Monday 29 June
Tuesday 30 June
Wednesday 1 July
Thursday 2 July
Friday 3 July
Saturday 4 July
Sunday 5 July
Brundall to Dutch Tea Garden
Dutch Tea Garden to Beccles via Lowestoft Trawl Dock
Beccles to North Cove
North Cove to Felixtowe Ferry via Lowestoft
Felixtowe Ferry to Woodbridge
Woodbridge and Martlesham Creek
Woodbridge
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We had traveled to Brundall from home on Sunday morning so everything was ready to go today.
First thing in the morning, I spoke to Paul the engineer who had done a couple of jobs on Starry Night while we had been at home: one was to calibrate the engine tachometer which I had thought was reading low. Indeed it required an indicated 2500rpm to rev the engine at 2000rpm, our normal cruising speed. This discrepancy was due to the new alternator from which the two tachometers derive their rpm signal. The new alternator is a 12 pole machine which must make the old one a 10 pole machine and then the calibration result fits the facts nicely. The other job was to fix the fuel hose connection to the lift pump: the hose connection required ever more frequent checking to ensure that it remained tight and I was sure that something must be wrong. Paul told me that it was obvious as soon as he had disconnected the hose from the lift pump. Where there should have been a brass olive there was a copper one – that simple! It all goes back to the fitting of the Racor fuel filter.
At 10:00 John turned up on cue to fit the coupling roll pin. Unfortunately he needed to disconnect the coupling from the shaft which added too many complications for comfort with the boat still in the water, and so we have postponed this event until we next lift Starry Night for anti-fouling. Vetus UK have assured us that the roll pin is an option not essential for this coupling, so we are relaxed about delaying the fit.
We set out for Oulton after an early lunch. By 14:00 we were dropping the mast to fit under Reedham Bridge. We had been monitoring the VHF channel for traffic with the bridge and it became clear that the bridge was stuck closed due to the heat. They were going to try to open it at 14:20 but this attempt failed. We heard that the next attempt would be 16:20 and then heard later that this too had failed and 18:20 was when they would try again. There had been a number of boats waiting at 14:00, and we were thankful that our air draught enabled us to get under without difficulty. Somerleyton bridge was opened for us on request without any waiting at all and we were most impressed.
We finally stopped at the Dutch Tea Garden staithe just after 17:00 as the flood prevention workers and their noisy machinery knocked off for the day. Here Mike did the engine checks ready for the planned sea voyage down to the Deben on Tuesday, and freed up the stuck speed log paddle wheel, which ingested the normal bucket load of water that had to be cleared out of the bilges.
We griddled and dined outside for the first time this year. Passage plans are prepared for the trip down to the Deben and Jim has been primed to be our shore contact as usual.
The first cook-out of the season and about time too.
Texting our shore contact (Jim) with the plans for tomorrow
We woke up to thick fog and the plaintiff sound of the Lowestoft fog horn. Mike phoned Great Yarmouth Coastguard, Lowestoft Port Control and the Southwold Harbour Master and all reported very poor visibility of typically “two cables” – less than 400m. Not good at the best of times and especially in a busy shipping area.
Nevertheless we decided we would lock through Mutford at our booked time of 09:00 and press on in the direction of the sea as it would give an hour and a half for visibility to get better before we got to the harbour entrance. But there was no improvement, and so we stopped at the Trawl Dock and waited on the pontoon there to see if things got any better. An hour later and if anything visibility was worse. So we got permission from Port Control to head back to Mutford, and booked a locking for 11:00. This was all made quite easy by the fact that we still fitted under all the bridges, though an hour later and it would have been a different story. The guys at Mutford were really helpful at getting us back onto the Broads at short notice. We booked another locking for 11:00 on Thursday hoping that the foggy spell would be over by then.
We headed on to Beccles and stopped at the Yacht Station on the river front. The basin was very crowded with every berth full all along the town side – some 20 or so hire boats all stern-to side by side, plus more on the other side. The HM said it was the busiest day of the year so far.
Another hot sunny day inland, and we ate out on the back of the boat again – two days running! Summer is here.
We noticed that since our last visit here that more posts for box moorings for permanent berth holders have been installed. They are all empty, presumably because it was done too late in the season by which time people had fixed their moorings for the year. They get in the way of the hire boats trying to moor up stern-to on the opposite side – a recipe for an insurance claim! And the posts are also too close together so your average hire boat is an interference fit between them!
The silo in Lowestoft Docks, top just visible. At sea, visibility down to two cables
The new box moorings at Beccles Yacht Station. Note serried ranks of hire boats
Further serried ranks - not much privacy. We were moored on the river front which was empty by comparison
There was a spare part that I wanted to lay my hands on, and ASAP Supplies happen to be in Beccles so it seemed logical that now was an ideal time to go get! A quick phone call established that stock was available but that ASAP were more than a short walk away. The HM was doing his rounds past Starry Night and I asked him what was the best way of getting to ASAP, having a taxi in mind; he immediately volunteered to run me up there in his car as there was another person on duty with him and so he could be absent for a short while. It would have been a long walk! When we got there the part was ready for my collection with all the paperwork done. I was much impressed by ASAP as well as very appreciative of John the HM at Beccles Yacht Station for helping me out.
