was purchased in 2005 following an unexpectedly early opportunity to realise a mid-life crisis! Daisy II, with cabin, afforded more scope for overnight stops, and was purchased at the end of 2006.
For several seasons she was moored at Pin Mill on the River Orwell, Suffolk. More recently, the trailer sailing option, utilising a versatile ‘roller coaster’ road trailer, has extended the sailing range. Over the years, we have sailed from various locations off the south coast from Cornwall to Hampshire, a number of inland reservoirs and the Norfolk Broads. However, her key stamping ground is the east coast, usually based around the Harwich area and reaching destinations ranging from North Kent up to Southwold, whilst also launching on the North Norfolk coast at Wells next the Sea. Most recently, a trip from Harwich to Whitby has served only further to whet the appetite: perhaps, one day, Daisy II might complete her journey, in small stages of course, around the UK!
