wayneakp

Oopps - destination Passport office for me first - mine's run out

Hi Just been in to Oulton Broad to book for the weekend................... Not a chance loads booked and waiting, only way we might get a mooring is if the weather is bad and loads don't show. Looks like its a mud weight job and rib. Chappie did say they were already taking bookings for next year!!! Anyone got any better ideas? Tracy

Hi Chris We will be about - not sure if we will take the boat to OB or stay at WRC and use the dinghy. Either way we'll look out for you. regards Wayne

Hi Chris Yes we moor at WRC and we were at Hamilton for the airshow on the Thursday with Crackerjack, Clandestine, Job Done and TicToc. You are right - great people If I see you around I'll introduce myself. regards Wayne

Hi Simon Glad to see you made it to the salt side. . rgds Wayne

Hi Chris Lovely ship to cruise to St.Kats. Sure I saw you at WRC a few weeks back? rgds Wayne

Hi Ian On behalf of crew Sea Jem I would like to thank you for your kind words. The real "well done" should go to the many we have met, or exhanged posts with on NBN. The knowledge, help and support given to us through our short boating career has been nothing short of fantastic - without NBN I doubt we would have made it through Mutford lock (Tracy, Easter ), never mind to St. kats. Thanks to everyone Crew SeaJem

A few more pictures - in no particular order:

Hi Adam Great pictures - looks like you had a blingtastic time - pity we missed you en route. rgds Wayne

Hi all Crew's Crackerjack and SeaJem left St. Kats yesterday for the trip back as the forecast was only giving today as the good window for a calm sea trip. Leaving the lock we went to the fuel barge just outside which, with the considerable wash and chop on the Thames, was a challenge in itself. We were planning to pick up a buoy at Gravesend - not ideal but because of the locking restrictions we had no option to leave St.Kats at an early enough time to make the trip home in daylight. A night passage was considered and quickly discounted. However, the guy on the fuel barge recommended going a bit further down the Queenborough, just up the Medway as he knew of a "mooring" there. So that was the plan. After a reasonable cruise and careful navigation of the swatch channel with little water we arrived at the "mooring". This was a concrete filled barge in the river used a a lighter for the port authority. However the kind people who used or operated it had left some nice tables there for people to BBQ - so it would have been rude not to: Little sleep was had by anyone mostly because of the noise of the tide drumming against the boats. This morning was an early start - up at 5:00 a.m for the gentle run home. We found, as forecast, light westerly winds with slight seas. After a 10 hour run CrackerJack and SeaJem made it safely back into Lowestoft. Soon after we were reunited with our crusing partners crew Clandestine, after a trip up from Tollsbury. Lots more photos to choose a selection of to post later. regards Wayne

I must say I am quite impressed by the tidal range of the Thames - yesterday it was 6.3 mtrs - which left a drying height in the lock

Hi from a very sunny St. Katherines by the tower. Today we decided that due to the forecast Sea Jem and Crackerjack would stay put for a day or so. Clanny had a better window with the speed available so they were able to continue their holiday more or less as planned. We are keeping tabs on them though to make sure they arrive at their destinations safely. So Crew SeaJem jumped on board Crackerjack for a lunchtime cruise of the Thames:

Hiya Yep - that was us - we watched the Balmoral go thru the bridge - a magnificant ship. We sat around for ages in the Thames - surprising how much swell there was - finally getting into the lock around 8.00 We also saw the large fireball explosion - we were concerend it ws Iain in his petrol boat but we very relieved when we saw him catching us up at speed in the distance regards Wayne

Hi all Here are a selection of the many photos we took whilst on the Thames assult. Apologies for the resolution - I dont think we had the camera on "bobbing about on a boat " mode regards Wayne

All safely arrived in Gillingham. Longest trip some of us have done but the sea was beautiful, so we had an early start to beat the coinditions and all was fine. Sorry we missed you Adam and Suzanne, must have passed you somewhere out there!!!Glad to here you all safe. St Cats tommorrow subject to the weather. Will post some pics later. Off to get Pizza now. See you all soon Tracy

cont: (cos I keep breaking the forum) # rgds Wayne

Hiya Just found five mins to upload some photos

Made our first solo trip yesterday to join Ian and Jonathan in Southwold. We left Lowestoft in full wet weather gear, and arrived in glorious sunshine so we must have looked very over dressed. A nice run down with Maggot navigating by compass with only occassional glances at the chartplotter just to make sure. On the way in to southwold there were people fishing off the quay but they would not move their lines, and I was not going outside the reccomended track - so some fist waving and guesturing occured ( not on our part). Looking forward to the run down to Titchmarsh today

Hi Guys Sounds like you are having a fab time - poor Mercs though giving him a dunking See you soon Wayne

Hi Ian..yep..I gonna need a holiday just to get over getting ready for the holiday rgds Wayne

Thanks Gavin The weird thing is when the SL4 were at Somerleton bridge the other week they could talk to me - albeit I had to use Hi power. I will have a look at the connections and settings this evening. regards Wayne

Hi all I recently put a new VHF on Sea Jem - one with that new fangled DSC. Anyway last night Rictic visited my moorings (so we had to have a beer ) and on his way out asked if I could call him so he could check out his handheld. About 300 yds up river he could not hear me. I tried on the handheld and that was fine. Next Maggot took the handheld for a walk and she could hear me o.k but it was'nt great and I could hear her o.k. Then I thought I would call Lowestoft - firstly Low and then Hi power and the obviously could not hear me. I could hear them usually but sometimes the Handheld would pick up an conversation and the new set only one of the parties. Finally I tried calling Luke in Reedham - he could not hear me either. So I guess it's now a new antenna which will be a right pain running the coax - I am moored next to quite a large steel ship - I did wonder about that but then the handheld was fine. Any ideas? thanks Wayne

Hiya I had a lesson, well two actually from Gavin ( MyLittleBoat) today. I must say I was very impressed with his art. I'm sure if you catch up with he'll show you. rgds Wayne

Hi Col I thought you was gonna say that was broke too Published times for weekends are 0300, 0500, 0700, 0945, 1115, 1430, 1600, 1800, 1900,2100 and 2400. Tel no is 01502 572286 Have fun rgds Wayne

It will move..., by the sound of it vertically