As is becoming normal for rallies on the Blackwater, the weather on Saturday was too wet and windy for any sensible sailors to be afloat. I knew that at least four boats were contemplating attending, but following a telephone call to John Adye we decided that the forecast was too gloomy. Tony Fewell was at his mooring during the late afternoon, as I was, trying to decide whether to go to Goldhanger only three miles downriver. Following a violent squall and the 1750 shipping forecast (winds 6-8) we decided to call it a day. Later that evening I walked to the rally site. It was a lovely evening and I wished that I had taken the chance to sail that day but the risk would have been unacceptable. No-one else had arrived.

Sunday was a totally different day with almost ideal sailing conditions, westerly winds 3-4 backing to the south were forecast. In fact a lovely day for a cruise down the Blackwater and up the Colne to Arlesford Creek, returning on the evening tide. The trip took 10 hours allowing about one hour anchored in Pyefleet for lunch. I saw Tony leaving his mooring in the morning and he was back by the evening but I don’t know where he went.

RIVER ALDE/SNAPE 25-26 July by Geoffrey Osborn

SATURDAY 0700 Ipswich. Force 0. Foggy and not a breath of air. Was it possible that the dinghy trip could take place? Half an hour, a cup of tea, and the Marinecall forecast later, things looked more hopeful — even the mist was beginning to clear.

0915 Waldringfield beach (departure time). Force 2 S. By the time Dipper, our eleven feet Mk I Gull 468, was rigged, complete with red masthead streamer (and, dare I admit it? Yes, even a DCA burgee; but only for decorative purposes, you understand) several boats were to be seen in various states of readiness. One other boat only (the 420) was noted as ready to go on time, and sailing up and down.

0945 Waldringfield beach (half an hour behind plan). F2-3 S. At last we were all on our way: John and Jim in John’s Wayfarer, Mike and Celia in the club 420, Betsy and Rita in the club Mk3 Gull 1944, Harry and Mike in Harry’s GP14, Di and crew in Di’s GP14, plus myself and Esme in Dipper, the only DCA boat. The weather was reasonable, the (neapish) tide in our favour, and about force 2 to 3 on the nose. The fleet soon straggled out with Mike in the 420 taking the lead to show the way.

1115 Felixstowe Ferry (still only half an hour behind plan). F3 S. Most of the group had arrived, ready for our ‘invasion’ of the Ferry cafe for the famous ‘Ferry breakfast’. Not long afterwards, David and Naomi arrived in their Enterprise having started in a dead calm up at Woodbridge. As there seemed to be a reasonable sailing breeze in our favour, we decided to delay the start of the next leg to 1230 (45 mins later than the plan).

1230 Off the Ferry (three quarters of an hour behind plan). F3-4 S. Most of us were away from the beach and tacking out against a solid force 3 towards the bar. Again, as a fleet, we were well straggled out by the time Dipper reached the Woodbridge Haven Buoy, by no means last. The 420 and the Wayfarer set off together on 040 magnetic, to give the others something to aim for. By the time Betsy and Rita in the MK3 Gull had reached the Haven Buoy their jib halyard snap shackle had come off the jib and gone up the mast. They struggled bravely but unsuccessfully to recapture it with their spinnaker pole. By good fortune, John and Jackie Naylor in Celox, their 25’ Hunter Delta, arrived on the scene and put themselves alongside the Gull. Andrew Mercer’s boat hook skills retrieved the halyard and the Gull was soon fully rigged again. After a few minutes travelling southwards, Betsy and Rita turned their boat around to follow the fleet towards Shingle Street. The weather forecast had said “sea state — smooth to slight”, but Dipper didn’t feel it was slight, and it certainly wasn’t smooth. Betsy and Rita agreed with Dipper.

1400 Orford Haven Bar. F4 S. Only Harry and Mike in the GP and the two Gulls were still outside preparing to cross the bar, which had quite a lumpy and confused swell. The tide had now turned and was against the wind, helping to make the water rougher than some of us would have liked. Halfway between the Orford Haven Buoy and the Shingle Street shore, the GP suddenly capsized. Mike and Harry took about 10 minutes to right the boat, and then stayed in the water holding on. Meanwhile Dipper had retrieved a bag of personal belongings but failed to recover two sponges, as I decided to drop the mainsail and get alongside the GP to help. By now Harry and Mike were both back in their boat and heading slowly for Shingle Street — a partial lee shore. Thinking it better for our mini-group of three boats (the others were all up the river and out of sight) to stay together, the two Gulls did the same. The surf rushed us ashore and we quickly got all the boats up the beach out of the water. We were relieved to find both Harry and Mike alive, well, and in good spirits despite their nasty experience.

