This weekend provided the best sailing I have ever had on board Sylvester. I left the decision to go for the weekend until the last minute, so I was on my own.
The forecast was easterlies both days F4-5 on Saturday F3-4 on Sunday. Solid sun both days with temps in the high 20's (C that is Jamie!) I got off to a bad start. Held up for an hour on the A12 because of a vehicle fire, then in my haste to get away, realized I had left the boat cover on the mooring pontoon, so had to go back for that. Loosing more time.
The idea was to sail up the Blackwater to stay the night at Maldon, alongside friends on their 25' Hunter Horizon. Well the delayed start meant I missed the last of the flood up the river and was now punching the tide all the way. The wind was dead behind me and with one reef in I was making good progress. Really choppy with the wind over tide, with Sylvester doing her best to pound the chop into submission. I'd been going for a over two hours, when it dawned on me, even if there was enough water to get up to Maldon, it would be tricky to avoid running aground without a crew to help with the pilotage. I didn't fancy spending the night on the mud in the middle of the Blackwater.
So I decided to turn back and use the ebb to get me back to Brightlingsea. Only when I went about did I realize how strong the wind was. Beating into this was really uncomfortable (OK scary). I was faced with reefing again or putting into Bradwell Marina that was right abeam of me. I choose the latter.
Not the prettiest of places, but the local pub was excellent and the views over the river were lovely in the evening light. I chatted with a couple who were camping on their Drascombe and pointed out to them the amazing 1908 Crosby Catboat that was in the boat park (22' long and displaces 5.5 tons!!!!!)
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As the tide fell and the light faded, the Marina took on a somewhat Lunar or maybe WWI Landscape appearance, what is Essex mud all about?
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As I was having breakfast, this Guy waved to me and came down the pontoon and introduced himself as John Sheldrake, who apparently had tried to buy Sylvester from you Bill at some point. I had met him before on the water, but had a good chat to him this time, Boy does he regret not buying Sylvester! He seems to buy and sell a boat about once a year from what I could make out. He told me that the wind yesterday had risen to F6 on the river, so my decision to get into Bradwell was one of my better ones!
As the forecast was F3-4 for the Sunday. I decided to let the flood build up to mid tide, to get the strongest assist with the beat back. It was glorious as I left at 7am and found myself beating straight into the suns reflection as it rose in the sky, bloody perfect!!!!! After and hour or more I shook out the reef as the wind eased and got back to Brightlingsea in good time. Bought a few bits and bobs in the chandlery including a small collapsible anchor for holding onto a beach. Then I motored across the Colne to Colne Point and beached Sylvester on the rising tide and made lunch. It was hot!!! Here's the star of the show.
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So there I was having lunch when this amazing looking craft beached along side. It looked fabulous, So I went over to admire her and on explaining that Sylvester was mine the other owner asked if my boat was a Chebacco, the second person I have met who knew what he was looking at. Anyway this 26' Canoe Yawl turns out to be rather interesting. he explained that it was designed by one (Englishman) Albert Strange in the 1890's, as a commissioned design, it was never built. The outlines were discovered quite recently and published in Wooden Boat Magazine (I think) Anyway the interest was such that the magazine asked one Phil Bolger to draw up building plans for the craft, which he did. As far as the proud owner knew his was the only boat to have been actually built from these plans. By the way the craft was only launched on Saturday, after a 3 year build. It is of totally traditional build and is magnificent. I couldn't bring myself to ask how much it might have cost. It was built by a local builder at Rowhedge on the Colne, once a very famous boat-building centre, right up to 1964.
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Later in the day
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So after this interesting diversion I headed up the river Colne to moor up at Rowhedge for an afternoon pint. A very gentle sail after the rigors of Saturday, although I was getting fried! Whilst up at Rowhedge I took a side trip up the very grand sounding Roman River. This is actually just a creek about a mile long and only navigable at high water and then with only shallow draught craft. It terminates in a superb water mill. It was like traveling through a Constable painting. You can just see the Mill in the distance here.
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So then back to Brightlingsea for the end of the trip. I had noticed that my Yamaha outboard was not pumping it's usual vigorous stream of cooling water, more like a trickle. Sure enough, just as I cleared the narrow section of water through Wivenhoe (it was a dead beat and a very narrow channel) the motor gave out. I am not good with motors!
Still from here on I could beat back, as I had the ebb with me. Lovely sail back to Brightlingsea. But on arriving there my worst fears were realized. The ebb was now pouring out of Brightlingsea creek and the easterly meant the wind was right on the nose. I tried everything I could to get back up the creek, but I just couldn't make any ground against the mid tide. All I could do is beat back and forth across the creek entrance, much to the incredulity of the huge number of boats coming back for the night and wondering just what this fool was doing! I was also in danger of being pushed back onto the mud all around the ever narrowing navigable channel as the water dropped. However the busy traffic meant the Harbour Master was still around, so a call to him on the VHF meant after about another 30 mins of standing off and on (as I believe is the correct naval term) he came and towed me to my mooring. I was VERY grateful! I was also totally knackered, It was gone 7pm by now and I had been solo sailing for 12 hours, albeit with 2 stops.
On the pontoon I managed to extract the tiny amount of weed that was blocking the cooling system and the engine ran as sweetly as ever. Then just a two hour drive home. Barbara hardly recognized me as I was several shade darker than when I left, My body was still on deck but my eyes told me I was home, Wonderful!
Cheers for now
Richard