Concerto
Well-known member
No I have not missed out days 4 and 5, I stayed in Lowestoft due to adverse winds.
The forecast today looked good, with west backing south 2 to 4, to go to Wells-next-the-sea. I left Lowestoft at 7.45 with a light westerly wind. I could manage 4.5 knots, but as I was punching the tide, I was only making 1.3 knots over the ground. So on went old faithfull. My friends in their Westerly Storm had left 45 minutes earlier and I caught them fairly quickly and I then throttled back. For about the next 20 miles I took a course close inshore and they stayed further out. Gradually I pulled ahead as they sailed further in stronger tides. Every so often the wind rose sufficient to roll out the genoa and stay filled.
As I reached the north east corner of Norfolk, the wind changed, dying initially, then coming from the east and then south east. I managed to start sailing with reduced engine revs. Eventually the engine was turned off but the wind was fickle and became north. Then it died again and returned from the west and then backed to south. It was nice to sail in bright sunshine, but that soon changed.
Near Cromer the sky darkened and a south westerly wind started, eventually so strong I put a reef in the main. As it started getting cold I put on my oil skins and then it started to rain lightly. Then started the Cromer dodgems, missing the numerous fishing buoys. In fact I only had to dodge one, so was quite lucky. Suddenly the wind stopped, so on went the engine again. 20 minutes later I was sailing at 6 knots. Then it droped again. I was so far ahead of my friends, I motored at 4 knots to try and let them catch up. Then the wind filled in again and I started sailing again. Working out when I would arrive at Wells, meant I could sail slowly with no problems as 5.15 was the earliest I could enter the channel.
The wind rose again, so I rolled the genoa away to sail slowly. Then it dropped again, but I had already tidied up the genoa despite having 12 miles to go. So out it went again as the speed had dropped to 2 knots. Then more dark clouds approached and the wind picked up. A decent breeze and it kept increasing until it was almost a beam reach. In fact I was now over canvased but going like a train doing 6½ to 7 knots and I tried back winding the main to slow down, but only lost a ¼ knot. The wind then came on the beam and I gave up trying to slow down. It was a wonderful power reach and clocking the miles.
Ahead I could see 2 yachts and I was closing fast. One then dropped it's sails and motored the last few miles. I passed that one doing about 3 knots more than them. The other boat furled their genoa and sailed under main alone, but were soon caught. I started getting the sails away just under a mile from the Wells buoy and finished less than ¼ mile away.
It was 5.15, so I decided to enter the channel. There were still rollers from the previous couple of days of northerly winds, nothing serious. The initial run in over the sands is straight but as you get close to the shore the channel narrows and you have breaking rollers to starboard and a fairly sharp turn to port. The tide is running at about 2 knots plus the 5½ kots through the water, certainly not a speed you want to touch bottom. All was well as I had a metre or more under the keel.
After a few more twists the channel heads from the west side to the east with a sharp turn, I have to say I had slowed down to 4 knots. The sharp turn to starboard was close as I only had 0.1m under the keel. There was no way I could stay in the cente of the channel as I had several boats leaving and a fishing boat trying to overtake me. I just relaxed and let them get on with it.
The final run down to the quay is straight and narrow. On went the autopilot so I could rig fenders and lines. A quick call to the harbour master then said I should be rigged for port side to, so sorting this out meant I over shot the visitors pontoon slightly, so I decided to stop the boat by gently running aground. Once I was ready I went alongside the pontoon and finished mooring at 5.45. It was some time before anyone else arrived. I found out later the harbourmaster was suggesting due to the conditions they should wait until 6 before starting to enter. Where was the fun in that?
After mooring up, the heavens opened. Luckily I missed all of that. Once it stopped, I went to the local chippy for some cod and chips. No, I did not need to visit a pub. Probably stay 2 nights, then off to the Humber. Reading all the comments about Grimsby and knowing I may not get a berth in Hull due the Jubilee, I may be forced there or go direct to Scarborough. You will just have to wait and see what I do.