We all helped to put the GP to rights, back into the water past the surf, to sail slowly under jib alone up into the river. Then, with some struggle, up to our waists in water, the two Gulls also launched under jib alone, very glad to have the assistance of a couple of friendly and helpful swimmers. After freeing the centreboard of the club Gull from the stones jamming it (they don’t call the place Shingle Street for nothing!), Dipper also set off for the river. We had certainly had a demonstration of some of the disadvantages of a lee shore.

1500 (approx) River Ore, inside! (One and a half hours behind plan). F3-4 S. The GP had now raised its mainsail and was on its way to Orford. The Gulls put in to starboard together, on the weather shore. Betsy and Rita completed their rigging up and sailed off in the (relative) calm of the river. At last it was Dipper’s turn. By the time Dipper was off sailing again, Betsy and Rita were almost out of sight past a bend in the river. With spinnaker, jib and main, Dipper close-reached up the river, gradually closing the gap with the other Gull.

1615 Orford Quay (one and a quarter hours behind plan). All boats were now safely ashore near the quay. Their occupants rested, or sought solace in cups of tea and cakes in the chandlery cafe; some went for a change to dry clothes! The Enterprise of David and Naomi finished her journey here, while the ‘fleet’ was augmented by the Enterprises of Doug, Ian and Katie, and of Mike, Vicki and Eleanor, who also gave Naomi a lift up to Snape.

1700 Orford Quay (one hour behind plan). F3-4 S. All boats were on their way upriver, Dipper starting last. Most boats left with reefed mainsails, but all reefs were shaken out well before Aldeburgh, where the GP of Di and crew finished her journey.

1815 off Aldeburgh Yacht Club Dipper was still last but going strong. The river (now called Alde) started to twist and turn, and it was time for Dipper to put her previous experience to good use, cut corners inside withies and sail in a straighter line than the channel. Dipper soon caught up Betsy and Rita in the club Gull. With the two Gulls almost neck and neck, Dipper was upwind on a beam reach, well outside the channel. Betsy and Rita sailed just outside the channel, but on the downwind side of the river where they enjoyed a stronger wind and a better tide. Dipper, pushing her way through water shallow enough to cause her stern wave to break, was overhauled handsomely by the other Gull.

After Iken church Dipper started to pull ahead again, taking advantage of her ability to make windward progress in a mere foot of water (a square section keel, double chines rather than round bilge and her small bilge runners help here). At Iken Cliff we passed Whimbrel, a cruising Wayfarer, at anchor with her camping tent fitted.

1930 Snape Maltings (half an hour behind plan). F1-2 SW. Dipper had overtaken four boats by ‘cheating’ the shallow turns and twists of the upper river. While tacking up to the bridge, we noticed a small commotion on the water, and saw that it was a pigeon struggling unsuccessfully to take off. It looked as if it was becoming waterlogged. Unfortunately it was almost alongside one of Mr McMillen’s ‘bespoke wooden motor yachts’, about 40’ long, resplendent in its immaculate varnish finish (‘thousand pounds a scratch’, it is said!). Any pigeon rescue would have to be carefully done. Dipper gybed round, rounded up, rescued the pigeon and avoided touching Mr McMillen’s motor yacht. Pigeon (racing type) was put out of the way, in the anchor bucket where he settled down in the coil of rope and closed his eyes. A few more short tacks brought us just short of the bridge where we tied up loosely to the reeds. Pigeon had woken up now, and was perched on the edge of the anchor bucket, so we lobbed him into the reeds, from where he took wing and flew away. Mast down, row through the bridge, moor up, unload and then put the cover on Dipper for the night — while we set off for the nearby camping site. By the time we had set up camp, hung up the wet things, and gone off to the pub for our meal, we were ready for sleep.

Most of us had covered over thirty miles, and it had been a busy day one way and another.

SUNDAY 0800 Campsite at Snape. Most people had finished their breakfasts and were packing up their camp. The weather forecast was SW 3-4, 4-5 possible 6 later. OK to Aldeburgh, but a dead noser from there to Felixstowe with two bars (probably rough) to negotiate.

0915 On the water (on schedule). F2 SW. Dipper departed Snape, not over-warm, so it was waterproofs on.

0945 Iken Cliff. Dipper arrived first and hove-to waiting for the rest of the fleet, already well straggled out. Mike and Celia set off in the 420 to provide a lead.

1015 Iken Cliff. F3 SW. The last two boats (GP and Gull) were near enough to exchange waves with us, so Dipper set off, and raised her spinnaker. The main fleet (without spinnakers) was already well ahead following the twisty channel in the broad stretch of water between Iken church and Cob Island. Dipper gybed round the corner of Church Reach, and sailed a straight line course right across the shallows, steadily closing the gap.

