East Coast Diary

[pks1702]

Two weeks running with Sunshine oh joy although the breeze on Saturday did take the edge off things but also allowed some to be 'blessed' by its rays

It was clear Blue sky's after a foggy start which allowed a good view of the competitors in the Tendring Air Race various types of planes buzzing around http://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publicat ... 20Race.pdf

Mark opposite our mooring was getting ready to take his Failine Turbo for a run, a nice chunky ship but those old Volvo TAM engines while bullet proof due like to puff a bit... 'Make Smoke'

The boat fishing is pretty good off the East Coast at present with Cod & Ray in reasonable abundance, we seem to have had a plethora of charter and pleasure fishing boats arrive at Shotley this year (it has its benefits as another forumite knows). Generally lock etiquette is very well policed and observed but when the fishing boats lock in it really is a free for all and it is a case of every boat for itself:

[Guest]

fairline turbo's YUMMY

Jonny

[Guest]

What I cant figure out is how the heck a speed restriction is going to help them as they are wet already

Speaking as a former holder of a scuba license I can testify that turbulence is not the nicest experience underwater, especially if you are near something large and hard that you don't fancy getting repeatedly bounced off.

Indeed, speaking of turbulence under water, when we were in Ashford and Mrs Plesbit worked on Intensive Care there, one of the consultants had been scuba diving when the great tsunami of 2004 passed overheard. Now that must have been turbulence!

[pks1702]

The weather gods seem to know when there is a Bank Holiday

Our planned trip to Woodbridge was aborted due to the forecast on Sunday and Monday NE 25-30knots not advisable over the bar. Being stuck up at Woodbridge was not an option as we had to be back for today. This was all the more galling with Saturdays weather but totally vindicated by Sunday & Mondays. We did make Woodbridge for the SPYC BBQ but on four wheels. An enjoyable evening but turning very cool once the sun went down.

The good folks of SPYC had a remedy for the cold as can be seen below; I can only assume this was 'wrecking' implement handed down the family

David had a box of English Charcoal which was put to good use

Pocket Size BBQ

A member wrestles with half a Cow!

Sunday saw it tip down from virtually morning until night with strong NE winds so we stayed put and tested the beer in the Shipwreck. Out of curiosity I had a run up to see what the Deben Bar looked like; vindication of staying put if any were needed it was a mass of surf

[Guest]

Obviously Woodbridge / Shotley is some way from the Broads but I have to say that at times the weather yesterday and today was shocking. For a while a couple of the trees in our garden looked as though they were about to be uprooted - and I did think anyone at sea would probably not be having a fun time.

[pks1702]

The weather was pretty similar Simon it was very very windy.

As has been said before you can always get out somewhere at Shotley if you want to. The Stour was flat calm and the odd yacht on it was fairly whizzing along with a perfect combination of wind and flat water.

Getting off and on your mooring was a different proposition

[pks1702]

To give some idea of why the Deben is not a good idea in a strong NE -East here is a photo taken this year showing the Port and Starboard hand marks. There is a foreshortening effect in the sea based photo but as can bee seen from this years aerial photo the beach and rocks are pretty close.

Keeping the Green to Starboard it is almost a 90 degree turn to run up parallel with the beach and the rocks. This weekends wind direction would have been blowing from behind, over your starboard quarter in the photo, meaning as you turned to enter or exit seas would have been beam on and at 3-3.5 metres that close to the shore it was in our view foolish to get involved with it.

Always another weekend

[pks1702]

At last some half decent weather although it was a bit 'in & out.

So a proper East Coast lunchtime as the tides were right

A gentle run up the Orwell to:

Pin Mill is a delightful location helped by the excellent Butt & Oyster

Butt & Oyster

Picked up a buoy and tendered ashore

Tie your horse here and head for the bar

Half an hour later they were afloat

Can't beat it

Power & Sail co existing

Passing Traffic

Peaceful Orwell

Kingfisher amongst the Yachts; Orwell Bridge in the distance

A thoroughly enjoyable weekend

[Guest]

Hi Perry

nice shots of KiKi

Jonny

[Jupes]

Looks fabulous Perry. Pin Mill is a lovely spot.

[jimbo]

Ok!............Who's the tight **** with the Tohatsu??

[Guest]

Ok!............Who's the tight **** with the Tohatsu??

i think that might be David

Jonny

[Antares_9]

Nothing wrong with Tohatsu

Who do you think it is that makes the small Mariners, Mercuries et al, Tohatsu just paints them a different colour and sticks on the appropriate badges. But no, mine's the Walker Bay with the rolling trim tabs on the back.

