We had been members for several years, but by 1984 had still to notch up a rally, mainly due to the problems with Cobweb described in the last issue. These weren’t quite resolved by Paglesham, so it looked like Walton Backwaters for our debut. We did in fact attend Paglesham rally, my son Patrick and I, in his 7’ 6” Polycel Prout Puffin with the canvas topsides. We sailed around for a chat, continued later at the Plough & Sail, but we declined to sleep aboard! However, it was an appetiser.

On Saturday, 1st September, Cobweb was on her trailer. She had not been ‘DCA’d’ in any way, unlike some of the very specialised craft or conversions in the Association; just a little clinker lugsail dinghy. We threw all our loot into the car and, after lunch, set off; a very good journey from Southend to Walton. We had arranged through a friend to launch from the Walton and Frinton YC which saved the £3 for the nearby boat yard slip.

Cobweb was soon afloat and the space between centre thwart and the enclosed foredeck was used as a ‘hold’ for all the gear, the heap coming just about level with the gunwales. It was about HW and the uncertain weather of earlier in the day was now changing into a pleasant evening. My daughter Julia took the helm as we set off up the channel between all the moored boats, in a pleasant f2, on a broad reach. We had never sailed these waters before, but before long saw a steep, sandy bluff on the right, with a number of dinghies gathered about it. This must be ‘it’, and we beached amongst them. We carried our gear to the top, then enlisted ‘rent-a-mob’ to help drag Cobweb clear of the HW mark.

So this was Stone Point. I hadn’t known quite what to expect; all I was sure of was that the beach there was sandy, the only spot in the area that is not squelchy mud. On top it is flattish with slight undulations in the sandy dunes where spiky grass grows. The point is not very wide so before pitching our tent we walked across it to peer out over the North Sea, then walked back round the tip. We sorted out the camp, then had a chance to look at other people and their boats.

There were two Roamers, one old and one new. The old one was Eric Coleman’s original one, now owned by James Docherty from Herts; the new one was built over the winter of ‘83 - ‘84 by David McClellan who, with his wife Gail, was returning from a week’s cruising up the East Coast. There was the Drascombe, Tethys, of Chris Leffler, but his sons were using her this week-end. Roamer owner Peter Bick had come up from south of the Thames and was in his aluminium Canadian style canoe. Charles Proudfoot and his son were in their Mirror and camped next to us; Ted Jones was in his Vagabond and Barry Parker in his Leader. A late arrival was Evan Gotto in his most interesting grey 23’ yawl. This was built by his father to his own design and is long, lean and very fast. Gipsy has a dagger board, and the mizzen mast is used as a camping tent boom. With his crew of his son and one of his friends, he had sailed down from just upstream of Pinmill, which was also his starting point when he came to Paglesham, taking 8½ hours on that occasion if memory serves me correctly. I think that was all, which totals 9 boats and about 17 people. It was nice to see Eric’s widow Maureen with us on Saturday. Unfortunately both the DCA and the Old Gaffers have lost a founding and ‘corner-stone’ member in the last year.

Meals were cooked and eaten and yarns were swapped as a lovely sunset came and went to the accompaniment of piping bird song. In the dark, Peter pointed out some of the more interesting heavenly bodies which were shining brightly. We gradually turned in, afloat or ashore.

The morning weather would have delighted the proverbial shepherd and the smell of cooking bacon would have honed his appetite. Those with further to go were getting ready; Evan to the Orwell, Gail and David to the Blackwater; and caught the last of the flood. Those in less of a hurry took their time. We had a refreshing dip, then watched others heading out against the young flood. Several cruisers, including a fully canvassed gaffer, came by, whilst across the point in the sea proper was a positive armada of sail, ancient and modern. Peter loaded his canoe and set off up the creek opposite, but returned later as presumably the tide was too low to allow him through.

We were the last to leave and were rewarded by the antics of a topless dolly-bird from an anchored cruiser. Our plan was to have dinner, by which time the water would be high enough to allow us to circumnavigate Horsey Island and see some more of the Backwaters. We are Swallows & Amazons fans and wanted to explore some of the landmarks from Ransome’s Secret Water. When he lived on the Shotley Peninsula between the Stour and the Orwell he often sailed to the Backwaters to get on with his writing in peace and quiet. The map in Secret Water is fairly accurate and in fact we did most of our navigation by a copy of it. We went to the spot where the Swallows and Amazons had seen a seal on the muddy banks, as Charles Stock had once reported seeing a seal in that very place, but without luck. A boat anchored close-by said they had seen a swimming seal that morning.

The channels were fairly deep, but as we came to the ‘Red Sea’ our plate started to bump. It was an hour or more to HW, but we ‘rattled’ across, passing over the causeway, marked by withies, by which tractors can cross to Swallow (Horsey) Island. Although the water was clear, we could not actually see it on the muddy bottom. Heading up the Twizzle (real name!) at the east end, wind and tide came on the nose, so we rowed through to complete our circuit. We saw James’s Roamer again as we both headed back to Walton.

Both boats were soon back on their trailers and heading for home after a most enjoyable week-end. If this is what it’s all about, here’s to the next one!