24th September
We are at anchor in The Swale! ‘Talisker 1’ is an effortless powerful bird … again.
She is no fun fouled up and she tells me so in no uncertain terms. Quite simply … ‘I won’t play’. She was her magical self today and showing off!
Matt Smy took me out to ‘Talisker 1’ on Saturday and on Sunday, full of protest, we struggled out of the river together and sailed at a snails pace up to Languard and then motored to Suffolk Yacht Harbour and straight on to the scrubbing posts arriving just before high water.
22nd September The Ore to Suffolk Yacht Harbour
22nd September and making heavy weather of it with her fouled bottom
It was dark when I could get underneath the hull and with a powerful head torch I was able to clean the shaft and propeller. Barnacles were in abundance. I have never seen so many.
Yesterday morning I pressure washed the bottom, washed the waterline and greased the Bruntons Varifold propeller. Its amazing that white lithium grease stays on for several months.
She glided off the scrubbing posts, so responsive and easy to manoeuvre.
We anchored off Colton Creek in fairly strong south westerlies.
23rd September Suffolk Yacht Harbour to anchor off Colton Creek in fairly strong south westerlies
Today north westerly and westerly winds were forecast F 3 to 5. An ideal forecast to sail to the north Kent coast. We took the last of the ebb out of the Orwell and then the flood took us down to the Swale predominantly under full main and stay sail. We started the engine today off Paglesham.
24th September The Orwell to The Swale
24th September leaving The Orwell under main sail
24th September a new Thames Barge ‘Blue Mermaid’ built between 2015 and 2019
24th September she was built to the design of the original ‘Blue Mermaid’ blown up by a mine in WW2
24th September and traffic heading up the London River (as the Thames is known to Bargemen)
24th September The Swale approaches …
It’s fairly cool today. There is some tricky weather inbound but there is hopefully a window on Thursday to sail to Suffolk.
26th September
26th September The Swale to The Orwell
And then a day like today!
It did not bode well with the patter of rain on the deck as I woke in the early hours. My alarm was set for 0600. HW Sheerness 0700 and a following wind and the ebb all the way home.
26th September Shivering Sand
26th September and Shivering Tower on the horizon astern as we power our way north
I expected showers and discomfort but leaving the Swale to a spectacular sky the weather cleared and a blue sky accompanied us all the way across the estuary. Only rounding the Naze did the cloud thicken and there was the odd drop of rain as we nosed in to the bank just above Orwell PH, touched the mud, and let go the anchor shortly after 1330. ‘Talisker 1’ dropped back in to deeper water. We could not be closer. It is going to blow from the west tonight.
The westerly wind backed south west and strengthened and apart from sailing under main and genoa from the Swale to SW Barrow we sailed under main only all the way and in to the Orwell. With her clean bottom and predominantly a south westerly F 6 the ship flew.
It was effortless and gorgeous … and how I long to spend more days like today.
27th September
We are now at anchor in Erwarton Bay in strong northerly winds. ‘Talisker 1’ is lying comfortably head to wind. The ideal anchorage in a northerly.
27th September Orwell PH to Erwarton Bay
It blew hard from the west overnight. We were at anchor close into the bank just up river from Orwell PH in the Orwell. The wind was forecast to veer north at 0900 and we were underway from the Orwell to the Stour at 0830. Rounding Shotley the wind strengthened with squally rain. We tucked in as close as we could to the bay. At low water we will be barely floating.
28th September
28th September The Stour to The Ore
Just glorious glorious! It is a beautiful day. Orford at its best … just lovely.
I woke before the 0450 alarm. The wind had backed to the west and the flood tide was well underway. Wind over tide and ‘Talisker 1’ was uncomfortable and bashing with her sugar scoop stern.
It was cold and dark with a clear sky. I had to wrap up warm to weigh anchor and get under way under main only. Approaching Languard it was getting light and having rounded Languard we set the stay sail. With the wind off Felixstowe ‘Talsiker 1’ gathered up her skirts and flew up the coast on THE most beautiful morning.
28th September ‘Talsiker 1’ gathered up her skirts and flew up the coast on THE most beautiful morning
We furled the stay sail to sail between Oxley and Weir (the entrance to the Ore). Far easier to tack under main only in a tight confined channel, before resetting the stay sail to pass North Weir Point and on in to the river.
28th September before resetting the stay sail to pass North Weir Point and on in to the river
We furled the stay sail as we passed Dove Point and picked up the mooring under main sail.
I’m on board tonight and Matt Smy is kindly taking me ashore tomorrow late morning.
26th October Orford SC Laying Up Supper James Robinson, guest Ella Hibbert, guest speaker Tom Cunliffe, Ros Cunliffe and myself
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