Anchoring in Dunwich Bay

[dolabriform]

Hi all

Mother in law has a place in Dunwich and we would love to show it to her from the sea.

We were thinking of leaving the Orwell at HW, take the ebb up to Dunwich bay, anchor for a spot of lunch and then take the flood back to the Orwell.

I've done quite a bit of googling and I can't find any info. Anyone got an idea what the holding might be like? Is this a bad plan?

Thanks

David

 

[Habebty]

Hi all

Mother in law has a place in Dunwich and we would love to show it to her from the sea.

We were thinking of leaving the Orwell at HW, take the ebb up to Dunwich bay, anchor for a spot of lunch and then take the flood back to the Orwell.

I've done quite a bit of googling and I can't find any info. Anyone got an idea what the holding might be like? Is this a bad plan?

Thanks

David

I have anchored overnight at the North End towards Southwold in very settled conditions but was still very rolly. Good holding though.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Aren't you likely to foul your anchor on a church steeple?

 

[johnalison]

It is amazing to think that it wasn't that long ago that Dunwich used to trade with far-off places such as Stralsund.

There is also an old rhyme that refers to Dunwich quoted in one of our old sailing books. It ends with something like "they all come out in one lousy creek"

 

[PeterWright]

b

It is amazing to think that it wasn't that long ago that Dunwich used to trade with far-off places such as Stralsund.

There is also an old rhyme that refers to Dunwich quoted in one of our old sailing books. It ends with something like "they all come out in one lousy creek"

"
,,,,
Dunwich Souw'ld and Walberswick
All go in at one lousy crick
....
First the Dudgeon, then the Spurn,
Flamborough Head comes next in turn.
....
and so on, until you arrived down the coast from the London river at Newcastle. I once learned the whole thing, saved fiddling with charts when sailing God's own coast, but I'm spoiled these days by clever electronics. I first heard it from Bob Roberts and thought it another of his unique peculiarities, but then met Kentish bargemaster Vic Wadhams, who knew the same rhyme, with a few variations, so I suspect it was an old rhyme which helped sailing masters in the days they weren't all able to read a pilot book. I seem to recall reading it in a Hervey Benham book as well.

Try those two snippets - they scan as poetry should in my mind. Things which scan, rhyme or can be sung to a tune seem to lodge themselves so much more easily in a human brain. As a very young child, I know I could sing the alphabet before I could recite it and multiplication tables were learned in my childhood by the whole class chanting them in unison - it seemed to get these basics firmly wedged in our heads. I've never understood the modern objection to learning by rote - it's very effective and, I think, served both school kids and mariners well.

Sorry, I'm clearly out of date.

 

[dolabriform]

Aren't you likely to foul your anchor on a church steeple?

That does worry me a little !

 

[johnalison]

b

"
,,,,
Dunwich Souw'ld and Walberswick
All go in at one lousy crick
....
First the Dudgeon, then the Spurn,
Flamborough Head comes next in turn.
....
and so on, until you arrived down the coast from the London river at Newcastle. I once learned the whole thing, saved fiddling with charts when sailing God's own coast, but I'm spoiled these days by clever electronics. I first heard it from Bob Roberts and thought it another of his unique peculiarities, but then met Kentish bargemaster Vic Wadhams, who knew the same rhyme, with a few variations, so I suspect it was an old rhyme which helped sailing masters in the days they weren't all able to read a pilot book. I seem to recall reading it in a Hervey Benham book as well.

Try those two snippets - they scan as poetry should in my mind. Things which scan, rhyme or can be sung to a tune seem to lodge themselves so much more easily in a human brain. As a very young child, I know I could sing the alphabet before I could recite it and multiplication tables were learned in my childhood by the whole class chanting them in unison - it seemed to get these basics firmly wedged in our heads. I've never understood the modern objection to learning by rote - it's very effective and, I think, served both school kids and mariners well.

Sorry, I'm clearly out of date.

Ta ever so. It must be nearly 50 years since I last read the rhyme, which has its own weird beauty.

I agree that poetry should read well. On the other hand, if it is too regular it risks coming out as doggerel. Pam Ayres has made a career out of this, but actually is a bit more subtle. Although I haven't done it for a while, I find poetry easier write and more expressive than prose, which I am very bad at. In my attempts at verse I introduce quite a lot of irregularity while making it read naturally. Stephen Fry has written a good introduction to the art, but I haven't tried to put his advice into practice.

