OFF WE GO TO LONDON

Weather on Friday 26th turned out perfect so, with some trepidation I must confess, off down the Deben at 0600. Anchored at The Rocks for breakfast and to get the best tide timing, for which I needed to wait some three hours. Then I would go out of the river mouth about an hour before low tide and in to slack water. Later the tide would turn and help me on my journey to the Thames.

Susie and Mick rang at about 0800 to wish me well. What a lovely and very welcome surprise.

The trepidation was getting to me and I didn't wait three hours, for which I paid an, albeit little, price later. The sea is completely unforgiving. It was my first time out on a serious trip with Lady Cate. I was on my own. It has been a long time since I was last at sea proper. Oceans are empty; the Thames Estuary is very very busy and its waters are notorious for its ever moving shallows. Here's hoping the charts are still good and the GPS is sound. However the weather is fine and set fair. Deep breath!

Down the beautiful Deben to Felixstowe Ferry. A wide open place where huge East Anglian skies meet the vastness of the open sea.

 
Being earlier the tide was higher which made it easier to thread the narrow channel close to the retaining blocks that restrain erosion. The Deben mouth must be treated with the greatest respect. The bar is half a mile further out from here. Following the buoys closely is vital. Thank goodness the river mouth is surveyed every year and the buoys shifted accordingly. The annual chart is on the web.

http://www.debenestuarypilot.co.uk/




Arriving at the Woodbridge Haven buoy I set course along the coast. Nothing remarkable for a couple of hours except that I was only making speed over ground of about 6 knots as the tide was still against me. Dear old Lady Cate is a displacement vessel designed for comfort rather than speed, which is what I wanted. However I was a little disappointed that this was all she would do. I'll have a closer look at the Morse control system. I suspect it's something simple like that. But it's not important.

The weather was kind and it was not long when the Gunfleet Sands Wind Farm hove in to view. It is an impressive sight. I don't find these generators offensive to the view though some do. As a green nut I am very supportive of them.








I got as close as I could to get a photo but nearly ran out of  water as I was still earlier than planned albeit now on the rising tide. Thank goodness for the depth alarm! Ooops! Too early.











So I quickly retreated down past Wallet 6 buoy to the Wallet Spitway, crossing across the Swin in to Middle Deep.
                                                                                       

The tale of adventure continues tomorrow!