S.O.I.A. Anglia Group newsletter - July 2003

Ahoy there, Shipmates!

We picked a corker of a weekend for the Brightlingsea Meeting. The sun only disappeared at night and was then replaced by a full moon, so it couldn’t have been better. Five Silhouettes, four East Midlanders and one Home Counties shipmate, launched on Thursday at Tollesbury, and were joined by Bob Legg and Mike Atkins on Bob’s newly aquired Trident 24, Magic Dragon, who sailed down from Ipswich. They had visited both Maldon and Wivenhoe before we arrived on Friday evening.

We launched and sailed up the Blackwater, anchoring in the moonlight off Osea Island. The rest of the fleet were in Pyefleet, we later discovered. And to think we suspected them of being in a pub somewhere...

The next day, after a refreshing dip for me in the luke-warm briny, we carried on up to Maldon, where we went ashore for a coffee, then had a gentle, sun-soaked sail back down the Blackwater with the ebb, before catching the flood into the Colne. We sailed into Brightlingsea, only using the engine at the last minute to join the fleet on the pontoon. As well as the six aforementioned boats there were Arnold and Margaret Handley enjoying their first season in their Valiant and appreciating the comfort of a little more space. Bill and Bett Julier were also there in their Westerley Pageant, Lincoln Aries.

That evening in the Colne Yacht Club we were joined by Howard Orram and his wife, who have their Silhouette currently on the Medway but are hoping to join us on the Broads in September.

On Sunday the fleet reached up the Blackwater with a moderate south-easterly, anchoring for lunch in Lawling Creek on the top of the tide. Meanwhile the wind got up, perhaps augmented by a sea breeze, so the sail back down the Blackwater was very different! With the wind against the tide there was a fair old chop on the river and we now had to beat - we certainly had a soaking as warm green water flew over the bows, splashed our faces and trickled down our necks.

Some managed to tack down the north side of the river; Allegro motored in the relative lee of the south bank, ending up taking shelter of Bradwell Creek. We followed Polly into Tollesbury, and Magic Dragon followed us. Two more boats dived into West Mersea. One hardy soul, Alf Baldwin in Misty, having been concentrating hard on his sailing, hadn’t spotted the rest of the fleet running for shelter, and battled on to our original destination of Pyefleet, where he spent a lonely night!

Rapidly running out of tide, Polly just made it back to Tollesbury Marina, but we picked up a Mooring in Tollesbury South Channel. Magic Dragon tried to join us but hit the bottom a few feet away. Later we shared a glass of wine – Bob and Mike passed their wine-box over to us by breeches buoy! They also took the chance to sort out some electrics and engine problems. When the tide flowed again we moved together to a deeper water buoy in the Tollesbury Fleet.

In the morning, the fleet gradually converged on Tollesbury to haul out; Brian and I had a last sail and met Alf and Misty returning from Pyefleet. Bob and Mike, facing a brisk headwind back to Ipwich, went off to check out conditions at sea.

So all in all a lovely weekend, with a bit of an adventure thrown in!

Now Brian and I are getting ready for our summer cruise on our Eventide, waiting for us on the River Wyre in Lancs. We hope to bring her back to Norfolk via the Caledonian Canal, and have the month of August at our disposal. Watch this space!

E-MAILS

Here is Mike’s description of Magic Dragon’s sail back to Ipswich:

I expect that Bob can give you an account with more facts and figures

(don't believe anything he says about combine harvesters) but here are

the basic facts...

"From Tollesbury we made very slow progress against the wind and tide.

When we got to the mouth of the Blackwater the tide turned in our

favour, so the wind shifted to stay on the nose all the way up the

Wallet.

Quite a few hours later we picked up a mooring at Pin Mill. Another

beautiful evening. Next morning we motored up to OYC. Then home for a

much-needed shower." Mike.

 

From Howard Orram, whose Fibreglass SII had a rather long boom...

Looking forward to our first rally in Norfolk. Hope you all have a great

time at Plymouth - maybe we'll have a crack at that next year.

Following supper discussion on booms, have hacked off 140mm. It can't foul

the backstay under any (?) circumstances now. Based on Dennis Heald's recent

article, our roller-reefing boom must have come from an SIII.

Regards, Howard.

 

Sailing Dates

Plymouth Rally: August 16th – 22nd

Broads Meeting: September 12/13/14th

The Broads......

We are planning to revisit the northern Broads this year, launching at Martham, and visiting Hickling Broad, Potter Heigham and Horsey Mere. Brian and I will do some hostelry research again to find some good watering holes. Details: next letter.

THE NEXT MEETING – August 9th, Orwell Yacht Club, Ipswich, 8pm.

Included – Brian’s brother Graham has pipped him to the post with a log of a sail they had together up to Barrow in Furness, when Brian visited Avocet to prepare her for her summer cruise. (They had to give her an airing...)

LAST GASP. . Next time you hear from me (early September I hope) we should have a lot of sea-miles under our belts, a weather-beaten appearance, and salty tide-lines on all our clothes and shoes. Lets hope so, anyway!

Best Wishes

Elizabeth Letzer, July 2003.