LORDNELSON
Well-Known Member
Following the many helpful replies I received about 10 weeks ago answering my enquiry about cruising on the East Coast of England, we have now been to the East Coast and enjoyed the experience very much. We called at Shoreham, Dover, Ramsgate, Walton Backwaters, Harwich (Shotley Point Marina-twice), Ipswich, Pin Mill (twice), River Deben (Tide Mill Marina at Woodbridge, and private buoy at Kirton Creek, Ore/Ald (Oreford Visitors buoy, ditto Aldburgh), Lowestoft (RNYC one night and Lowestoft Haven Marina 0nem night), Brightlingsea, Malden (glad we had a Southerly!), Osea Island, Burnham-on-Crouch, Ramsgate, Shoreham and then our summer moorings at Hamble River. We were met with courtesy and kindly help wherever we went, cost of moorings was low by south coast standards, some of the river and harbour entrances were interesting (try the Lowestoft Harbour entrance in an easterly force 7 gusting 8) and the Deben and Ore provide moments as well!. The river waterways are great for sailing in and there seems to be a happy relationship between pleasure and the larger commercial vessels. Some of the rivers have good scenary too. We did not appreciate badly regulated personal water craft, Bingo calls being broadcasted across the water at high decibells late at night when we, and others, were enjoying a quiet anchorage at Osea Island. Thre RNYC Marina at Lowestoft is very convenient for yachts calling in, particularly those coming across the North Sea from Holland etc., and the facilities, in general, are good; however there is an irritating scend into the marina and, in our opinion, the marina at the Haven is quieter and they even meet you on the pontoon, not, of course, as convenient as the RNYC if you want to be able to leave at any time (because of the bridge). We had a really good cruise, many thanks to all who provided advice. We had to leave our boat at Burnham on a buoy for 17 days (Rice and Cole, very cheerful & helpful, assisted us in mooring, they provide a ferry service to the boats at buoys and all for £5 a day (11.5 metre boat)). Railway communications to London from Woodbridge and from Burnham very good and convenient. It was nice to see the Solent again, but it is terribly overcrowded now even on weekdays, the motor boats are a menace (I know there are a lot of considerate motor boaters, but there are many who are not - so much for the RYA persuasion approach) and two days ago I paid £32 for one night in a marina in Lymington (nice marina, very good ablutions, but it seemed expensive). The Royal Lymington YC kindly let us eat in their restaurant, food and service very good.
