Log of Snow Goose 27.7.15 - 1.8.15

Greenwich Yacht Club East Coast Cruise 2015 - Yacht Snow Goose

Crew: Jim Grady, Peter Garland

I joined the cruise at Brightlingsea with crew Jim Grady, Peter Garland, and consequently missed the first couple of days including an epic Thames Estuary crossing in high wind and rain but we met up with a tired and happy fleet that Sunday evening.  From then on our days were varied in weather, wind and destinations and as the East Coast Cruise unfolded we visited familiar and new places, all worthwhile and interesting.

Day 1 27.7.15  Brightlingsea to Orwell

Wind SW 5-7 (20-29 knots)

Max speed (OG) 9.6kn

Ave speed (OG) 5.4kn

Distance 26.5nm

While some take a rest day in Brightlingsea others head out into force 5-7 winds and a swift run up to the Orwell. Snow Goose is a stable boat and likes a wind so with one reef in the main and a couple of turns in the Genoa she rattles along and we surf up the Wallet at good speeds. Goose-winging is fine in principle but with a swell on the starboard quarter requires more concentration than we have stomach for so we follow Caroline V's example and opt for a series of deep broad reaches, one more comfortable than the other. Once into Harwich Bay and flatter water we reach our fastest speed yet. 

The contrasting peace when finally tucked up in Suffolk Yacht Harbour is palpable.

Day 2 28.7.15  Orwell

Wind SW 5-7 (20-27 knots) gusty

Max speed (OG) 9.6kn

Ave speed (OG) 4.5kn

Distance NA

A strong wind sail in the Orwell and a little way up the Stour - that is to say we tack back and forth across the mouth of the Stour against wind and tide and then put the motor on to go as far up as the light ship then whizz back down wind to the Orwell. An excellent beat up the Orwell practicing our tacking skills all the way up to Pin Mill. Quite apart from the poor shape of a partially furled genoa I am convinced the two sails are not working well together, sheet in at all hard and the Genoa backs the main, and yet we are not pointing particularly high. More practice needed! On to our destination, the excellent Royal Harwich Yacht Club hammerhead, where we are joined by a number of other members of the fleet. The new clubhouse with its manicured lawn with fine views down the Orwell is a special place, worth stopping at.  A pleasant evening in very good company at the Butt and Oyster Pin Mill and the walk back in moonlight through the woods are memorable.

A peaceful evening at Pinmill

Day 3 29.7.15  Orwell to Woodbridge

Wind SW 5-7 (20-27 knots) gusty

Max speed (OG) 7.2kn

Ave speed (OG) 4.0kn

Distance 20.7

An early start at sunrise and after motoring down the Orwell to the sea another brisk sail up the coast to the Deben. Clear weather means that crossing the Bar is uneventful although I lose my nerve and we motor in rather than sailing between the sandbanks. Once into the beautiful Deben we are in another world, and wind our way under huge Essex skies and sunshine up to Woodbridge. The Deben is long, penetrating deep into the interior - like something out of The Heart of Darkness.  It seems strange to see large seagoing yachts moored all the way up the Deben, even above Woodbridge where the river gets decidedly dry. Having settled into the Tide Mill Yacht Harbour I drag my crew to the Sutton Hoo for a bit of Anglo Saxon culture. An hour is a rather longer walk than we bargain for but worth it. The Anglo Saxons were clearly considerably more civilised than the hair shirts and moustaches that the popular image might suggest, with incredibly intricate and carefully wrought jewellery and armour. Walking back down the dry Deben spotting birds, including red fronted Curlew Sandpipers. Another happy evening in the pub this time meeting up with Ed and Sue Bowness, fortuitously cruising in parallel with the ECC fleet.

Wanderer keeping us company winding up the Deben

Woodbridge Tide Mill

Day 4 30.7.15 Woodbridge to Harwich

Wind NE 1-2 (5-7 knots)

Max speed (OG) 8.2kn

Ave speed (OG) 3.5kn

Distance 16

A leisurely noon start, after a morning of fixing and shopping, back down the Deben and the coast to Halfpenny Pier at Old Harwich. The wind having turned and dropped to light zephyrs, we potter along the coast before turning into Harwich. On arrival at Halfpenny Peir we are noisily marshalled into position on this tiny but busy quay by the harbour master. It's a great spot to watch the world go by including the arrival other craft, small and large, from Trinity House maintenance ships to a 15 ft open boat. A sunset supper looking out across the mouth of the Stour at the mighty Felixtowe docks.

Sunset at Halfpenny Pier - Harwich

Day 5 31.7.15  Harwich to Pyefleet 

Wind SE 0-3 (0-10 knots)

Max speed (OG) 7.0kn

Ave speed (OG) 4.4kn

Distance 20.7

After some discussion most of the fleet decide to head for Pyefleet Channel rather than the Roach, anticipating a longish light wind Estuary crossing the next day and wishing to avoid the extra miles in and out of the Crouch. The first part of the morning is spent motoring until the wind picks up to a respectable force 3 and we have an enjoyable beat down the beaches of Walton, Frinton, Clacton and Jaywick. With the tide high enough to cross the Colne Bar we make good time running goosewinged into the Colne. The boat is saling well in these conditions with the main set up neatly now. Anchoring Snow Goose for the first time is a little ragged and we end up a little close to Blue Moon but not uncomfortably so once they have let out a little more chain. Pyefleet on a sunny afternoon and evening - bliss. Anchoring enforces a simple life kept away from the temptations of land and instead, pottering on the boat, resting and eating. Could be worse!

The GYC fleet at Pyefleet 

Day 6 1.8.15  Pyefleet to Queenborough

Wind SE 0-3 (0-10 knots)

Max speed (OG) 7.1kn

Ave speed (OG) 3.4kn

Distance 36.1

Up early again to catch the turn of the tide at the Spitway and on across the Estuary to Queenborough. Keeping in view of Blue Moon all the way and later Lena. A particularly good day for wildlife with two seals popping up nearby and two harbour porpoise sightings. Not such a good day fro wind which keeps coming and going, mostly going. Had to wait for a ship to pass before crossing the shipping lane but otherwise kept up a good 3-4 knots under motor assisted by sail. Coming into Queenborough to raft up with the whole fleet on two groaning grey buoys.  The load on our buoy made all the more by the arrival of Nick Fossey's ‘house boat’.

Day 6 1.8.15  Queenborough to Greenwich

Wind S 2-3 (5-10 knots)

Max speed (OG) 8.6kn

Ave speed (OG) 4.1kn

Distance 36.5

The homeward journey. All the boats leave together to catch the last of the dropping tide at the Nore and up Sea Reach. Just as we pass Grain Power Station it explodes in an apparently controlled demolition blast. A spectacular dust cloud then stays with us for some hours.

Ardent

A Gypsy Rose and Lena in close company

Little of no wind again for the Sea Reach leg but coming up nicely in Gravesend Reach. As we come into Gravesend to drop Jim at the pier a tug takes exception to my being on the left hand side of the river - not entirely fair as I am landing that side but there we go.  Dropping Jim off proves to be difficult with the only space on the untied inside of the hammerhead so I back in breasting the tide and we tie up momentarily. Sad to lose a crew member after a week but Peter and I sail on contentedly enough. Eventually get a good sail for the last hour or so and Greenwich comes into view in time for a 1500 arrival as predicted. Tricky time getting onto a new temporary mooring, tying mooring lines onto the buoys at each end of the trot. Now settled on a rocky mooring at Greenwich for a few weeks.

Arriving at GYC