1100 Aldeburgh Yacht Club (Alde changes its name to Ore). F3-4 SW. Dipper passed the two Enterprises, which had put in for a short break, while the sails of the GP and the other Gull were just visible over the sea wall, a few bends in the river behind. The wind was now an honest f3-4, against the tide, and we settled in for a good splashing thrash to windward. We found that allowing the boat to heel to leeward, and sitting nearer the stern, lifted the bow and caused less spray to come aboard. Raising the centreboard to half restored the steering to some semblance of balance, while we allowed the strong ebb to counter our leeway. One of the Enterprises overtook us along the way, while the GP of Harry and Mike was up with us by Orford.

1215 Orford Quay (on schedule). F4+ SW. Dipper put in to the beach under jib alone, finding more than sufficient power, in the f4 with gusts, to stem the ebb. We were still waiting for one Enterprise and the other Gull.

1245 Orford Quay. F4-5 SW. The Gull and the Enterprise were now safely ashore. The Enterprise had gone aground on a lee shore (those lee shores!) and taken quite some time and broken an oar to get off again.

Orford Quay was scheduled as a decision point, so most of us decided boats on trailers to go home. After taking that decision, we spoke to a 21’ sailing cruiser alongside the quay just after being dismasted on the Ore bar while falling off a wave. We also spoke to Whimbrel bound for Levington. She had been down the river, looked out over the bar, and come back. Her skipper had just gone back to Levington for their car and trailer.

We did not change our decision.

Ending the trip several hours earlier did have the advantage of getting us all home earlier than planned, so giving the opportunity to clean boats and sort out wet things and still take it easy. There was even time to jump start a car suffering from a flat battery at Waldringfield.

Snape Maltings is always interesting, usually with something going on throughout the year. It is well worth a longer visit, and for those not wishing to use sailing dinghies there are river trips on Board of Trade-approved motor vessels. Most people found the weather enjoyable, while some found the trip ‘eventful’. Dipper is looking forward to next year’s trip!

PAGLESHAM RALLY by Maureen and Barry Parker

The forecast wasn’t good, but we had to go as we were running the rally. Maureen and I1 launched the Fairey Falcon from our home town of South Woodham Ferrers at the top end of the Crouch, just after high water. The wind was on the nose so we motored to Burnham, arriving midday for a walk round and a meal in the pub overlooking the river. Then a sail round to Paglesham getting stuck on the mud at the entrance to the Roach, hope nobody was looking. Ahead we saw Stanley Dean in his Rebel and as we approached Paglesham there was Ted Jones in his Skipper 17 (turned out to be a cruiser meet). Decided the tide was wrong for the pub so rafted up for food drink and a natter.

Sunday morning forecast was bad, Stan and Ted left early for their exciting trip, to Mersey and Maldon in the gusting wind. We chickened out and sailed back up the Crouch in the afternoon, only to find on approaching Woodham, Dave More in his West Wight Potter. Sorry you didn’t make it Dave. Monday, Dave gave up due to the forecast and as he was pulling out Jim and Rene Bailey sailed the 50 yds across from Hullbridge to say hello; they too had been put off by the forecasters.

MEDWAY RALLY by Peter Bick

The weather forecast steadily got worse as the weekend approached culminating in force 5-7 with long periods of heavy rain on both days. I didn’t expect to have anyone coming from outside the Medway Estuary and this was confirmed when a member rang on the Thursday from the other side of the Thames to say that the forecast of force 6 was more than he would tolerate. I had two other calls, one from Jason Friend to say that he would be coming in a YM Eventide from Queenborough on the Swale, and another from Mark Tingley seeking information on where he could launch his Roamer. I had arranged permission from the Medway Yacht Club at Upnor for DCA members to launch on their excellent hard and to park on the club premises. This was where he and I intended to start from.

Accordingly I trailed there on the Saturday morning and arrived in a thin drizzle. Mark’s Roamer was in the water by the hard and I ambled down to speak with him before launching my own Roamer. He announced however that he had minor gear failure which together with the forecast had convinced him that home was the better place to be. I helped him haul out — apparently be had launched the evening before and had spent the night on a club mooring — and considered my own actions. I wasn’t worried about Jason as he was experienced and had a crew and a comfortable boat. While I pondered the wind veered and strengthened and the drizzle increased. A hard look across the grey wind-swept river through the driving scud and I started the engine for home.

