suggestions for a week in April

[ChattingLil]

Hello - I'm new to the forum and hope someone can recommend an outline cruise for April

My home berth is on the Medway and I'm looking to plan a cruise from there, up the coast and back in time to get back to work a week later.

we can leave Friday night or saturday depending on tide and would hope to be somewhere really nice on the Wednesday (which is a significant birthday for me!). Somewhere nice enough to have my friends and family come and join us for dinner ashore somewhere.

Any recommendations or reviews of marinas, anchorages, restaurants...?

thanks!

 

[sailorman]

you rellies will have to travel quite a distance if you get to Bradwell Green Man

 

[MrCramp]

Take the ebb down the Medway/Thames and then the flood up the Crouch to Burnham and have Saturday night there.

Sunday ebb down river, then flood into Brightlingsea

Monday mad dash out of Brightlingsea and get into Tollsbury whilst there is enough water.

Tuesday out of Tollesbury as soon as you can get over the sill and up the Blackwater AFAP with the flood to Heybridge Basin,

Wednesday leave around high water (you have to 11) ebb down the river and await enough water to go into Bradwell and meet the rellies at the Grenn Man

Thursday go up thr coast on the ebb to Levington with a stop at Harwich on the pier if you have time.

Friday a sail up the Orwell to Ipswich for lunch and then down to Shotley for your overnight stay.

Saturday leave around half ebb and fight the tide for a bit and then you will get the flood all the way home.

Sunday is a contingency day!!

Study the tides and then you can determin which week you go which will then fix which Wednesday in April is deemed to be your BIG birthday.

 

[Athene V30]

Places worth a visit:

Brightlingsea - Kovalam - Best Curry on the East Coast. Need a dinghy for midweek visits. HM Pontoons no electricity etc. Can walk into town (5 mins) for Tesco / Coop shopping. If you are in R Colne at springs take the tide up to Wivenhoe / Rowhedge for a lunch time pint - cannot stay overnight unless take the ground.

Heybridge Basin (lock in) - The Old Ship - Friendly, good beer & food. Marina facilities. Nice anchorage off Osea Island - nothing to land for!

West Mersea - loads of moorings but unless get one near the Town it is a long dinghy ride ashore. WMYC very friendly, good food but check which days they are serving as don't think it is 7 days a week at this time of year.

Bradwell Marina - Green Man - Good beer & food. Open fire!

 

[BAtoo]

If you get to Harwich The Pier is great - downstairs bistro, upstairs restaurant (& higher prices too); you can lay alongside the Halfpenny pier which is OK on the inside and v rolly outside. Easy access for rellies.

Stone point at Walton Backwaters is a brilliant place though may be bleak in April and you will be able to find a buoy to use quite easily, or anchor in Handford water and maybe watch the seals and the rellies cant get to you at either place /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

W Mersea - The Company Shed for the best fish meal ( bring your own wine & bread).

Brightlingsea - dont eat at the yacht club!!