23.0515 - GYC to Erith
1735-1950, 2 hours 15 minutes. Engine hours 1.
Wind Easterly 10-15 knots, force 3-4
9.5nm, average speed 3.5kn, max speed og 6.7kn
A fine Saturday evening leaving the choppy waters of Bugsby's Reach
for less seasick making moorings - the last three weeks on the Thames at Greenwich has
been a mixed blessing: Strong tides choppy waters and the tricky task of
getting on and off a trot mooring make it a very different challenge to the
calm of Gillingham Marina.
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| Provisioning at Greenwich Yacht Club |
So down river
we go for a short evening hop to pick up a mooring off Erith Yacht Club.
We started under motor, which is now behaving beautifully with no signs of the
earlier overheating now that the water intake has been cleaned. Then once past
Margaret Ness sailed all the way in long deliberate tacks, learning to do
things calmly and smoothly which this boat likes best. Picked up an inner trot
mooring at Erith just as the wind was dying and settled down for a fine gnocchi
supper on board. Sadly no-one was at home at the yacht club to entertain us so
we stayed on board Snow Goose, early to bed for an early start the next day.
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| Downstream to Erith |
24.05.15 - Erith to
Queenborough
0740-1415, 6 hours 25 minutes, engine hours 1.5
Wind NW 10-15 knots, force 3
30.7 nm, average speed 4.6kn, max speed og 9.1kn
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| First light on an Erith mooring... |
A decent cooked breakfast to begin the day, dropping the
mooring at 7.00 to stay with the tide to the Nore Swatch. A gentle start, motoring to begin with, but soon able to sail in bouts, resorting to motoring on
through Gravesend to stay ahead of the tide. A bright morning with fine views
as the river opens out to sea reach. Several rather stout seals lie on the sand
like so many logs as we glide by. The boat behaves impeccably even in light
winds doing 3.5 to 4.5 knots down Sea Reach, finding its own groove.
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| ...and off to Gravesend |
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| Sea Reach |
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| Seals seen through the lens of the binoculars |
Arriving at the Montgomery ahead of schedule we circle round it
as close as we can get. At low water
the masts rise well out of the water making us wonder what its like below –
eery. An enjoyable beat into the Medway and up to Queenborough.
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| The wreck of the Montgomery |
The boat is missing 2 battens and the sail trim is far from right
yet but we are learning fast and so far Snow Goose has been a delight to sail.
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| Reaching up the Medway |
25.05.15 - Queenborough to
Brightlingsea
0715-1550, 8 hours 25 minutes, engine hours 1
Wind NW/NNW 10-15 kn reducing to 10kn, force 3-4
35.3nm, average speed 4.2kn, max speed og 7.7kn, max speed ow
5.5kn
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| Leaving Sheerness with one reef |
Early start to catch the tide, 0730 off the moorings and down the
Medway with one reef and 15 knots of wind. Skirting Sheerness with its jumble
of old and new buildings – it seems to have been immune to the
pressures of conservation with 20th century structures piled on top
of historic Napoleonic masonary. The same applies to the
Isle of Grain Martello Tower opposite, a crazy concoction of 'buildings'. Out to the Montgomery, this time at high
water, almost entirely submerged, and then on out to the comparative space of the Estuary.
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| Sailing from buoy to buoy |
Nothing in the shipping lane as we skip
across to the Northern shore and contour crawl along the edge of the Maplin
Sands. A continuous north-westerly keeps us on one tack for 5 hours, buoy
hopping all the way up to the Spitway. Here we regret not having set the
depth guage correctly and tack severall times just in front of the Spitway
trying to find deep enough water.
Actually it was all deep enough and we need not worry. Final beat across to Brightlingsea, the wind becoming north-north-westerly by now. Sail trim improving all the time.
Motoring for the last ½ hour into Brightlingsea as the wind comes onto the nose - tired but happy with a fine day’s sail under huge skies. For much of
the day we have had the Gunfleet Wind Farm ahead of us apparently getting no closer,
just bigger – it is very large.
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| Making good progress towards the Spitway |
26.05.15 – Brightlingsea to Osea and back
1330-1900, 6 hours, engine hours 1
Wind NW/NNW 10-12 kn, force 3
25.3nm, average speed 4.2kn, max speed og 6.7kn, max speed ow 6kn
After a leisurely morning of breakfast and boat fixing in
Brightlingsea Harbour, a delightful sail in the Blackwater at its best. Setting
off on a rising tide out of the Colne and towards the Blackwater, watched over
by the brooding presence of the Bradwell Power Station, (which is being reclad
to make it last last the remaining 90 odd years of its decommissioning!). Sailing on one tack most of the way up to Osea
Islands before turning round at the anchorage to head back.
The newly installed Tiller Tamer is a huge improvement and will transform
single handed sailing, allowing one to walk about the boat much more freely. Blue skies and
green water – especially when seen through the hole in the hull when I
take the log fitting out to try to free the paddle wheel. The log turns out not to be reading due
to poor electrical connections not the paddle wheel, so I need not have got so wet doing
that.
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| Passing Radio Caroline |
With the systems all running smoothly we concentrate on sail trim and
getting the most out of the boat. It
works well and we get 6 knots out of her in comparatively light winds –
I look forward to a stronger wind sail. Lessons learnt: Do not point too high and do not sheet in too
tight. Now where have I heard that before?
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| Under Essex skies |
Return to Brightlingsea, tired and ready to clear up tomorrow
before leaving the boat in its new summer home.
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| Brightlingsea Harbour calm |
