Whitsun week....

[Greg2]

We often take the Whitsun week off in the hope that we might get a trip down the coast in. Last year we were stuck in the Broads due to high winds and only made Southwold late in the week. This year fate smiled on us and we managed a coastal cruise taking in the delights of Titchmarsh, Ipswich, Woodbridge and the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club at Lowestoft.

Friends joined us for the first weekend and we enjoyed left the Broads via Gt Yarmouth, primarily because Mutford lock was out of action.

We enjoyed a reasonable passage south although a NW force 5 and a quartering sea created a bit of motion but this eased after we passed Orford Ness close inshore

We arrived in the Orwell and headed into the Walton backwaters and Titchmarsh marina where we spent a pleasant evening.

The next day we headed back through the Walton backwaters and out into the Orwell for an easy cruise up to Ipswich

Enjoying some unusual sights along the way

Before entering the lock and berthing in Ipswich Haven marina, where we were to remain for a couple of nights

Our friends reluctantly returned home on the Bank Holiday Monday and the following day we enjoyed a pleasant trip back down the Orwell and out t sea for a short hop to the river Deben and ultimately Tidemill Yacht Haven in Woodbridge

Pin Mill on the Orwell

To be continued below due to the restriction on the number of photos....

 

[paul salliss]

Fantastic, thank you for sharing enjoyed the update very much

 

[Firefly625]

Fantastic, thank you for sharing enjoyed the update very much

+1

Great report, nice pics

 

[Greg2]

.....continued.....

And out into the estuary....

....and round into the Deben entrance which can be a bit tricky with shifting bars. We were in luck and conditions were benign

Bawdsey Manor, the home of radar...

Woodbridge from the river at high tide (the river dries out at low water so good passage planning is essential)

We enjoyed a couple of days in Woodbridge, which is a lovely town and a good place to spend some time. As ever I was watching the forecast and having initially been confident that strong but westerly winds would mean a good passage back up the coast on Friday the forecast changed (there's a thing) and another plan was required. Whilst there was a window first thing in the morning on the Friday the tide meant that we wouldn't be able to get out of the marina until around 1000hrs and 30 knot southerlies were predicted by midday. We initially decided to leave the marina on the evening tide with a view to going downriver to Ramsholt where we could pick up a visitors morning buoy overnight followed by an early start to get up to Lowestoft before the wind got up. However, because it seemed to be a changing picture we decided to leave Thursday evening and if conditions permitted to push on up the coast during the evening.

Tidal predictions indicated that we wouldn't get out of the marina until around 2000hrs with a trip of around 1 hour 20 minutes to get to the tricky river entrance, which is marked only by unlit buoys. We assumed that there would still be enough light to see them at around 2120hrs but the fall-back was to revert to the mooring buy option at Ramsholt. As it turned out the tide was half an hour ahead of schedule and we enjoyed a lovely trip downriver and out into a calm sea. Ideal for SWMBO's first night passage

Felixstowe Ferry at sunset

That's the sort of sea we like

A superb sunset

Ideal conditions for a pleasant evening/night passage

The control centre

We had a great trip back up the coast and were lucky enough to clear the danger area for pots whilst there was still some light. Just to be sure we went outside the Whiting bank and a couple of miles off Orford Ness before heading straight up to the East Barnard cardinal mark at the beginning of the channel into Lowestoft. Although it was dark for much of the trip the passage passed without incident. We did encounter a fishing vessel that had all it's working deck lights on, making it impossible to determine what it was or whether it was moving (strangely it didn't show up on radar) but all became clear as we overtook it on the way into Lowestoft.

The forecast wind and rain arrived with a vengeance on Friday but we were safely tucked up in the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club where we enjoyed a leisurely day and a superb meal in the clubhouse that evening.

The following day we enjoyed a slow trip up to Gt Yarmouth in time for bridge lifts at 1200hrs and back into the Broads. A chance encounter with friends led to a lovely meal and a great night to round off what had been a very enjoyable shakedown cruise for the 2015 season

Departing Lowestoft in ideal conditions....

.....and arriving at Gt Yarmouth

We proudly flew the forum burgee for much of the trip but the beer fridge remained intact. Maybe not so many forumites on the East Coast!

 

[rafiki_]

Yes, many thanks, lovely pics. It looks a very nice cruise.

 

[Andy Bav]

Thanks for sharing. Sunset pictures are great.

 

[aquapower]

Great pictures, I always enjoy a trip up the Deben, one of my favourite places on the East Coast.
Am sure I saw you moored at Colham hall when I went past at weekend if not must have been very similar boat.

 

[darrenw]

I enjoyed that, thanks for posting.

The sort of trip I'd like to be able to do one day.

 

[henryf]

Some lovely photos from an area not widely covered on here.

Many thanks

Henry

 

[Greg2]

Great pictures, I always enjoy a trip up the Deben, one of my favourite places on the East Coast.
Am sure I saw you moored at Colham hall when I went past at weekend if not must have been very similar boat.

Yep, that was us. Drop by and say hello next time you see us

The Deben is a lovely river and is one off ur favourites too.

 

[aquapower]

Yep, that was us. Drop by and say hello next time you see us

The Deben is a lovely river and is one off ur favourites too.

Will do.

 

[dj43]

Thanks for sharing, some great photo,s of our old cruising grounds, can,t say I miss them though

 

[omega2]

Excellent post thank you, although not a cruiser myself I found it most enlightening, and I always wondered were "Striker" had got to.

 

[paultallett]

Wonderful post, thank you.

No matter where we all boat, there are some truly stunning areas of the UK.

 

[Greg2]

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated

 

[longjohnsilver]

I don't know that area at all so thanks for posting some beautiful pics, it looks to be an interesting cruising ground.

 

[Greg2]

I don't know that area at all so thanks for posting some beautiful pics, it looks to be an interesting cruising ground.

It is!
There is something I quite like about the muddy rivers, creeks and backwaters of the East Coast. There is plenty of character and a sense of being close to nature as opposed to being constantly surrounded by the efforts of man. That's not to say that I don't appreciate the attractions of the Med or the Solent though!

 

[RogerRat]

Excellent report thanks for taking the time and the pictures, all of which set the mood beautifully.

I brought my Iroquois sailing Cat back from the Deben in 1980 and that was the only time I sailed in that area. As lovely as it is, it is very narrow in places, not to mention very winding, not for the faint hearted, passage planning is essential, especially with all the moving sand bars and drying rivers. No GPS then so pilotage was important too.

Your illuminated dash in one shot looked very good and helpful for this trip tho.

RR

 

[Greg2]

Excellent report thanks for taking the time and the pictures, all of which set the mood beautifully.

I brought my Iroquois sailing Cat back from the Deben in 1980 and that was the only time I sailed in that area. As lovely as it is, it is very narrow in places, not to mention very winding, not for the faint hearted, passage planning is essential, especially with all the moving sand bars and drying rivers. No GPS then so pilotage was important too.

Your illuminated dash in one shot looked very good and helpful for this trip tho.

RR

Thanks for the comments. You are right about the importance of pilotage, even with GPS/electronics. We never rely solely on the latter, not least because things change and may not be as shown on the plotter. Several rivers/marinas on the East Coast involve tricky passage planning and dry sections at low water but it is worth the effort!