Daisy II

Monday, 22 April 2019

Bank holiday sail at Rutland Water

Seizing the moment - and before the,‘ Aqua-park' season - this was an enjoyable sail in F4 easterly conditions.

13.0 nm

Wednesday, 17 April 2019

2019 Shakedown cruise

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.

Sunday, 7 October 2018

Rutland Water

It's not been a great September. The Hickling Broad rally had to be cancelled due to a poor forecast. The diary dictates that October may well not be any better. This weekend had the potential to be a mini-cruise but yesterday's weather destroyed that prospect. So, today's sail was just a token of what might have been.
As wild as conditions were 24 hours previously, today they were almost benign. I had to row out of Whitwell Creek before there was any sense of a breath of wind. But then things picked up for a pleasant, if slow sail up the northern arm of the water.

5.5nm

So, it could well be that this is the last sail before mid November - but we'll have to see what opportunities open up.

Monday, 3 September 2018

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.