East Coast destinations

Phoenix of Hamble

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There's an enormous amount to see on the east coast... for first time visits, we're planning on the Medway, Lowestoft, Southwold, Fambridge, Heybridge and Aldeburgh....

What are the target destinations that you have for east coast sailing this season?
 
We hope to head off to the northern part of Holland this summer so our usual trip straight across from the Orwell will need to be changed.
We will probably go up to Lowestoft and then over to Ijmuiden or Den Helder.
Haven't been in to Lowestoft for nearly 10 years.
We would love to go in to Wells as we were based up there for years on and off the water (and have rellies there) but we will not take the ground so we would need to check there is a puddle deep enough for our keel as I don't fancy the wall.
This year we want to go to some good places to anchor as we haven't had that experience with Mermaid yet so a couple of the places you mention might come into our plans - especially if there is an East Coast meet.
D
 
...Getting to the East Coast is our first target!

Subsequent to that, I imagine general exploring although HWMBO is very familiar with the Walton Backwaters, Orwell etc.

We'll of course see if we can make it from Brightlingsea to Bradwell on the 3rd May. I'm tempted for us to join the Ostend trip but we've never sailed 'abroad' and I'm fairly Incompetent Crew so it might be a bit too much of a big step for HWMBO with just me as his assistant.

I've always had a hankering to sail/motor up the Thames. From Eastbourne this wasn't really feasible but I suspect from Brightlingsea it might be a very pleasant jaunt.

I think the opportunities of our now shallow draught (83cm) might make some of the smaller rivers an interesting place to visit. I'm not sure, though, whether our width might be a problem (4.8 metres) in making our way up some of these. Still, with our mobile bungalow (as a friend named it) it's not too bad if you have to wait out a tide.

I would very much like to attend some local hostelries/eateries too - we'll try Kovalam at Brightlingsea as so many people have recommended it but I am sure there are other great places to eat within a couple of hours' sail - as long as we can moor, being a trifle wide.
 
be great if you could join the Oostende trip... it is a really quite easy crossing... and its perfect possible to arrange the crossing so that its entirely in daylight or at worst, the only bit done outside of daylight is the first few miles in home waters....
 
Yeah, we should really give Oostende a go, it's just that HWMBO might not be allowed to go down below to the loo the whole time if it's just me on board with him... on the other hand, the sea is big and if there's a spot with no giant ferries/container ships/scary boats for a few miles around I might let him escape from his Colregs Lookout position. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

I like Holland very much so it would be good to go there under our own steam for the first time. We'll see how things are going nearer the time. If we see someone we know going over there we might follow them (if we can keep up - Chellers is fast on the straights and very slow at tacking).
 
I seem to be leading a trip for the Sailing Association to the Medway and then up the Thames to Limehouse in mid June - both firsts for me.

If the weather is right I want to get to Fecamp just before the late May BH. Probably means I'll end up at Calais as usual and miss the forum 'en fete' (Belgium for piss up I understand) in Oostende but I need to get back to work on Tues 27!
 
After the enjoyable time had last Autumn aboard Morgana visiting the Ore our first plan is to explore this river some more. For the two week Spring break we plan to head there via Shotley. Then we will meander back and might visit Orwell, WBW & Blackwater on the way.

Hoping to make the Ostend trip in May and then the big one will be the summer holidays in Netherlands
 
It's all new for SWMBO and I as we're going to be keeping the boat at Woolverstone this year. Can't wait to get the refit done and go sailing.
 
Ipswich to Dover, Brighton and then the Round The Island Race, then back via Brighton, Boulogne, Calais, Ostende, to Ipswich then possibly Lowestoft/Wells. Doing most of it singlehanded but would welcome any company for parts of the trip.
I have crew for the RTI race though.
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
As well as Ostend in May, I'd like to give the boss a taste of how pleasant a safe mooring or anchorage can be, so looking at Deben, Ore, Crouch & Blackwater. Should keep us going for a while /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Hee hee safe anchorages eh?

I've dragged in one of those locations, lost my steering as casting off in another and been swung into in the middle of the night at the 3rd..... one of them's been completely perfect though.....

Maybe i'm just unlucky.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Fortunate that the boss isn't very computer literate - it saves having to explain nautical terms like 'dragging' 'casting off' and stuff like that. She might be misled into thinking it wasn't perfectly safe and comfortable /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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