I received two telephone calls on Sunday evening. The first from Jason asked where I had been as he had looked in at the rally point. He had been alone, not with a crew after all. The second was from Stanley Dean who had spent the Saturday beating across the Thames estuary in his Rebel after an early start from Heybridge on the Blackwater. He entered the wrong creek which is why Jason missed him and in any case was asleep before dark. He had his reward the following morning. A window in the weather opened and the southerly wind from blue skies blew him home via the Havengore Bridge, Roach, Crouch, Ray Sand Channel and the Blackwater in time for a late lunch. Me — I could only apologise and think how all the booze in my Roamer could have made Saturday evening more than bearable in the Eventide!

WILFORD BRIDGE DINGHY TRIP by Geoffrey Osborn

Sunday 17 May, about 0930, cloudy and overcast, wind NE force 3. Hugh Johns and crew were busy preparing their club Gull as I started uncovering my club 420. My crew, Julia, was already waiting and wearing sensibly warm and windproof clothing. By the time the club boats were launched and rigged, Arnold and Margaret (Silhouette Owners Association) sailed up in their Torch class dinghy.

1030 and the three dinghies were on their way upriver close-hauled on starboard tack with red masthead streamers flying. Although the wind was against us the tide was in our favour and after half an hour we were at the entrance to Martlesham Creek. The sun had broken through by now and it was warming up quite nicely. The ‘fleet’ divided; the Gull continued up river, while the 420 and the Torch meandered up the winding creek under the influence of a following wind and tide. Near the top of the creek both boats nosed on to the mud for a short stay for a drink of coffee and to look around. Going down the creek against wind and tide in a shallow and twisting channel was not quite so easy! By the time we regained the River Deben it was noon. It was still a beat past Kyson Point and up to Woodbridge and progress was not very rapid despite a favourable tide. The sunshine now was quite hot. Our thirsty thoughts turned to the apparently never-to-be-seen pub ahead, not even in sight. Some uncharitable minds even wondered if the crew of the Gull had perhaps drunk the pub dry, and eaten all the food. The channel above Woodbridge was even more winding than Martlesham Creek. Despondent thoughts were pushed aside by the concentration demanded for the short tacking and channel-spotting task of getting there. Eventually we could see the roof of the Wilford Bridge in the far distance. By 1300 we were there at last. The 420 tied up at the sea wall with the Torch doing its best to catch up under a clear blue sky and brilliant sunshine.

The pub was worth the battle to get there. The Gull crew had saved us a corner table, and the food and drink service was commendably satisfactory. We were due to sail back at 1400 to make sure of having enough water in the channel. A consideration in favour of a slightly extended stay in the pub was the previous few days of northerly winds; in theory at least this would mean a higher tide than predicted, and a slightly later high-water time, followed perhaps by a slightly better ‘stand’ than normal. Perhaps we wouldn’t need to rush back to the boats after all; why not have a coffee to round off the meal?

Returning to the boats we were all quite pleased to see that the tide had waited for us (luckily none of us was named Canute!). It must have been half-past two before we left but there was plenty of water. Arnold and Margaret lost no time in leaving and were soon out of sight before the Gull and 420 left. With a following wind and tide in our favour the twisting channel was easily negotiated. Woodbridge tide-mill passed abeam after a half-hour of gentle sailing. By quarter to four we were all back on the beach ready to pack up the boats.

FELIXSTOWE FERRY 28 June

Perfect dinghy weather — the wind a little bit light if anything. A mixed fleet of club Gull (3-up!), club 420, a Lark, and two Enterprises, were all joined by Hugh Riddle of the Dinghy Cruising Association on his sailboard.

Hugh makes quite long UK coastal trips on his board. The sail has two rows of reef points and doubles as a beach tent if he can’t find B&B!. He told me that when crossing Lyme Regis bay in a calm he was so bored that he brewed up a pot of tea in the middle! All his food, clothes, sleeping bag etc go in layers of plastic bags held down to his board with elasticated net, along with his canoe double paddle.

Back to the 28th. An easy sail brought us down to the Ramsholt Arms for a leisurely lunch break. The next leg, down to Felixstowe Ferry, was far more straightforward than seating a dozen or so and eating at the cafe. The planned trip out over the bar was a new experience for some, and gave the ‘old hands’ the opportunity to remark on the shifting (published) of the Woodbridge Haven Buoy and the change in the actual entrance, which now seems easier. We were also able to notice that the river Deben continues to ebb for quite some time after the rising tide outside floods southwards. More custom for the cafe and then the trip home to Waldringfield. There was enough wind to make paddling unnecessary, apart from the usual ‘doldrums’ in the wind shadow caused by the trees at the Rocks.