2019 Season

Over the winter we did our normal jobs, engine service, cleaning sails etc etc. We also had to buy a new life raft and they only last bout 14 years and you can't have them serviced after that. So winter is usually a time of expense. It also is a time we use the boat as our caravan on water. So we had many trips down to Ipswich, not just for jobs but also for social events.

We are very lucky that the Suffolk section of the CA (Cruising Association) is a very active section and we attended many of their excellent talks (and meals) over the winter.

Our Marina also organises events and this year we managed to go on the lock tour. We were pleased to get on it as in the past, the dates have never worked out for us. That was an interesting couple of hours. We regularly go through the lock but have never been in the office area to see how it all works. It was interesting to see the lock from a different perspective. Sadly it was a dank and misty day otherwise the views would have been brilliant.

This propeller blade was found in Prince Phillip lock during dredging operations in March 2012. After extensive research it was found to be from a Focke-Wulf during a bombing raid on Ipswich 2nd June 1943. Many were killed that night including the 20 year old pilot. It is thought this blade was from his aircraft, the MOD were informed of the find and are happy for it to be displayed at ONS (Orwell Navigation Service).

John always feels that we can give hours of entertainment to anyone one passing as we put the sails back on the boat. We must be getting better as we achieved this task quite quickly this year.

Nothing says the end of winter like the dehumidifier going off the boat and back home.

A couple of views, one of our friend's boat Fleur on the hard standing. By chance she was placed just above us. So I had to take a photo. The other is our Marina, had to take this one as an ex colleague's facebook tag is Charlotte Rose.

Back to Ipswich 20th August 2018

Once again we were told by the lock keeper what time to lock out and the order we were to report to the lock. We were locked out by 7.50 and ready for our journey to Ipswich.

Like much of the summer there was no wind and it was quite a warm day. It was a very pleasant journey back to Ipswich.

The tides worked well and we were back in the River Orwell and passed Fagbury Buoy by 13.33. Another hour and we were under the Orwell Bridge however we had to wait a while for the lock so weren't moored up until  15.43.

A 40.6 mile journey and home safe and sound.

All in all a good season. For some reason the blog wasn't published till now so appears as May 2019 rather than August 2018. I will be better with the blog next year, though I said that last year.

Heybridge Basin

We had heard of Heybridge Basin and thought we'd give it a whirl. You have to book in as there is limited mooring and you can only get in the lock at high tide. The lock keeper will tell you what time to arrive for your lock in.

It was only a hop, skip and a jump from Bradwell but we decided to stop en route at Osea Island, where we anchored and had lunch. On the way we passed by Radio Caroline, very cheesy I know but I did have Neil Diamond singing Sweet Caroline at full blast as we went by.

The route in to Heybridge Basin is one that has to be approached with care, you need to follow the withies in to make sure you are in the channel. There isn't a lot of water in this area.

The whole process of getting in the lock is quite straight forward. The lock keeper tells you what time to arrive and when you are in the area you radio in, he calls the boats in the order he wants. Experience lets him fill the lock exactly, in front of us was a huge catamaran and alongside was a slightly smaller yacht with the lovely Maggie. There are also people along side the lock taking the ropes. The only down side was me getting my chain caught on a rope, not sure how, I caught the chain but my gold anchor was lost to the depths. You are also told exactly where to moor.

Heybridge Basin is very pleasant, clean shower block. There was a lot of weed, John had to rescue a spaniel who mistook the weed for solid land and then could not get out again.

Un this picture you can see the withies and just make out the channel that we travelled up to enter the lock. As you can see a lot of mudbanks to run a ground on if you don't stick to the channel.

At Heybridge there were the most unusual garden ornaments! They certainly beat your standard garden gnomes.

Chatham to Bradwell

14th August 2018

Across the Thames Estuary towards Bradwell and this turned out to be the best sail of the season. There was another boat of similar size and somehow we left it standing. After about an hour we decided to put a reef in, once again the 1st reef was still a bit dodgy. We had thought we'd solved the problem earlier in the season, but obviously not. So we put in the second reef. The boat we'd whizzed passed earlier caught us up, however once we sorted the sails out off we went again. We weren't trying to race it but for some reason we were flying.

It really was a brilliant sail, we went across the Spitway at 7 knots, a real yeeha moment. Showed how much our confidence has grown over the years. As at one stage we would have crawled across checking constantly. Now we had confidence in our equipment and navigation skills.

The only downside was when we were nearing Bradwell we were told there was no room at the inn! I had rung up the day before to be told we couldn't book but there wouldn't be a problem. I must have sounded really pathetic on the radio as the marina manager said we could moor up on the fuel berth the only snag was we couldn't do that till after the fuel berth closed at 5 pm. I found a mooring buoy and stayed there until we were able to go in.

We had a very comfortable night on the fuel berth and were moved along early doors by a fishing boat going out as we were in their way. They told us we shouldn't have moored there but I did inform them that's where we'd been told to go by the Marina Manager.  Later in the morning we did get a berth. The boats they'd expected to leave the pervious day hadn't left because of the weather.

Bradwell is definitely as marina that has tide constraints.

Once again we had a good couple of days at Bradwell. We took the wall along the coast to St Peter's church. It is an amazing place. Part of the church is built out of a wall from a Roman Gatehouse. The church is still in use despite being isolated and having no electricity. It is well worth a visit.

On the walk back we found that a pub that had a bad fire a few years previously had just reopened and it was Steak Night, it would have been rude not to have booked in. The food was excellent in fact there was so much we couldn't manage a pudding.

