|
WCOA East Coast Cruise July 2005 |
|
Around ten members had expressed an interest in coming along for the weekend and half that number had confirmed that they would be attending, while the remainder kept their options open. Three boats were due to arrive on Friday afternoon and we were planning to eat at The Crown Hotel in Manningtree that evening. Unfortunately, due to horrendous traffic jams just about everywhere, the first to arrive at Harwich were David Hewett and Loraine Kindley at about 18.00hrs. Next on the scene were Geoff and Marion Hall, who had travelled up from Haying Island and had been on the road, non-stop, since 11.00hrs that morning! Mike and Lesley Bennett, from Godalming, rang to say that they too had been severely delayed and were going straight to their B&B and would meet us at The Crown. We all enjoyed a hearty meal at The Crown – good food and plenty of it. We talked about the sailing we had done so far this season and where we might go this weekend. Everyone was feeling rather weary after their long journeys, so we decided to depart to our various beds after the desserts and agreed to meet up at Harwich at 10.00hrs. Saturday morning dawned quite bright with an Easterly F3. Things were looking good. Bev and I arrived at Harwich Green slipway and were met by Mark Evans and his trusty crew Dave, both whom had flown down from Newcastle the night before, collected the boat from Waldringfield and towed it to Harwich that morning. Such is the attraction of The East Coast! Mark’s boat had suffered some damage during our close encounter with Felixstowe beach last year and it was good to see her back to her former glory, despite the repair job, which was carried out by Porters, not going entirely smoothly. Also rigging up were Neil and Martinne Horsfall from nearby Ardleigh SC. The other three crews arrived shortly afterwards and by 10.45 everyone was ready and we assembled for a briefing. The general consensus of opinion was that we would make for The Walton Backwaters. I pointed out the buoys to watch out for and a possible coffee stop at Stone Point. Without further ado we got the boats in the water and headed out of the harbour. The course to the first buoy allowed us to beam reach, which made for pleasant sailing. Mark and Dave headed off up wind at first to get a better angle to fly their spinnaker to the buoy. However, as the rest of us entered the Walton Channel around 11.45, Mark was still someway out in the bay. We decided that we would make our coffee stop at Stone Point and pulled the boats up onto the Sandy beach and broke open the flasks to await the arrival of Mark and Dave and to decide where to go next. At this point we noticed an armada of traditionally built small sailing boats coming up the Walton Channel. Was it the Swallows and Amazons pirate fleet? We later discovered that it was ‘The Old Gaffers Association’ Round Horsey Island race! We then noticed Mark and Dave disappearing off up Hamford Water, spinnaker flying. We weren’t sure if they had not seen us or just didn’t fancy sailing through the rapidly advancing fleet. Oh well… We drank our coffee and watched the scores of wooden dinghies sail past as they too turned into Hamford Water on their circumnavigation of Horsey. It was a spectacular sight. When all was clear, we returned to our boats and headed off down The Walton Channel, bound for the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club at the head of Foundry Reach and wondering what had become of our missing boat. As we neared the end of the Channel, we suddenly spotted a familiar Wanderer beating up Twizzle Creek towards us. Mark and Dave had made good time getting around Horsey Island ahead of the racing fleet. So we would have lunch together after all. It wasn’t long before we were coming alongside the pontoons at the club and having made fast, sought some liquid refreshment at the bar. Time for more natters as we ate our sandwiches. Never to do things by half, Mark had brought along a disposable barbecue and was happily cooking sausages down by the waterside. They certainly smelt good. Eventually, it was time to leave, as the tide had turned. We thought it would be nice to return by making a circumnavigation of Horsey in the opposite direction to that which Mark had just completed. This would involve sailing against the ebb down Twizzle Creek. But with the wind behind us it should not be a problem. The Twizzle is a fairly narrow channel with boats moored on both sides and we were making good progress on a dead run. However, as the channel turned slightly we needed to switch to the opposite gybe. One by one each boat completed the manoeuvre as they rounded the bend. Despite the warm weather, Neil had decided to don his drysuit at the club for the return leg. This must have been fate because as he and Martinne gybed, they oh so gracefully capsized! We all turned around to stand by as they began the righting procedure. It later transpired that, despite owning their boat for five years, this was the first time they had actually capsized! This was not apparent at the time though as they managed to get upright again fairly quickly and started