Better luck this time.

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nathanlee

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Right, I've got a forecasted souwester at 15 knots tomorrow. It's also by birthday and I'm bloody well not spending the day rolling about on this buoy, so I'm going to a hope up to Shotley. I read in the pilot that that have baths! Anyway, let's see if this trip ends where I intend.

I'm leaving two hours after HW so should have the wind with the tide, there's little fetch too, so the wallet might not win this time /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I've been a bit gloomy today. Eaten lots and read all but one of the stories in the back of heavy weather sailing. I've also picked up some very useful information from it.

Did you know, a baggy reefed main creates more heeling motion when close hauled as an unreefed and properly set main? Also, although I did know this, a furled genoa, when very small, is all but useless. Combined, it means when I'm out in much above 20 knots, the boat goes nowhere remotely to windward. Got a storm jib on the shopping list now /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
DONT be tempted to cut inshore past Walton Pr IT GETS VERY SHALLOW.
keep out towards Stone Bank By then turn in to Landguard By. then keep to the western side of the channel as you enter the Hbr well away from the shallows on the Harwich Ledge ( where the Pilot Launches go into there base )

Ava Good one.
 
I've planned to head from priory spit, to the medusa buoy, then follow the yacht track in.

I'm going to, hopefully, spend a night in there to recoup (and celebrate) then bugger off up one of the rivers from cheap sailing until the weekend when I'll go back... or, ring around and find somewhere cheaper for the weekend. I bloody well hope next week brings more settled weather since I need to get North really.

The three day old vindaloo is not sitting well today either. I think I pushed my luck with that. lol.
 
How long you going to be at Shotley for Nathan?

Scratch that.... seen the reply above...

We may see you Friday evening in Shotley if you are about... Would offer you a lift to Oostende for the weekend if you were interested... only we're not coming back until late the following week.... thought about scrounging a lift on another boat?

As an aside... if you are celebrating, then consider taking a walk up the road to the Bristol Arms..... nowt wrong with the Shipwreck on site, but Bristol Arms has a bit more atmosphere....

As a second aside... the anchorage at Erwarton Ness just up the Stour is a delight in settled weather.... and also plenty of room at Buttermans, and then easy tender access to Pin Mill.... plenty of choice really in the rivers....
 
Nathan, was going to call you but here is just as good. Travel from Wells would in fact be an issue - unless you could find you own way down by train..... if you are up there by the weekend that is. The offer of a jaunt to Ostend on MrT is still there and if you are around Shotley on Friday then that would sort the travel issue out. I should be up there Friday mid afternoon and we plan to leave from Shotley at 0200 Saturday. Back Monday evening sometime.

Alternatively, Friday looks quite calm and you may be thinking of heading further North while you can.

Let me know.
Alan
 
As sailorman says, there's no need to go out as far as the Medusa and as long as you don't catch any fishing-lines, you can go as close as convenient to Walton pier, though the ground undulates close to the Naze. There are usually a lot of pot-markers around this area and they are often underwater in anything of a sea and tide. There can be apologies for markers close to the breakwater in Harwich harbour.

Yes, I did know about a baggy reefed main, and it's often surprising what the boat will stand if you flatten a full main through a gust. You get roughly what you pay for with sails I'm afraid.
 
He's got charts now C28, C29 plus Y16, Y17 and Y33 and his chartplotter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

He also draws less water than the square root of zero so he should be OK. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I hope the Orwell Bridge will have enough air draft to allow him upstream to explore? Might have to wait until MLWS to pass under it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
... and if you want to leave the boat somewhere cheaper for the weekend in order to join the motley crew of Mr T, then i'll be coming up to Shotley by car Friday night, and happy to pick you up from the Orwell area to get you to Shotley without having to muck about with public transport.
 
Nathan - as Neil says you will be spoilt for choice in the Orwell Area. Pick up a mooring at Harwich or, if you need that bath /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif call into Shotley. The baths are in the main block with the Shipwreck Inn. It's a walk up into the village for the Bristol Arms.

If you fancy a trip up the Stour - to be recommended, you can anchor at Erwarton Ness or pick up a mooring at Wrabness further upriver.

If you decide to explore the Orwell, there are moorings opposite Suffolk Yacht Harbour, further along at Pin Mill and in the river close to the Orwell Bridge. You can take a dinghy across to Pin Mill, but beware the state of tide - it is a long trek across deep sticky mud if you find yourself ashore at low water!

Sounds like there will be gatherings of ECF's at various points. CliveG is launching his pride and joy there on Friday evening and I will be down there too as I plan to go off sailing - heading North - at the weekend. I'll PM my mobile in case you want to join Clive and me for a jar. (We can celebrate both our birthdays!)

Alternatively, you can always rely on a warm welcome from the Morganas at Shotley.

I shall have a car at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on Friday evening if it's needed.
 
Good luck with that, Nathan.
If you look on the website mentioned below, go to the 'downloads' page, the download offered at the bottom of that page now includes a smart new Imray chartlet of Harwich with the dredging exclusion zone clearly displayed.
Have a good trip.
 
As Bernie has said, we will be at Suffolk Yacht Harbour Friday night with Sirenia on her trailer.
Will be launching Saturday morning.
Intending to head round to The Deben Saturday lunch time if we have enough sorted for a sea trip.
Need to be over the bar by about 2 p.m.
If not we will go round on Sunday morning.
You would be welcome to tag along with us.
We should be able to sort a mooring for you at Ramsholt if you want.
 
Possible Sunday meet at Ramsholt on the Sunday? Forecast looks good. A bouy at Ramsholt is a much more comforting thought than 'anchoring' at the Rocks.
 
Simon

We are up for that.
Intend to spend some time at Ramsholt finishing of a few last minute jobs and chilling out.

Our mooring is on the Ramsholt side up towards The Rocks.
Not sure of it's exact location as I have not been there yet.
 
Well, did you make it?

I hope to be sailing from the Crouch to Shotley tomorrow. If not and you fancy sailing in company I should be through the Spitway at about midday. (Sadler 29 'White Magic')

Come to that, one of my crew for Oostend may not be able to make it, so I may have a spare berth to fill.
 
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