[senator]

Lovely Shots Perry and that is a serious Prawn Cocktail.

Is it just me or do the Border Agency seem to be getting a lot more noticeable lately?

[Antares_9]

Lovely Shots Perry and that is a serious Prawn Cocktail.

They really didn't last long Ian, we could all have done with a few more as a pint each was not nearly enough, I could almost agree to going metric if they served a litre of those things, and not a sign of that disgusting Mary Rose sauce stuff to spoil them.

[pks1702]

Thanks all it was a good weekend.

Jimbo wrote

Ok!............Who's the tight **** with the Tohatsu??

Titter ye not Jimbo don't judge a book by its cover as David has alluded; as Yorkshireman I am sure you know Prudence very well

It is small enough to store in the Lazerette and does what it says on the tin.

Re the Border Agency Ian they are regularly based the other side of the lock in Ipswich, we see them trundling around our bit of coast a fair bit.

Antares_9 wrote

They really didn't last long Ian, we could all have done with a few more as a pint each was not nearly enough,

They were pretty good I have to say and at least one feline on Kingfisher was not happy a pint was not brought back for him

[jimbo]

Just yanking your chain Perrance, I'm sure it goes like the wind But seriously, if you have guests calling round and want to borrow a Merc just shout

[pks1702]

I did understand you are pulling my Plonker James, metaphorically speaking you understand

I will lend you my back up outboard anytime, it is traditional so will just suit the PB's

[jillR]

lovely piccies perry

jill

[pks1702]

Another classic Bank Holiday from a weather perspective

With any chance of getting further afield is was back to that good old fall back Ipswich.

We locked out and got nailed down in Ipswich before the winds increased too much but boy on Saturday PM and Sunday in particular it blew old boots. I was amazed at the strength of some of the gusts which went from F5-F8 in about two seconds....any yachts on the Orwell better have had a reef or three in

It was great to see a place such as Ipswich with a great sea faring tradition celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Dunkirk landings in such a big way, a full day of entertainment was put on with all the participants getting into the part.

http://www.ipswich.gov.uk/site/scripts/ ... newsID=398

Ipswich Operatic Society play the part

Trinity House Servicing

Gathering Fish for the Chips

Lottery Win

Quiet Ipswich Port with Orwell Bridge in the Distance

Kingfisher & Kiki Nailed Down

Did You say Prawns?

Ipswich Bound near Levington

[Guest]

Hi Perry

looks like you had a good weekend thanks for the update

Jonny

[pks1702]

Sorry we missed you too Rod but with traffic and the journey time it was 21.00 before we made Shotley on Friday

[Antares_9]

Good to see you Friday Rod, Treacle is quite a bouncy dog notwithstanding being a bit ginger on the Walcons.

[Antares_9]

Given the forecast for our holiday week we decided to go south to the Blackwater rather than go up to the Broads. A number of yachts from our club were also going for a few days to Tollesbury and Bradwell so we joined them as the only motorboat.

We had a great journey down on June 12 in a NNW 3-5, although as usual it was a bit sloppy at the entrance to the Blackwater coming in from the Wallet. All the yachts left the Orwell at around 6.30am in the morning in order to make it into Tollesbury at high water. We were able to leave at 8.30 am and passed them all en route - some off Frinton, others off Clacton and the rest off Colne Bar and at the entrance to Mersea Quarters- and were first on our berth at Tollesbury.

[Antares_9]

We had a pleasant stay at Tollesbury and it was a lovely sunny weekend. As well as walking along the sea wall, we also did a bit of ditch crawling in the tender (see photos below).

On Monday we were all off to Bradwell and were waiting for enough water over the sill and down the channel down to the Nass Beacon and the edge of Mersea Quarters before crossing the Blackwater and heading into Bradwell.

Although the forecast hadn't looked great for the week, everyone had anticipated a number of weather windows and particularly the early part of the week had looked ok if we all needed to get back to the Orwell quickly.

However, by Sunday evening the forecast was looking very different. The high settling over the UK had sadly not made it as far as the E Coast, and the combination of a low over N France meant we were going to be subjected to NE 6+ winds gusting 7-8 for much of the week.

We all set off for Bradwell - a mere 6 miles from Tollesbury - but already in the shallow waters off Mersea it was quite bumpy and the E wind meant we had a lovely beam sea the whole way across the channel. Still we all got in and were safely moored before heading off for a fantastic dinner at the Green Man.