This was the Easter East Coast Sail, delayed as only British Rail knows how. For those of you not familiar with the workings of HSSC we go sailing except when we don’t or can’t. On this occasion the company that runs the charter boats and an associated sailing school cancelled their school programme because of the weather. I think that was a hint not to sail.
Victor was able to get a new date in June and we were given Pretender, a Jeanneau 40.3, out of Shotley which is a locked-in marina opposite the container port at Felixtowe. His crew was Janice, Michael, Robert, Sharon, and Wendy.
On the first day, Friday, we went for a gentle potter round to HM Fort Roughs on Roughs Sands, also known as Roughs Tower that was designed by Guy Maunsell as one of several such towers to protect Harwich in the war, and on to the entrance to Walton on the Naze. According to one source on the internet there is “a great variety of wildlife found in and around Walton-on-the-Naze. The coastal area has national and international protection in recognition of its outstanding nature and conservation value. The Naze itself is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its fossil cliffs.” One of the sights on the way there is the Greenwich Light Vessel (of Shipping Forecast fame) parked in the middle of the junction of the Orwell (for Ipswich) and the Stour (for Harwich).
We were debating whether to go into the marina at Titchmarsh just behind Walton, but on a slowly rising tide it would have taken too long just waiting around to get in – the waters are not very deep there, especially on springs. So we headed to sea to potter about for a bit, and with six on board came up with twelve suggestions. The overwhelming decision was to return to Shotley, which we did via Cork Sands, and have a cup of tea, and then make dinner, and then eat it complete with Kiddush. The menu, don’t you love it when all we talk about is the food on a sailing weekend? Proper chopped liver starter, pea soup, chicken, fruit, wine, the list goes on. So on to the first night. The container port opposite is a 24/7 operation but the noise did not really intrude. The following morning we were up at the crack of 09h00 and off about an hour later, again down towards Walton and this time we went in on a rising tide, down to the marina, turned round and came out again to tie up on a buoy in the Twizzle (no, I am not making this up, go look at a chart) for more food – smoked salmon sandwiches.
After lunch the tide was turning and we headed out towards the container port and up the Orwell, under the river bridge and through to the locks into the Ipswich basin. There is more than one marina and we got parked up in the one furthest away from the lock opposite a pizza parlour – they could have walked across the water to make a delivery! And more food, this time a dinner of cold potato salad and home made salt beef, and more wine. After dinner we went on the town. Well, it was a bit more lively than Brightlingsea with the police controlling entry into one of the quayside pub/clubs. There is an interesting Old Custom House on the quayside.
After dark there was son-et-lumière in a new block of flats on the same side of the marina as the Old Custom House. The Old Custom House was built in 1845, and overlooks the Wet Dock which was the largest area of enclosed water of its kind in England when it was opened in 1842. The son-et-lumière was very well done, and we had grandstand views.
On Sunday the wind was immediately ahead of us all the way down the Orwell so we had to motor. We did get a bit of a sail in alongside the container terminal but before we could get to Harwich the wind died so we motored back to Shotley for lunch, boat clean and hand back. This was another grand weekend out in true HSSC fashion.
Many thanks to Victor for organising the weekend and the girls for doing the cooking and bringing along the food.
Robert
to see all the pictures click here