The first video has been started, but I am too tired to do more tonight. Maybe do some tomorrow.
The forecast today looked good, with west backing south 2 to 4, to go to Wells-next-the-sea. I left Lowestoft at 7.45 with a light westerly wind. I could manage 4.5 knots, but as I was punching the tide, I was only making 1.3 knots over the ground. So on went old faithfull. My friends in their Westerly Storm had left 45 minutes earlier and I caught them fairly quickly and I then throttled back. For about the next 20 miles I took a course close inshore and they stayed further out. Gradually I pulled ahead as they sailed further in stronger tides. Every so often the wind rose sufficient to roll out the genoa and stay filled.
As I reached the north east corner of Norfolk, the wind changed, dying initially, then coming from the east and then south east. I managed to start sailing with reduced engine revs. Eventually the engine was turned off but the wind was fickle and became north. Then it died again and returned from the west and then backed to south. It was nice to sail in bright sunshine, but that soon changed.
Near Cromer the sky darkened and a south westerly wind started, eventually so strong I put a reef in the main. As it started getting cold I put on my oil skins and then it started to rain lightly. Then started the Cromer dodgems, missing the numerous fishing buoys. In fact I only had to dodge one, so was quite lucky. Suddenly the wind stopped, so on went the engine again. 20 minutes later I was sailing at 6 knots. Then it droped again. I was so far ahead of my friends, I motored at 4 knots to try and let them catch up. Then the wind filled in again and I started sailing again. Working out when I would arrive at Wells, meant I could sail slowly with no problems as 5.15 was the earliest I could enter the channel.
The wind rose again, so I rolled the genoa away to sail slowly. Then it dropped again, but I had already tidied up the genoa despite having 12 miles to go. So out it went again as the speed had dropped to 2 knots. Then more dark clouds approached and the wind picked up. A decent breeze and it kept increasing until it was almost a beam reach. In fact I was now over canvased but going like a train doing 6½ to 7 knots and I tried back winding the main to slow down, but only lost a ¼ knot. The wind then came on the beam and I gave up trying to slow down. It was a wonderful power reach and clocking the miles.
Ahead I could see 2 yachts and I was closing fast. One then dropped it's sails and motored the last few miles. I passed that one doing about 3 knots more than them. The other boat furled their genoa and sailed under main alone, but were soon caught. I started getting the sails away just under a mile from the Wells buoy and finished less than ¼ mile away.
It was 5.15, so I decided to enter the channel. There were still rollers from the previous couple of days of northerly winds, nothing serious. The initial run in over the sands is straight but as you get close to the shore the channel narrows and you have breaking rollers to starboard and a fairly sharp turn to port. The tide is running at about 2 knots plus the 5½ kots through the water, certainly not a speed you want to touch bottom. All was well as I had a metre or more under the keel.
After a few more twists the channel heads from the west side to the east with a sharp turn, I have to say I had slowed down to 4 knots. The sharp turn to starboard was close as I only had 0.1m under the keel. There was no way I could stay in the cente of the channel as I had several boats leaving and a fishing boat trying to overtake me. I just relaxed and let them get on with it.
The final run down to the quay is straight and narrow. On went the autopilot so I could rig fenders and lines. A quick call to the harbour master then said I should be rigged for port side to, so sorting this out meant I over shot the visitors pontoon slightly, so I decided to stop the boat by gently running aground. Once I was ready I went alongside the pontoon and finished mooring at 5.45. It was some time before anyone else arrived. I found out later the harbourmaster was suggesting due to the conditions they should wait until 6 before starting to enter. Where was the fun in that?
After mooring up, the heavens opened. Luckily I missed all of that. Once it stopped, I went to the local chippy for some cod and chips. No, I did not need to visit a pub. Probably stay 2 nights, then off to the Humber. Reading all the comments about Grimsby and knowing I may not get a berth in Hull due the Jubilee, I may be forced there or go direct to Scarborough. You will just have to wait and see what I do.
The first video has been started, but I am too tired to do more tonight. Maybe do some tomorrow.
