Shoal Waters, my Fairey Falcon hull, built up with a cabin and gaff rigged with the gear from my old half decker Zephyr, had fulfilled my highest hopes since I launched her just before Whitsun. In a series of hard sailing weekends (thanks to a very tolerant wife), I had managed to revisit most of the old haunts between Margate and the River Orwell. August Bank Holiday would probably be my last weekend out (as a farm foreman, harvest takes up most of August and unfortunately much of September) and this would be my last chance to go beyond Harwich to the Suffolk rivers Deben and Ore. Thus I viewed with dismay the persistence of the N.E. winds as the holiday loomed up.

High water was due just after midnight on Friday. After a rather overcast evening yarning at the club, I walked through the mud to Shoal Waters just as the tide reached her at half flood. I had a meal and then dozed away the time until either wind appeared or the tide turned. I left at 2230 with the lightest of NW airs. The wind was light NE by H.W. and I had a long rather dreary beat down river with the ebb. Bench Head buoy to port in the first light. Very calm now. Colne bar at 0520, and by low water it was dead flat and I anchored off the Eagle bank as rain started. I had intended to get close inshore to anchor over the flood tide but there was no wind so I had to lie exposed and my how she rolls in the slightest swell! The rain eased at 1000 hrs and I was glad to get under way again in a force 3 NE wind. Port tack took me south of Priory Spit and visibility was very poor indeed. By 1125 I could see the Wallet Spitway down to starboard and tacked towards the shore. I was tempted to give up the trip and decided that if I hit the shore north of Clacton pier I would press on, otherwise the trip was off. By high water I was just off the pier and decided to press on. I stood offshore until I could see No.4 Wallet and then came about and was delighted to find that the wind was a little more easterley any and I could point past Walton pier. Once past the pier at 1430 hrs the ebb from the bay pushed me to windward and Stone Banks 1510 and the Platters (Harwich entrance) 1600 slipped by as the wind rose and died away again. By 1710 I was off Bawdsey haven and the breeze was better although there was a little rain and visibility was shocking. I pressed on for Orford Bar and wondered how much it had changed since my last visit in 1951. A big fellow was trying his luck but ran out again and anchored to wait for more water. I stood over the south bank and found three feet all the way. At 1845 I sailed into the smooth but swiftly moving water of the river singing the latest Perry Como pop hit at the top of my voice. The sheer joy of success after endeavour! In fact it was a dull dismal evening and eventually I anchored near the north tip of Havergate Island after taking the westerly channel at 2130 hrs and slept in the beam of the Aldeburg Light.

Sunday 3rd August. My 36th birthday! What a present; the rattle of the burgee awoke me at 0120 hrs. I lifted the hatch and shone the torch up but knew what I was going to see; wind from the SW, a beat home!

Left at 0300 hrs. Light SW and a quiet trip to the bar at 0445. This is the first time I have done this in a plywood hull and it seemed as if I was sailing on a bathtub of health salts. In fact the hissing was so unbelievable that I actually looked at the tin I keep inside the boat to see if it had fallen into some bilge water! A dull steady trip to Bawdsey at 0700 hrs. Not enough depth in the north channel although it was covered all the way so I went in by the south entrance and moored just inside for breakfast. Two Cherubs came along with all sail set and engines going like mad — this apparently being the standard method of getting out over the flood tide. I left at 0810 with no engine and in fact not even an oar or paddle so I tacked across to the north shore and walked her along for a few yards in the actual narrows and sailed out through the north entrance. As it was fully covered an hour ago, I knew there would be enough water for me. It cheered me no end as I turned south to find the Cherubs who had used the south channel pass just ahead.

I tacked round the Cork light at 0915 and entered Walton Backwaters at noon as a cruiser race was starting. The sun came out and I enjoyed a sail down Hamford Water, a hard beat down by Skipper Island and across the Wade to moor up at the top of the Twizzle at 1330 hrs. Dead tired and very hungry. Sleep!

It was overcast again as I left on the last of the ebb at 1625, sounding close as possible over the Pye Sand and round the Naze. I was seasick for some reason off Frinton although it was light enough, never more than force 3 and often dead calm. Clacton pier at 2115 and Colne Point at midnight to moor off Mersey Stone at 0030 in light drizzle. Some midnight bathing was going on at the beach and girlish squeals rose each time a torch was flashed but my powerful 7 by 50’s could not penetrate the gloom and mizzle sufficiently to establish the bare facts about the naked truth.

August Monday hazey force 3 SW but bright later on in the day. Left at 0645 with many cruisers on the same trip. Kept close inshore over the flats to dodge the ebb tide. Sales Point at 0845 and Stone at 1030. At the shop where I bought a few items I learnt that Stephen Ward was dead. On the way home and I ran right through the saltins on Northey Island and then round to Maldon. It seemed such a pity to stop sailing. Picked up the mooring at 1500 at Heybridge and got a couple of hours sleep before getting my gear together for the trip home.

A journey of just over 100 miles made in head winds all the way.