A post lockdown Cruise - July 2020
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| Queenborough - windy sunset |
It has been a slow start for sailing this year, first a back problem, then no access to the Marina during strict lockdown and then the wait to be allowed to overnight on my ‘second home’ Snow Goose. The latter restriction was relaxed on the 4th July so on the 5th I headed out. Originally this trip was to be with Stefan on Shuda, social distancing still requiring only individuals or individual households on one boat, but he was unable to come having run into a groin on the Ovens Buoy Race the week before damaging his keel. So it was a single boat, single handed trip and none the worse for that.
Just under a week on the boat in variable wind and weather, characterized by the remains of a low bringing strong winds at the beginning of the week and a weak high after that. Rain and mixed weather mid week meant I didn’t go to as many places as I expected, finding it better to be based in Brightlingsea but that was fine.
Day 1. Sunday 5th July - Gillingham Marina to Queenborough Harbour, late afternoon.
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| Flying down the Medway under just a reefed genoa |
1630-1805
W 15-30kn
Having delayed starting out by a day to avoid very strong winds crossing the Thames Estuary this sail down to Queenborough was double quick (one hour and 35 minutes) under reefed genoa only, with winds westerly 15-20 and gusting 30 knots. A beautiful sail, although I was a bit preoccupied about whether I would be able to pick up a buoy at Queenborough in wind this strong. I needn’t have been, all went smoothly. No-one else was about - or mad enough to sail today. Halfway down I had a private aerial display of a Red Kite harried across the Medway by seagulls – they don’t seem to get on. The usual sea and marsh birds everywhere, they have had a quieter spring and seem more apparent this year perhaps as a result.
The usual warm welcome at Queenborough.
Day 2 Monday 6th July – Queenborough to Brightlingsea, afternoon
1300-2030
NW 15-20kn
Setting off at lunch time - as soon as the tide allowed - and hoping to get to the Spitway to catch the change in the tide at around 1940. A good plan but the wind was so good I shot up there and was well early. Its always hard waiting to get off and inevitably I did so a little ahead of schedule - seen off from Queenborough by a seal and later welcomed into the Colne by another. A great wind on the quarter and then on the beam made the leg up to the Whitaker both fast and simple with 2 or 3 other boats for company, which although quicker than me seemed to end up coming into the Colne at roughly the same time. Sailing on the tiller pilot for long periods produces a remarkably straight line on the Navionics track, it’s a good sailor ironing out the gusts and wave adjustments better than I do. Beautiful skies and sea colours changing through grey to green to brown as the light changed with great boiling clouds in the latter part of the day. Coming up to the Whitaker and then the Spitway at least an hour and a half ahead of plan meant we were head on to strong wind and the spring tide as we turned North West towards the Colne Bar. I could have carried on sailing and tacked in laboriously but instead I opted to motor, itself quite enjoyable now that I do properly trust this engine, and my servicing. As it is we came round the Colne Bar buoy and up to the Colne as the light dropped and were treated to a spectacular sunset as I arrived into Pyefleet Creek and dropped anchor alongside Talisker 1 with James Tomlinson of Samingo Sailing, blog and You Tube video fame. A wave between skippers is as close as we get to forming a relationship. Interesting how isolated one is at anchor even if there are other boats nearby. That is usually a good thing. This time I was almost the last boat in and had a brilliant quiet meal at anchorage watching the sun go down in the northwest.
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| A lovely afternoon wind |
Day 3-5 Tuesday 7th-9th July – Brightlingsea
In a gathering westerly breeze the Pyefleet anchorage can get uncomfortable as the boat dances around trying to decide whether to obey tide or wind directions. So At Midday I went across to Brightlingsea for a pontoon berth, after a seemingly impossibly large cargo ship came slowly out between the moorings from the last working quay in the creek beyond. Visited Tony O’Donovan and his new boat Malibu (grand name) on the pontoon at Morgan Marine, a part of Brightlingsea I didn’t know, at the top of a large and dusty marine related industrial estate – a mine of expertise and resource no doubt. Morgan Marine seem to be the dominant players in Brightlingsea.
Resting in Brightlingsea and enjoying a simple life on the boat, painting, reading, cooking and generally looking about me.
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| Pyefleet - windy clouds |
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| Brightlingsea - watching the tide |
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| Brightlingsea Egrets |
A fine potter up the Colne to Wivenhoe at high water on a windless grey afternoon. The Bert Prior tied up to Ballast Quay is a sight worth seeing. The Prior coasters have been plying the Thames Estuary between the Colne and London for many years. When fully laden the gunwales of these boats are astonishingly low on the water and must have to be careful of their draft going up and down the Colne. On Thursday an enjoyable visit from family, Zephyr and Emily came down from Cambridge in a Zipcar for a walk and lunch on board.
Day 6 10th July – Brightlingsea to Queenborough
0800 1530
WNW 5-20kn
A delightful sail back across the estuary in variable winds on virtually one tack all the way, goosewinged out to the Spitway and then a beam reach becoming increasingly close hauled towards the Sheppey shore. No wildlife visible today but otherwise a lovely day of trade wind skies and green-blue water. The wind rose through the day and by the afternoon I should have reefed but didn’t bother. I wonder whether I would have done with single line reefing and lines all brought back to the cockpit – probably. Snow Goose builds weather helm with increased heel and I am conscious that I am slowing progress with the rudder but I’m never sure how much especially when these have been such quick crossings anyway. Bearing away a little helps reduce heel and of course speeds the boat up.
I sailed across the Spitway ½ hour before low water with never less than 2.1m below the keel – we had less than that nipping over the end of the Whitaker Spit. Then one long tack all the way to the Isle of Sheppey. The wind was strong enough to throw everything around in the cabin, I must remember to secure it all more effectively next time…
There is something about these day long journeys, sailing buoy to buoy and almost out of sight of land, despite being in shallow water for much of the time. It feels like a rite of passage, I wonder whether it always will.
A short motor round Garrison Point and into the Swale. Again made welcome at Queenborough and had an excellent Pizza ashore at the Admirals Arms following their quite thorough distancing protocols.
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| Crossing the Spitway |
Day 7 11th July - Queenborough to Gillingham
1105-1340
NW 10-20kn
Probably the best sail of the trip. A ‘technical’ upwind beat, getting the most out of the boat and concentrating on luffing up in the gusts to gain ground particularly round the headlands. Really satisfying. Only a couple of tacks needed, making it only about 4 tacks in the whole week! My old Gibb winches are slow to operate and sometimes hard to haul in tight in a strong wind but I like them enough. And I still sail mostly on the wind vane at the masthead rather than looking at the instruments - tougher on the neck but better for keeping an eye on the sail trim at the same time - and somehow more real. I came in very close to shore round the Napoleonic fort at Darnet Ness only to find another boat passing inside me unseen behind the genoa. Good to know there is depth there I suppose.
This has been a lovely week. The Essex shore is easily accessible for me single handed even in fairly strong winds, although timing and tide management is important. The boat has behaved impeccably and the recent installation of a NASA battery monitor makes life a lot simpler and gives one confidence to use electrical power more freely. Although Snow Goose is not quick she is an ideal boat for this kind of sailing and for me. I was fortunate to buy such a boat so inexpensively when I did and to be able to gently tweak her into performing as well as she does. Here’s to many more trips.