bailing whilst trying to avoid the moored boats. Unfortunately, the tide was running quite strongly by this time and we had rapidly been taken from where we had just come… Heading back along The Twizzle, we kept to the sides of the channel and managed to avoid the worst of the foul tide, although progress was a little slow. Finally however, we made it out into the large expanse of water known as Horsey Mere, but still kept close to the island shore. It was just a couple of minutes later that I noticed some grassy tips in the water ahead. And when the seagulls start walking, that spells trouble! Two seconds later a thud on the centre plate, already three quarters up, confirms I’ve strayed in too close. And there are five boats right behind me! I turned round to shout but three others were already aground too. I quickly pull the plate right up, release the rudder downhaul and manage to turn away from the shore. By leaning the boat over we just manage to slither over the grassy tips into deeper water. Looking back, David and Lorraine did not seem to be sharing the same fortune and were trying to push off with their oars. I had visions of them spending the night on Horsey but thankfully they too managed to free themselves, as did the other two. Onwards we sailed, trying to make sense of the confusion of withies marking deep water amongst the numerous little islands. Suddenly, I heard Loraine shouting and pointing to starboard. Was I going the wrong way? Looking in the direction she was pointing, I saw what, at first, appeared to be a small black buoy in the water, some 20 metres away. The ‘buoy’ then started moving and I realised I had just spotted my first seal of the season! He dived and surfaced again up ahead. Wow. Reaching up Kirby Creek to the west of Horsey didn’t take us long to get to Hamford Water where, once again, we could see the cranes of Felixstowe docks in the far distance. From here, we had to beat up to Stone Point, where we had stopped that morning, with Mike and Lesley out-pointing everyone. Then it was a close reach back to the breakwater at Harwich harbour entrance. As I led the way across Dovercourt Bay, it was a pleasing sight to look back and see six Wanderers in a perfectly straight line. Back at the slipway, we hauled the boats out one by one and put them to bed for the night. Neil and Martinne, none the worse for their little swim, were taking their boat back to Ardleigh as they were racing on Sunday. Mike and Lesley were also going back home, not wishing to leave their teenage children to their own devices for more than one night! The four remaining crews planned to meet up later for a meal at a new restaurant in Mistley and to discuss the day’s events and where we might go on Sunday. ****************** I awoke on Sunday morning and peered out of the window. I could see the trees swaying vigorously. This did not bode well. The local inshore waters forecast confirmed winds currently F5 at The Naze, with rain to come. Oh dear… We had agreed to meet at the dinghy park at 10.00. So, ever optimistic, Bev and I drove to Harwich looking for a hint of blue in a depressingly grey sky. The others arrived looking similarly hopeful. After a brief discussion we decided to postpone our decision on venturing out for an hour. If the wind moderated a little and the rain held off, a passage up either The Stour or The Orwell estuary would be feasible. Otherwise, we would just have to be thankful for a pleasant trip the day before and abandon our sailing for today. 11.15 Sunday. Wind howling. Rain starting. Decision made! Except for Mark and Dave that was. Well I guess you don’t let a bit of foul weather put you off if you’ve travelled over 300 miles to come sailing. To be fair, they have got a bit more muscle to hang over the side than the rest of us! We watched as they launched and sailed off up the Orwell Estuary under complete control and revelling in the conditions. Geoff and Marion decided to go and explore some local National Trust buildings, whilst David, Loraine, Bev and I went to look over an East Coast sailing barge which was moored in the Town harbour. Very briefly, the weather appeared to moderate and the sky brightened. Had we been too hasty in our decision not to sail? As it happened, we had not. Within half an hour, the rain had started again and remained for the rest of the day. The wind continued to blow the proverbial hooley. I always remember a piece of advice given to me by an instructor when I was first learning to sail. He recalled sitting in the club bar one day, having decided that conditions were too marginal to take his boat out that day. Looking out to sea, wondering if he should have been brave enough to go out after all, the commodore, an old ‘Sea Dog’, came up to him and whispered, “I’d rather be in ‘ere, wishing I was out there, than out there, wishing I was in ‘ere.” Wise words indeed. Stephen Clampin
Those attending the WCOA East Coast cruise 2005 were: Stephen Clampin and Bev Pengelly, W1318 David Hewett and Loraine Kindley, W980 Geoff and Marion Hall, W98 Mike and Lesley Bennett, W1416 Neil and Martinne Horsfall, W1152 Mark Evans and Dave Drewery, W1438 |