2012 Summer Cruise - day 7

Set out from Lowestoft at 08:00 heading for Orford Haven. Quarter of an hour later we were sailing nicely and making good time.

An hour later we were putting in the first reef on a rising wind. Typically, half an hour later we were shaking it out again!

By lunchtime we'd lost the wind altogether. Sandwiches were prepared and eaten in a total calm albeit with quite a swell running. On with the engine at 12:30.

An hour later we were battling into the teeth of a full on F6 with steep and seriously big waves and a foul tide. Our VMG headed resolutely into negative figures and stayed that way on both tacks.

It was obvious by now that we couldn't make the tide for Orford Haven. Dialled up the course for Harwich looking at maybe Shotley for the night but that looked like being the early hours of the morning. To our annoyance, Lowestoft was only two and a half hours away so it was turn tail and head back North with a VMG of over 9 knots!

Rik queried whether we could make it into Southwold which we'd discussed as a possible destination before setting out from Lowestoft. So I set to working it out and laying off the course, we'd get there some two hours before low water which looked a little dicey but nothing ventured nothing gained. Calling up the harbour master for advice we got a go so went for it.

The approach to the harbour was interesting to say the least with rough seas, a huge tidal stream running entrance and the engine going full blast. The big tripper rib approached the entrance getting good air over the waves (and WE were out in THAT?!) and I'm sure could have gone in ahead of us without causing any issues but chose instead to circle around and follow us in. Once we got between the pier heads it was a real struggle to creep up river against the fill force of the ebb tide. The skipper of the rib warned us off the shallow bits and into the deep water which was much appreciated.

Gradually we made progress and crept up towards the visitor moorings where the very helpful harbour master was waiting to assist us in getting alongside. A tricky ferry glide, which I'm afraid led to me grabbing the tiller off Rik rather abruptly, put us against the staging and that was another fun day at sea over and done with!

After tidying up on deck, stowing the mainsail and sorting out mooring lines and fenders, we repaired to the pub for a well earned pint That led to another pint, some food then two more.

Todays' track log ...

On the face of it, the decision to tack at about 10:00 might be seen to have been a mistake. With the benefit of hindsight we might have been better served to continue as was even though it was taking us ever further offshore. That said, given the way the wind headed us and got up a couple of hours later, we'd have simply ended up being further from shelter than was actually the case.

Nb. For some reason not a single photograph was taken all day be either myself or Rik!