X-Mas cruise recommendations?

[Koeketiene]

All of a sudden, I find myself with 3 weeks off over the X-Mas Hols.
In a desperate bid to avoid the relatives from hell for another year, I thought I'd go sailing with the kids. It worked well last year, so...

Anyway: what can the esteemed panel recommend? Looking East Coast.
In particular, I might be tempted to go up to Lowestoft / Great Yarmouth. Anything worthwhile seeing up there? Would the kids (15 & 10) like it?

Any other East Coast suggestions - but please bear in mind that Guapa draws 2.1m - so no shallow puddles.

Due to the unpredictable weather prefer not to X the North Sea - I might find myself stuck on the wrong side.

 

[Twister_Ken]

The only worthwhile place to visit I can think of in East Anglia at that time of year would be Stansted Airport, preferably clutching tickets for somewhere furrin and warm.

(BTW - ever seen half of a sudden?)

 

[sailorman]

Lowestoft ok but run-down ( ducks- where )

Woodbridge very nice old-fasioned town loadsa pubs / eateries, interesting shops, cinema.

Orford, Nice village 2 pubs 1 hotel 1 castle mooring six squids a night

Bradwell 1 pub bu@@er all else ( in the winter )

 

[FullCircle]

Nice trip up to St Catherines? Shopping capital city etc
Go and stick it into Chatham on the way back...thats really good day out
I guess Ramsgate is out? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Koeketiene]

[ QUOTE ]

I guess Ramsgate is out? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not planned - so no doubt we'll end up there. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif It's been a while. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[phatcat1]

didn't you spend enough time there in the summer??

St Kats sounds good!

Orwell
to Brightlingsea
To Queenborough
To St Kats
To Chatham
To Burnham
To Orwell! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[fluffc]

Last few seasons done a new year cruise out of Tollesbury. Deciding factor is daylight hours - you can't go very far in a day without some night work, and picking up moorings or anchoring in obscore creaks of the east coast is interesting in the dark.

Destinations visited in the <u>winter</u> have included:

Rowhedge - dry out alongside wharf. Good pub.
Pyefleet - Quiet and sheltered. Anchor or mooring. Excellent view of New Year fireworks all around
Burnham Marina - Boring place. Good for crew change. Not near pub. Floodlit and no view.
Shotley Point - Friendly staff, reasonable view. Electricity and excellent showers / baths.
Sharfleet - Awesome scenery
Yokesfleet - Remote, loads of seals. Plenty of water, although channel narrow.
Swale - ent. to Conyer Creek - Mooring buoys. Great scenery
Bradwell - Green Man Pub. Not a lot else.
Walton Backwaters - Secluded and great for exploring rivers

Long evenings = wine cellar necessary

We have the wood stove going all day and evening

Oh, and you get the East Coast to yourself. Noone else around except for some hardy souls on New Year's Day.

 

[IanPoole2]

You would need to remortgage to buy drinks in the Anchor at Rowhedge. 50 yds further on is the Albion, less salubrious but a proper pub.
Wivenhoe has more pubs and also new pontoons, but again need to dryout

 

[fluffc]

It's the Albion that's on the corner, right? Yes thats where we went and had a good time

 

[Koeketiene]

[ QUOTE ]

Oh, and you get the East Coast to yourself. Noone else around except for some hardy souls on New Year's Day.

[/ QUOTE ]

The main reason why I like winter sailing.

Some of your recommendations are quite muddy (not keen) or pub orientated (keen - but what's in it for the kids?)

 

[fluffc]

Mud + Kids = fun!

It's just a case of finding the deep bits. East coast cruises always have mud involved, and obligatory running aground's.

Take a small rowing/sailing dinghy with you. Once we took an Optimist sailing dinghy; it just fitted under the boom. Loads of fun for the kids. If you want exploring then Walton Backwaters is a must

 

[Kingston]

I guess anywhere around the Blackwater is deffo worth a look, particularly Mersea at that time of year (though I'm a little biased) Woodbridge is nice, but might prove a headache for deeper draft yachts.

Has anyone mentioned Pin Mill? Or is that a little too quiet in December?

For me personally, Lowestoft holds no real attraction

 

[GMac]

I'm thinking off to Issy Bay for the 1st nite.
Up to Tutukaka for some fishing and diving for a few days. Then down to the bottom end of Waiheke for a quite New Years drink or 20. A couple of days there getting over new year. Then Gt Barrier island for a week.
Nice, I hope we don't get to much crayfish /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Another white Xmas, not snow only suncream /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[fluffc]

Pin Mill is good. If you have a dinghy, pick up a mooring and row in. Else moor at wolverstone and walk through the woods to the pub there. Haven't visited in winter but several times at other times of year.

Wolverstone marina can be a bit bumpy if there is a wind blowing up or down the river.