 

[Bru]

It's actually a song and it's origins are unknown but definitely of some antiquity

Bob Roberts popularised it in folk circles performing it both as a song and as a rhyme

It's in my repertoire as it happens although it's some years now since i performed it

 

[Slowboat35]

Could we please have the words, if you can't make a vid of it being sung too?
I'd love to know that piece.

I din't know that Walberswick once had a useable entrance. What did it lead to, and when?

As for the OP's question re anchoring, the charts tell you what the bottom is made of but I can't imagine there are any boulders or rock around there so the alternatives; sand, shingle or mud are likely to be perfectly adequate holding. Bear in mind that Sole Bay was once regarded as a prIme coastal anchorage.
There's one easy way to find out...

 

[Bru]

Could we please have the words, if you can't make a vid of it being sung too?
I'd love to know that piece.

I'm struggling to remember them and my songbook is on the boat. I'll try and remember to dig them out when (eventually) i get back on board - should have been later this week but that may be delayed yet again

Been thinking about doing some vids, i need some motivation to get the guitar out of its case cos i haven't played for months.

 

[Gargleblaster]

It is amazing to think that it wasn't that long ago that Dunwich used to trade with far-off places such as Stralsund.

Mmm, Stortebecker Beer, particularly Schwartzbier.

 

[johnalison]

Mmm, Stortebecker Beer, particularly Schwartzbier.

Great stuff. I liked the rye beer too. I cycled a long way from the harbour on a hot day to the brewery for a view, only to find that it wasn't open on the Saturday. It's a fine town, the 'city of the three churches'.

 

[Leighb]

Could we please have the words, if you can't make a vid of it being sung too?
I'd love to know that piece.

I din't know that Walberswick once had a useable entrance. What did it lead to, and when?

As for the OP's question re anchoring, the charts tell you what the bottom is made of but I can't imagine there are any boulders or rock around there so the alternatives; sand, shingle or mud are likely to be perfectly adequate holding. Bear in mind that Sole Bay was once regarded as a prIme coastal anchorage.
There's one easy way to find out...

The river Blyth that now flows out between Walberswick and Southwold used to reach the sea at Dunwich. The traders of Walberswick had to pay the Dunwich folk to allow their vessels passage, which was greatly resented and resulted in conflict. There was an interesting episode of “Villages by the Sea” on BBC1 (I think) in April this year about the old village of Walberswick which was in a different site. It is probably still available on iPlayer? The other two episodes were also about places we know well. Sunderland Point near Lancaster and Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire.

 

[dolabriform]

The river Blyth that now flows out between Walberswick and Southwold used to reach the sea at Dunwich. The traders of Walberswick had to pay the Dunwich folk to allow their vessels passage, which was greatly resented and resulted in conflict. There was an interesting episode of “Villages by the Sea” on BBC1 (I think) in April this year about the old village of Walberswick which was in a different site. It is probably still available on iPlayer? The other two episodes were also about places we know well. Sunderland Point near Lancaster and Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire.

Just checked and it's not available on iPlayer unfortunately

 

[Kukri]

Should be good with any west in the wind but as Habebty has said in post 2, above, you will roll. No different to anchoring off the Alde or the Deben to wait for the tide, really.

 

[Leighb]

Just checked and it's not available on iPlayer unfortunately

That is a pity, I have still got them on the HDD of our TV recorder, but have no idea if it is possible to copy them onto some portable recording medium?

 

[dolabriform]

That is a pity, I have still got them on the HDD of our TV recorder, but have no idea if it is possible to copy them onto some portable recording medium?

what is the TV recorder?

 

[Habebty]

what is the TV recorder?

A usually Freeview box with a hard disk drive to record directly off the tv. You normally use an av or HDMI lead into laptop or some even have a USB port.

 

[Slowboat35]

Sorry, I've got it
D'uh oh!
I read, Dunwich, Southwold and Walberswick as each going in at a lousy creek. The corect sense of course (!) is all three go in at the same one, as for a while after Dunwich's entrance became blocked and southwold/Walberswick's opened up there was still access to Dunwich but inland and via Walberswick, a situation the delighted citizens of Walberswick turned to their great advantage.

 

[Leighb]

A usually Freeview box with a hard disk drive to record directly off the tv. You normally use an av or HDMI lead into laptop or some even have a USB port.

I guess that might be the correct description.?
We have had it some years so can’t remember what it was called, it does the job so that is all that matters. It may have outputs that could connect to an iPad or something to transfer recordings but I have no idea.