After that we set off for North Cove and spent the rest of the day there. In the afternoon we went for a walk along the “tow path” looking out over the marshes. In places there were masses of wild flowers and thistles in particular. These were attracting huge numbers of butterflies of various species.
We ate outside again – three times now – a record!
By sunset it was very foggy and we were rather apprehensive about the prospects for the next day.
Castle Marsh near North Cove Staithe
North Cove Staithe
We woke up to bright sunshine. In the distance we could see the big silo in Lowestoft docks some five miles or so away. On Tuesday you could hardly see its top from the bottom! It looked like all systems go, so we got everything ready for the sea passage and headed for Oulton Broad and our rendezvous with Mutford Lock at 11:00.
The lock gates were open for us and we glided straight in. Peter the HM appeared making wavy signals with his hands to indicate his view of the sea state – there was quite a brisk breeze and he does like to wind-up his clients! “It’ll be lumpy out there” he said, and his parting comment as we left the lock was “see you in a couple of hours!”
We headed on through the port and were cleared for departure. We could see that the sea state was indeed “lumpy” but it is quite often a bit nasty and randomly chaotic immediately outside the harbour. We pressed on into the F4 Easterly blowing directly into our faces but the real pain started when we had to turn more or less South to head for Orford Ness, where we had the wind on our beam. Starry Night rolled a lot in the conditions; there would be the occasional big wave which would send us a rocking and a rolling, and then it would calm down a bit. This lasted for a couple of hours and then the wind eased up a bit and the waves lessened. During the bouncy bit, everything that was not stowed was thrown about, the lap top ejected from its locker, and the grill pan flung across the galley!
Around Sizewell we spotted a seal in the water just off our track. It had its head well out of the water and was eying us inquisitively as we went by. Mike called to it in a friendly tone, and it gave a snarling grin in return! It was just a sandwich’s throw away!
By Orford Light it was indeed “sea state smooth”, as advertised! Now we were into lobster pot territory, and an eagle (or hawk!) eyed lookout was required from here on. We called the HM at Felixtowe Ferry for directions on where to moor and were told where to pick up a visitor’s buoy. The entrance to the Deben was straightforward following the recommended track on the mini-chart from the March 2009 survey. The river was at half flood and the sea looked as if it was boiling round the sand and shingle banks.
Once in, we could relax a little and look out for our buoy which we found with ease. We were quickly hooked on and settled in. This is a wonderful location, just before the river meets the sea and it has a lovely East Coast boaty atmosphere. John the HM chugged past in his work boat on a mission, gave us the thumbs up sign and said he would collect the harbour dues in the morning. We sat outside for a long time and enjoyed our surroundings, watching the sun set in a clear sky.
Passing through Mutford railway swing bridge. The operator stands on the bridge and hopes it doesn't get stuck open - an incentive of some sort!
Sizewell
Orford Light - a desolate place
Felixtowe Ferry - the sea extreme left of photo
Felixtowe Ferry swinging moorings looking up river
During the night we had the mother of all thunderstorms with an amazing display of lightning and lots of rain. By the morning the salt stains of yesterday’s passage had all gone, and all that was needed was a quick wipe down. We had breakfast up on top to savour the atmosphere.
By 08:00 we had paid our £5 for the night, and at 08:15 set off up river. You could already tell it was going to be another hot day; the sky was blue and there was a slight heat haze. The trip up to Woodbridge was idyllic – everything you would want it to be – very serene.
We arrived at the Tide Mill marina at 10:00 and went straight into our berth without having to wait on a holding buoy. By now it was quite hot.
We were quickly settled in. Mike went to find the HM to pick up an electric adapter for the shore supply cable. Outside the HM’s office are a couple of plant tubs and in one of these is a clutch of Oyster Catcher eggs with Oyster Catcher in occasional attendance!
The rest of the day was spent relaxing, shopping, eating and drinking! Shortly after we arrived we spotted a seal in the marina on our side of the sill, looking somewhat puzzled. Its head only popped up the once so it probably scarpered after it realised its navigational error!
Early morning fisherman - The Deben Bar in the background
Our berth (background right) at the Tide Mill marina in Woodbridge opposite the Dunkerque Little Ship Trimilia (foreground)
The clutch of Oyster Catcher eggs
It was a lovely trip, beautifully cool at water level. In the afternoon we went for a walk along the river bank down the excellent path that borders the Deben. By this time it was low water and the wading bird were out in force.
Martlesham Creek
Tide Mill and Woodbridge Quay
It has been a lot windier today and the forecast for tomorrow is windier still. So we plan to stay an extra day here at Woodbridge while the weather hopefully calms down a bit.
The swanky new shower and loo facilities replacing the old ones Mike referred to as Spartan and Maureen as Athenian!
Copyright © 2009 Mike Hawkridge