Scarry time at the bar

[Otter]

Done a silly thing last night. We'd popped down to Stone Point for a day on the beach and a planned night at Titchmarsh, but they'd got very limited room and at the last minute, with a lovely south-ish wind we decided to head back for the Deben. I guess we just thought "it's always light at 10pm in the summer isn't it?" We got to Harwich and it was murky, don't know why we pressed on with so many marinas to choose from, but we did press on and we only picked up the safe water mark by its light. Then the stupidness hit home, says one of us to the other "the red and green buoys are lit aren't they?". Umm, not according to the East Coast pilot. Fortunately we had just enough light in the west to pick out the dark nick of the red buoy and then it was crossed fingers and some old GPS tracks till we spotted the green. Then it was OK and we navigated by a nervous judge of the distance from the shore. What a pair of duffers, with a 2 year old asleep in the cabin! I don't subscribe to the "notorious" tag of the Deben bar but it's no place to be when it's pitch black and you've only crossed it half a dozen times, and then in broad daylight.

We got away with it but felt very foolish. Fortunately the sailing gods smiled and we had the most glorious 2 hour run up the river this morning with chute flying. We live to tell the tail but I still shudder at the thought of that red buoy looming out of the dark...

 

[Kilter]

"if not duffers won't drown"...you are OK ergo not duffers and have learned something! I thought the post was going to involve having to get a round in!

 

[MrCramp]

If Your HT27 is a Cat drawing next to nothing then you should be OK whatever the state of tide, apart from mega low springs. I assume you had the way points in your GPS and a "steamer scarer" light to pick out the bouys.

I have never ever worried about sea trips when I have a load of mates with me. However if it was SWMBO and kids then the game changes and you alone are responsible for them all. I have got to say I never did like that situation. Now 26 year old son has his own Westerly Tiger, and has done Biscay twice and the channel loads of time, and the girls are 22 and 28, so I don't worry at all.

My worst time ever was solo in May 2003 returning from winter berth in Walton basin. I had motored and used autohelm all the way. The bar was very lunmpy at one hour after HW but the wind was in the East. The boat in front went too far South between the red and green and turned into my path. I whipped the autohelm off the tiller and was happy steering but then an alarm sounded and I thought the engine was overheating. I thought "stuff it I've no choice" and continued past the green and into safe water. I then realised the alarm was the autohelm becasue I had taken it off the tiller in a hurry and had not turned it off.

I am sure most of us worry too much, but perhaps that is a good thing as at least we are not complacent.

 

[exfinnsailor]

Southwold

You must try Southwold .. Easterly wind and an ebb tide .. You finish up surfing in .. The rudder is useless and all you can do is hope to keep straight .. Then its all over and you see the Life Boat Station .. Happy Days ..

 

[bastonjock]

Wells is another fun one in the dark and with a North Easterly you pick the wave and surf in.

 

[Otter]

I assume you had the way points in your GPS and a "steamer scarer" light to pick out the bouys.

That would have been a good plan