In the village there was a scarecrow competition and I enjoyed looking at all the different entries. People's imagination never fails to amaze me.

This was an area that was very much part of the war. There was a squadron of spitfires and hurricanes, however on the memorial it is a Mosquito. But I do like this memorial, it is also a reminder that it wasn't just the British that fought to protect the UK.

A slightly shaky evening view.

Sailing information
Chatham to Bradwell - 44.8 NM
Time taken  - 8 hours

Ramsgate

2nd August 2018

An uneventful sail to Ramsgate, I say sail but it was one of those days that the engine was off and back on frequently. All in all in an 8 hour journey we had 1 1/2 hours of sailing. True to form just as we were approaching Ramsgate it got quite bouncy as the wind was against tide.

We had won some free nights at Ramsgate so were definitely staying for the two nights. It was very hot during our time at Ramsgate. Which was different to the pouring rain we had last year. Whilst there we took the bus to Margate. Maybe because it was such a hot day, but I wasn't overly impressed with Margate. I had particularly wanted to go an see the Turner Gallery there. From Margate we took the bus to Broadstairs and walked back to Ramsgate via the beach. although hot it was an enjoyable walk.

Another tourist place we went to was Sandwich. We travelled here by train (making the most of our two together cards). It really is a delightful little town, lots of Medieval buildings, and is worth a visit. The trains from Ramsgate are very frequent.

The plan had to then go over to Dunkirk and then work our way up to Holland. The weather wasn't right on the day we planned to go so stayed put a bit longer. However looking at the long term forecast we decided not to cross the channel but make our way back to Chatham.

6th August

Ramsgate to Chatham

After much discussion, we decided that from Ramsgate we would go back to Chatham and hopefully go to the places we'd planned to go in June, but were prevented by the weather.

Next was the passage planning! A choice of three routes one being very shallow. We decided to plump This was the middle of the three routes and although not as shallow as the first route, it was one to be approached on a rising tide as there were shallow bits. It also would take a lot of concentration as there were no real features to look at, just sea and you cant always tell what is deep and what is shallow.

There were several ways we could have tackled this journey. The deeper route was via the Princes Channel, but armed with our trusty copy of Crossing the Thames Estuary and knowing we were on a rising tide we took the route passing near Margate Sands.  This was for the Queen's channel and Kentish Flats route to the Medway. I was pleased we did this as there were lots of seals sunbathing on the Sands. Sadly there was no wind and it was very hot. So it was a gentle but long trip, nearly 9 hours.

Leaving Ramsgate

We walked along here many times.

Believe it or not there were loads of seals on the sandbank. Unfortunately I didn't have the telephoto lens and obviously we didn't go too close. (shallows)

As mentioned before we like Chatham Marina and there is plenty to do in the area. We had a nice walk we could do each night.

Whilst there we went to the Royal Engineers Museum. It was interesting and they did have a tank there that had been build at ROF Leeds. To be more ROF Barnbow, which was based in Crossgates. A place close to my heart as it was where my parents met.

We also paid another visit to the Maritime Museum as the tickets we bought on the last visit were valid for 12 months. Its worth going back as there is so much to see there.

Sailing information
Harwich Pier to Ramsgate 44.1 nm   Passage time 8 hours
Ramsgate to Chatham 49.4 nm.   Passage time 7 hours 27 minutes.

And we're off.....

Despite being told we wouldn't get a lift out till the 7th August, the brilliant staff at Ipswich Haven Marina managed to fit us in the next morning. Our friends from Seaduction were lifted out just before us as Chris had heard an annoying knock. (They had has their lift out booked for a fortnight.) His suspicions were correct and it was growth on the prop. This long hot summer has been an ideal breeding ground for the little beasties.

Our turn next.

Going into the lift.

No wonder we had no power. The little beasties decided our prop was a brilliant breeding ground.

Tim about to jet wash the hull and prop.

John giving an extra scrub with a wire brush.

Getting ready to go back in.

The difference once it was done was amazing, just back to normal.

1st August - Down the River

As previously planned we went out of the lock on freeflow. Quite uneventful going down the river, but it was full at Halfpenny Pier. We rafted up next to another yacht on the outside. We had a nice wander round Harwich and nipped in the Alma. However we didn't feel like  full meal so had a starter each. It was up to the normal standard. It wasn't the most comfortable night so was glad when it was time to get up at six. We chatted to the guy next door. He obviously had a habit of throwing the dregs of his coffee over the end of his boat. He obviously forgot someone was tied on to him! quite a lot of coffee stains down or boat!

We left the mooring at 6.43 and had the mainsail up straight away. It was quite a good journey and we did a fair bit of sailing. Though it was a question of engine on and engine off. I think we did more sailing than the whole of the previous trip. It was a good journey and quite smooth.  As we passed North Foreland we slowed down as we had the tide against us, but we knew that this would happen. Actually going into Ramsgate was very bumpy but all in all a good journey - 8 hours in all.

Last year when we were in Ramsgate I filled in a visitors survey, which put us in a free draw. I'm pleased to say it was us that got drawn out. This meant two free nights in Ramsgate.

Our time in Ramsgate was hot, hot, hot. We did a lot of touristy stuff and went to Margate (visited the Turner Art Gallery), Sandwich (lovely old town) and a walk to Broadstairs. I didn't take many photos of Ramsgate as we took a load last year.

Sailing information.

Harwich to Ramsgate 44.1 NM, 8 hours flat

£33 pounds a night.

Lots of facilities in town.

Laundry £5 a wash!!!!

Very friendly marina staff