Broke my Duck!

[AntarcticPilot]

Well, Mrs AntarcticPilot and I finally got out on our first venture into East Coast waters without the help of a local (Thanks, MoodySabre)! We did a very short day sail from Titchmarsh into Hamford Water, and then out and back to the Pye End buoy. Not much, but we need to build up our local knowledge and confidence in shallow water slowly! Managed to stay afloat, and I've fixed the depth sounder so we won't go aground while it's still saying we have water under the keel :ambivalence:. Also having to get used to MUCH more crowded waters than we're used to! We've been a bit slow getting going, because of the advent of a new dog in the family and because the long passage south stirred up old back trouble for me.


For those that are interested in such thing, our dog is a mixture of Yorkshire terrier, Pug, Chihuahua, Poodle and Dachshund. He behaves like a terrier, and seems to have inherited the "cuteness" genes from all his forebears!

 

[FullCircle]

Excellent Paul, the channel out past Stone Point wasn't too much grief then?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Excellent Paul, the channel out past Stone Point wasn't too much grief then?

No, just followed the buoys and kept an eye on the depth sounder!

 

[MoodySabre]

No, just followed the buoys and kept an eye on the depth sounder!

All down to good training
Glad you made it at last. You probably chose the busiest weekend of the year.

 

[DanTribe]

I've never broken one, but you may be able to mend it with duck tape.
It certainly was busy, we anchored in Hamford on saturday and sunday nights, at least 20 boats. Very pretty with all the anchor lights and the moonrise was spectacular. Fireworks too.
A ship (barge really) came into Oakley on Sunday, managed to thread her way through all the anchored yachts. Quite impressive.

 

[Malish]

A ship (barge really) came into Oakley on Sunday, managed to thread her way through all the anchored yachts. Quite impressive.

Bet the skipper muttered a few words as he came into Hamford ;-)

 

[AntarcticPilot]

All down to good training
Glad you made it at last. You probably chose the busiest weekend of the year.

Yes, I was far more worried about avoiding other vessels than about the shallow water! I should say that I was careful about the tides - went out on a rising tide, and came back before it had fallen far!

 

[Habebty]

Hoping to be on Hamford Water this weekend. Typically as the weather is forecast to cool down!

 

[Fantasie 19]

For those that are interested in such thing, our dog is a mixture of Yorkshire terrier, Pug, Chihuahua, Poodle and Dachshund. He behaves like a terrier, and seems to have inherited the "cuteness" genes from all his forebears!

Hairy McLary from Donaldson's dairy.. I recognised him instantly (Grandson's favourite book at the moment)

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Hairy McLary from Donaldson's dairy.. I recognised him instantly (Grandson's favourite book at the moment)

Great! Very like, except ours has cream coloured paws.

 

[CPD]

All down to good training
Glad you made it at last. You probably chose the busiest weekend of the year.

Who was the training from Paul ? - cant possibly have been Roger !!!
I'm now Solent based and really miss the East Coast - its a great place to be. Next time out perhaps catch the tide down to the Blackwater

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Who was the training from Paul ? - cant possibly have been Roger !!!
I'm now Solent based and really miss the East Coast - its a great place to be. Next time out perhaps catch the tide down to the Blackwater

Well, I may be being charitable - we touched bottom just out of Lowestoft on the way down, and I'm assuming that he meant that to happen so I'd know what the East Coast is like!

We rather fancy going up the Deben to the Tidemill - I don't think the entrance to the Deben is any trickier than Stone Point! And the idea is to do shortish hops at first until we get used to the area. How far before and after high tide can I enter the Tidemill Marina? I draw 1.6 m, and I'd plan on entering on a rising tide.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Afraid not... The Deben entrance is trickier than Stone point... Tidemill marina have a really useful tide table on their site that gives you cill clearances for the various hours before and after HW... http://www.tidemillyachtharbour.co.uk/tide-timetables/

 

[Tammany]

The channel is getting very narrow at low tide, about time they got the dredger out their. Walton is almost cut off now at low tide.