The first WCOA Cruise for the 2000 season got us away to a good start on the weekend of May 20/21^st with a cruise based at the east coast venue of Shotley Gate on the Stour and Orwell confluence about ten miles from Ipswich.

David Hewitt [W980] had arranged to hire Suffolk County Council’s very well appointed and delightfully situated Shotley Lodge as the base for the weekend cruising activity. This lovely house, now converted into a well appointed Hostel, is situated directly opposite the slipway of Shotley SC, from where we would be launching, with magnificent views of the wide River Stour and Harwich commercial port with it’s fascinating and varied shipping movements.

Close by and within easy walk of our base were the twin delights of the local hostelry, with its excellent fish dishes and Shotley SC [for compulsory ‘night caps’]. In the opposite direction, a pleasant 7 minute stroll away, was Shotley Point Marina with all facilities including yet another excellent restaurant. A tribute to David’s planning was the group’s ability to fit in a visit to all these premises over the weekend and get some sailing in as well!

Dominating the immediate vicinity is the former HMS Ganges Naval Training establishment with it’s renown tall mast, climbed once a year by the Naval cadets. It ceased its naval associations in the 70’s but the remaining grounds, buildings and massive mast retain an aura of it’s former famous glory as one of our sailing nation’s premier training facilities.

Members of our group started arriving from late afternoon on the Friday with the remainder joining us on Sat morning for the briefing. Those present on Friday evening had the extra benefit of an excellent meal at the Bristol Arms followed by a visit to Shotley SC for a late night tipple.

By 10am on Saturday eight boats were rigged in fine sunny weather, albeit little wind, and raring to go. David’s briefing described our trip up the Stour to lunch at the Stour SC at Manningtree with a coffee stop on the beach at Wrabness.

Progress was slow as the boats sailed in fits and starts in the light fluky winds. Spinnakers were deployed fleetingly and at times outboards could be heard spluttering to life. We arrived later than planned for our coffee stop but recouped some time as the wind picked up for the remainder of the journey to Manningtree where we arrived around high tide at 14:00.

We beached the boats on the charming sandy shoreline outside the Stour SC and picnicked in the warm sunshine while watching several Optimists and assorted other boats entertaining members of the public at the Stour SC ‘Open Day’. Others made full use of the club’s hospitality and sampled the fine views over the river from the first floor balcony.

As the tide turned and the wind got up, to a very welcome F3/4, our eight boats departed Manningtree for the 7.5NM return trip. Three of us stopped of at Mistley for a short while and went aboard Sailing Barge "Reminder" built at this very same spot some 71 years earlier. The barge has earned it’s keep since 1975 operating as a charter vessel and is skippered by David’s cousin. A fortuitous ‘ barge open day’ allowed us to go aboard and explore this huge beomouth of a vessel – all very convenient for us.

We were soon enthralled by the vessel and it’s history and eagerly explored above and below decks. So absorbed were we with the barge that we forgot the receding tide and had to dash back to our boats, fully expecting them to be dangling from some very taut mooring lines – thankfully all was ok, just! David and Loraine were helped aboard Quay Dancer II by the loan of a 12 ft ladder on which they had to descend [not possible on a lesser boat without floor boards!!].

The sail back to Shotley Gate was exhilarating and the frustrations of the morning’s light airs were very quickly and thoroughly eradicated as we sped along in a F3/4 beam reach in glorious sun arriving at about 17:00. True Wanderer camaraderie ensured that all boats were speedily recovered and bought up the ramp to overnight in our very own dinghy park immediately outside the Lodge.

A superb meal at The Shipwreck Restaurant in Shotley Point Marina was enjoyed by all and a visit to Shotley SC bar for a ‘night cap’ enroute back to our base, just 50 mtrs away, helped to round off a truly great day’s sailing.

Drizzle was the ‘order of the day’ for Sunday. It was to stay with us all day as were the fickle winds. However undaunted by this prospect the crews of seven boats gathered for the briefing at 10am. Some new members had joined us, just for this Sunday cruise, while others had left being only able to attend on the Saturday.

David’s plan for Sunday was to explore the ‘other’ river - the Orwell - with our aim being to sail under the 100ft high Orwell Bridge just down river from Ipswich docks returning to Pin Mill for a picnic lunch. A coffee stop was planned for about 11:30 on a beach just prior to Pin Mill.

The weather, mainly lack of consistent wind, was to confound our plans. The boats were all away by 10:30 and the fleet drifted down toward Harwich/Felixstowe where there was plenty of time to witness the commercial goings on in the massive container port and the various shipping movements.

Once round the bend into the Orwell the wind picked up a little, the drizzle set in and with the help of the flood tide we made slow progress up river eventually regrouping for coffee on a the shore just down river from Pin Mill. There were distinct signs of sodden headgear, ‘blue’ extremities and chattering teeth among the group but warming coffee helped to revive the spirit and we all set off again for the Orwell bridge.

Having navigated around the racing fleets off of The Royal Harwich SC we eventually arrived at the bridge. By this time, around 14:00 hrs, the wind had almost completely died the tide had turned and outboards were pressed into service as the fleet, now somewhat spread out, headed back toward Pin Mill for a late lunch. Because of the slow progress and the need to vacate the Lodge by 18:00 hrs lunch was mostly taken on the move although a few of our number did venture ashore at Pin Mill and our original coffee stop venue for a short while.

Some improvement in the wind and a lessening in the drizzle gave everyone that extra lift and we all managed to sail back to our base by about 16:30 hrs. David motored ahead to prepare all the launching trolleys and once again all hands assisted to make recovery as painless as possible.

After de-rigging [in improving weather!], packing and clearing up the Lodge, members of the group progressively departed. All would agree that it had been an excellent weekend and despite Sunday’s weather doubtless all had thoroughly enjoyed their first WCOA cruise of the new Millennium.

Many thanks to David Hewitt for selecting the excellent venue and organising the event. Hopefully we can perhaps make this a regular future event on the WCOA’s programme.

Article by Terry Pullen [Photos to be added later].