Weird weather sailing in Samurai to Suffolk Yacht Harbour

Samurai is a beautiful wooden unclassed bermudan sloop, some 30ft, built in 1968. 

http://www.photo-boat.com/

 (Picture of her to follow. Meanwhile here is a beautiful one someone did of something like her earlier.) Her slender wooden mast reaches gracefully for the sky. ( Not many wooden masts these days, sadly. Unsustainable aluminium is the norm.) Her narrow waist tells of her speed. She is a lovely yacht and is one of Lady Cate's neighbours.

She owns Alex who invited me and Gordon to sail her round to the Suffolk Yacht Harbour on the north side of the River Orwell, 10 miles by road, 20 miles by sea as we have to avoid the shallows near the coast. This turned out to be three semi-retired chaps enjoying surprisingly weird weather.

Setting off from the Granary Yacht Harbour at Melton we headed downstream against the last of the rising tide. The sky was cloudy but bright. The outlook variable. Of course when told the outlook is variable there is only one assumption to make. The weather will get worse. And it did. The distant dark clouds roiling dramatically higher as they approached from the West, got darker thicker and severely threatening. Quite romantically threatening. But there was little wind. Odd.

The River Deben winds gently down from Woodbridge past Waldringfield to Felixstowe Ferry for some 10 miles. The channel is narrow and well buoyed until past Waldringfield when one just sticks to mid-stream. The rain began. This is the place to hoist the sails if the wind is favourable, which it was, so we, well Alex actually, did, whilst Gordon steered and I held on to sheets.

Samurai

The air turned cold, not just cold, seriously cold. The clouds overhead were deep blue-black. The rain switched from mild drizzle to drenching in a matter of seconds. There were four memorable sheet lightening flashes that lit up the dark clouds brilliantly. We took it turns to stay below for a few minutes. But still no wind to speed us on our way. The engine started making weird noises. The water pump? Fan belt? The noises came and went. Unlike the hail, which came and stayed. Really belting down. Not too large, say 1cm at best. But a lot of it. On the 2nd September? It was seriously cold. And still no wind to speak of. It must come, we said. And eventually a bit did, so we enjoyed a few minutes motor sailing at 45 degrees as we sped down river.

The bar at Felixstowe Ferry is very narrow and demands 100% attention. I had crossed the bar on the previous day in Lady Cate when there had been a strong 3ft swell coming from the east. This swell was the last of it. Today it was still there but only about 1 – 1½ ft. Unlike Lady Cate, who rolls happily, if somewhat inconveniently, with the swell, Samurai cut through the swell with ease, giving us a comfortable ride. But the rain was not making life comfortable.

We headed SSW well clear of Wadgate Ledge, the swell behind us, the tide against us, no wind to speak of. Plod. Plod. The rain stopped, which was a great improvement. We were uncertain however that we were leaving Woodbridge Haven buoy behind. Eventually it began to recede. The bummer was that there was a little bilge keeler whizzing along on a shore breeze about a mile to starboard. Alex broke out the victuals like all good skippers should.

The sea was most peculiar. As the tide poured over Wadgate Ledge it roiled and spun, giving us a strange ride. Trouble is we could not time it any other way as we had to leave near high tide Melton to get clear of the marina. The later we leave it the worse the coastal tide against us.

At last the River Orwell beckoned. There are some well named buoys on Harwich Approaches. We saw Pitching Ground buoy ahead but turned starboard to pass Rolling Ground buoy to port, staying out of the main channel all together. The container terminal seemed very quiet. Are we heading for another trade recession?

At last our destination was in sight, just as a the setting sun gave us a beautiful Turneresque display of richly coloured cloud set in a bright blue sky. That made up for everything. Even the engine had stopped complaining. 

Courtesy Suffolk Yacht Harbour.

Gordon and I had fish and chips with an Adnam's beer in the clubhouse, which is the former Cromer Lightship. Alex and Jane, who had driven down to take us all home, had more exotic stuff! Very welcome, as we began to dry out. A strange weather trip but a great day out. Thank you Gordon, Alex and Jane. 

Racing on Saturday!