2012 Summer Cruise - day 14

A lazy start today, there was no point in getting going too early as the tides would not suit.

We eased our way out of Bradwell just after low water at midday with just enough water under the keels. We managed to avoid actually touching the bottom (not that it would matter much if we did). Wouldn't want to try it at low water on a bigger tide!

Once clear of the marina, we had a bash at sailing rather than motoring but after half an hour of tacking to and fro we'd made hardly any ground so it was back on with the motor.

We glued ourselves to the 2m mark on the depth sounder as we made our way out past St. Peters Flats before eventually we could shape a course southwards towards the Raysand Channel.

We sneaked over the Bachelor Spit on the rising tide with never less than 2m under us and then found deeper water in the Raysand Channel proper. By now we were sailing nicely close hauled on the port tack with the motor off.

We were able to hold on to that tack all the way across the Ray Sand passing just to the West of the safe water marks. The depth dropped at the shallowest point to 1.4m at around half tide so our timing was spot on. Once into deeper water we were able to bear away onto a broad reach into the river mouth. The breeze, such as it was, shifted further and further aft until we resorted to poling out the Genoa with the boathook again.

This time, I tried wedging the butt end if the shaft against the handrail on the cabin and lashing the pole tip the cap shroud. That seemed to work better and we ran up through the moorings at Burnham logging between two and three knots.

With a helpful tide of over a knot added to that we really weren't hanging about although it didn't feel fast. We kept having to remind ourselves of that and indeed much of the time starting the engine would only have given us an extra knot or so.

Upstream of Burnham a combination of the breeze dropping and the tide turning put paid to any further fun. The pub was calling so it was on with the engine and stow the sails. We rendered passing honours to Norderzon as she headed downstream before sliding onto a berth on the inside of the pontoon.

In short order we were blowing the froth off the first of several pints and so ended a very pleasant day indeed.