Tuesday 18th June 2019

Rose at 0600, off at 0630 and sailed up towards Arbroath, some 60 miles distant in a north-westerly direction.

The wind was favourable for the first few hours, but died away later and we had a “tidal gate” to catch in Arbroath where the harbour gates are closed near to low water to keep the water in, so we had to arrive before 1700. At about 1610, close to Arbroath, we passed a lobster pot buoy with its flag and float, leaving plenty of clearance, but the float was attached by a very long floating line which got caught around the keel. We were afraid that the rope would foul the propeller, so had to stop, take the mainsail down under very difficult conditions and call on the RNLI for assistance.

They were very friendly and most helpful, and found the float trapped by a rope. When the rope was released we drifted off and were able to proceed into Arbroath harbour in convoy with two RNLI boats.

Our thanks to the volunteers who helped us so cheerfully.

When we were safely in harbour

we found that the lock gates didn’t open again until 1230 the following afternoon, so this blog is able to be updated while sitting in Arbroath, though it presages a late arrival in Peterhead (64 miles away) this evening.

We had an excellent meal in Arbroath (including smokies and moules et frites). To quote “and so to bed”.

Monday 17th June2019

We missed the morning tide, so could not leave Amble until just before 1400. We used the time well, doing two lots of washing and inflating the dinghy.

This left our trip to Holy Island a little short of time, though the late evenings help a lot. On the way to Holy Island we passed Dustanburgh Castle which was very impressive from the sea.

We scudded along before the wind reaching a maximum speed of 8.72 knots – almost the theoretical maximum for the boat – when surfing down a wave.

We then passed Bamburgh Castle on its headland. We were quite a long way away and the photograph does not really do this impressive structure justice.

We decided to make a deviation to pass between the Farne Islands going through Staple Sound between Staple Island and the Inner Farne. In the sound there were thousands of birds of various types feeding in the water. The cliffs on Staple Island to the east of us were white from years of birds nesting on them and depositing guano on the otherwise black rocks. We also saw a skua trying to “persuade” another bird to yield its catch.

We reached Holy Island in glorious weather, found the quite tricky, but well marked entry channel

and anchored in close proximity to Lindisfarne Castle (which isn’t a castle) on Holy .Island (which isn’t an island) in the evening sun with some interesting cloud formations.

Sunday 16th June 2019

Locked out (i.e. left via the lock) at Hartlepool at 0635 and motored up the East cost of Durham, then Northumberland in lightish winds which were not strong enough to sail for most of the day; we got about one hour of sailing in towards the middle of the journey.

Notable events were the appearance of a 20m “Volvo Ocean 65” racing yacht coming out of the Tyne carrying a group of passengers out for a jolly. It was an impressive sight under sail with the bow lifting out of the water.

Souter Point lighthouse between Sunderland and South Shields looked impressive in the morning sunshine

and good views were had of the village of Whitburn, home of Christopher’s paternal grandparents and his father’s birthplace.

We could see the Cheviots in the distance as we came up along the Northumberland coast.

Later, when we passed Coquet Island, close to Amble, flights of seabirds, including hundreds of Puffins flew past the boat in both directions going between feeding and nesting sites.

The passage was otherwise uneventful and we moored in Amble Marina at about 1400.
Several Eider ducks came up to the stern of the boat in the Marina, begging for food with a rather wistful clucking noise. On Monday morning one of the female ducks was accompanied by seven fluffy ducklings.

On Sunday evening we walked around a deserted Amble in search of food, with little success at first. We turned a corner and came across a little Bistro which was still open. We had helpings of a superb seafood paella and chatted to the proprietor. He had taken over the place as a greasy spoon, but was disappointed in his local clientelle (theft of toilet rolls and demands for tea at the old price clearly rankled) and he reopened as a seafood bistro serving splendid food.

Replete, we returned to the boat and to bed.

Saturday 15th June 2019

We left Scarborough at 0630 to ensure favourable tides to Hartlepool.

We motored past Robin Hood’s Bay (memories of a holiday in 1976 for one of us!),

then saw the light house at Whitby on top of the cliff,

then Whitby Abbey ruins and Whitby.

The wind got up to reasonable levels (not no wind at all or gales which is what we have had for a week) and we were able to sail along the cliff-lined coast past Runswick Bay (a possible anchorage) and Staithes (beautiful little harbour town with ghastly grey industrial buildings on the cliff above), then on to the River Tees estuary where Christopher pointed out the towers of the transporter bridge in Middlesborough (far inland from us).

We crossed the Tees ship channel after a rather strange dance with a Dutch cargo ship who went by a rather peculiar route that we were not anticipating,

then on to Hartlepool. Hartlepool port contains the Trincomalee, a ship similar to the Victory and of the same era (Nelson’s time)

and is a nice marina with good facilities built in an old dockyard. (Not our pictures, none of us seems to have taken any.)

There is a lock and we had to hang around for a while to get in, but once in the staff were very friendly and saw us to our berth for the night.

While I write this blog Colin and Christopher are off shopping. After a meal tonight it will be bed, then we leave at 0700 tomorrow to go to Amble.

Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June2019

We stayed in Wells longer than planned, but avoided the worst of the weather, had some good meals and a nice walk each.

Eventually it was time to depart. The exit from Wells is difficult so the Harbour Master led us half way out to the Outer Harbour where windfarm support boats lie, and we tied up there at high tide on Thursday and walked into town for refreshment, returned for the night, then rose at 3.30 a.m. in order to leave on the high tide at 0430 on Friday morning.

Despite the forecast the weather was grey and damp, occasionally wet and very cold. We had to wear our full winter weather gear in June.

We passed some huge wind farms off the Lincolnshire coast, one of which was 90 windmills, each of 154m diameter!!

We proceded past Spurn Head at the head of the river Humber where there are TSS (Traffic Separation Schemes) for big ships, but there was very little traffic. We were well out to sea and went directly (it took several hours) to Flamborough Head. There was not enough wind to sail all day, so we motored on past Flamborough Head with its lighthouse.

This was memorable for the bird life that we saw there. Apart from the gulls, we saw Guillemots, Razorbills, Gannets, Fulmars and (a first for at least one of us) Puffins! George didn’t know they nested so far south.

We went on past Filey and anchored outside Scarborough. The harbour has limited access, and we were at the wrong state of the tide. We had an early night (very tired after a long day) and slept well.

Wednesday 12th June 2019

We intend to stay here to wait out strong winds and rain on Thursday, then leave early on Friday morning with the 0500 tide. We shall fill up with diesel today at high tide and tomorrow go down the river to the commercial port in the early afternoon to overnight there.

There seems to be a window of decent weather with southerly winds over the weekend, so we hope to be able to progress northwards at last.

We spent the day in and around Wells. George walked to Holkham Hall entrance via the beach which we had passed closely by on the way in to Wells.

Tuesday 11th June 2019

Wells boasts a horse made of metal strips standing on the sand. At low tide he stands high and dry, but at high tide his feet are in the water. We are moored about 100m away.

We had the aerial checked this morning. The picture shows a man up the mast. We now have a working radio, thank goodness.

Monday 10th June 2019

We made it at last!

Left Woolverstone at 1130 and motored down the river Orwell to Harwich/Felixtowe where a large container ship was being turned onto its berth by tugs.

[Postscript – the ship in the picture above is the Ever Golden, one of the giant container ships that are referred to in much later posts. We didn’t realise this at the time, but she is 400m long and 59m wide.]

After crossing the ship channel we raised the sails and sailed for about 5 hours past Lowestoft. The wind died and we motored on through the night seeing a lot of shipping, fortunately all of it offshore from us, and a large wind farm.

We each had two hours sleep during the six hours of darkness, arriving outside Wells harbour approach at 0430. We could not get into the port until 1200, so anchored in Holkham Bay and slept until 1100 when we were talked in to the very tortuous approach to Wells by the port control who had us on camera. The final approach was led by the harbour launch – we were just able to get in with about 0.2 of a metre to spare.

It’s raining here (probably everywhere else too) and we expect another delay here for high winds and bad weather to abate.

Still we’ve fulfilled one of the Skipper’s ambitions by getting in to Wells, which is a nice little Norfolk town.

Saturday 8th June 2019

We started out at 1400, hoping go to Wells-next-the-sea if the sea and winds were favourable. We reached Harwich after about 45 minutes of strongish winds down the river and the wind strength increased. As we reached the more exposed waters of the estuary by Felixtowe (where there was only one container ship in dock – were they trying to tell us something?) the wind reached 30 knots (over 35mph) and the sea got progressively rougher.

We looked at each other and George voiced the initial opinion that we should turn back. The others agreed that they were thinking the same thing, so discretion prevailed and, after supper at the Butt and Oyster in Pin Mill

we returned to Woolverstone for yet another night.

Sunday 9th June 2019

The weather is now much more benign – sunshine and reasonable winds, and the inshore waters forecast predicts smooth to slight sea conditions, so we shall go today, and keep you posted.

Friday 7th June 2019

We have been unable to go further on our journey, due to adverse weather conditions. High winds and rough seas.

A day lunching and shopping in Ipswich on Thursday and a day doing not a lot in Woolverstone are about all the inactivity we can stand! We did find an excellent restaurant (Mariners) on a boat at the dockside in Ipswich has been the highlight of the two days. Fabulous food at very reasonable prices.

According to the forecast, (and we’ve followed many) the winds moderate tomorrow afternoon. We plan to set off for Wells-next-the-Sea at about 1400, sail overnight and arrive at Wells at about 1000 in the morning.

That’s the plan. We have several possible contingency arrangements in case of bad weather, (including staying here) and will keep you posted.