MERSEA ISLAND — THE PLACE The island, near Colchester in Essex, is about 4 miles in length. It has a population of around 10,000 permanent inhabitants and a sizeable influx of summer, weekend and day visitors. The two main centres are West Mersea, the larger, and East Mersea, which is actually about halfway along. Over the centuries the island has been inhabited by ancients, Romans, Saxons and Vikings. West Mersea has a long history as a fishing centre and in the past it was popular with smugglers. The island is accessible via a raised causeway road called the Strood. Very high tides prevent road access for an hour or two. About 12 tides a year are predicted to be sufficiently high to consider taking a dinghy (or sailboard) right round the island. Further increases in ‘rise-of-tide’ are caused by the southern North Sea location after periods of sustained northerly winds.

THE PLANNING A combined dinghy and sailboard expedition was planned. Sailboards are not good at short-tacking through moorings. The waves caused by a following wind in open water also cause difficulty for sailboards. These considerations dictate the direction of travel, which can only be decided when the wind direction is known. Prior planning then must consider both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. A look at the sketch-chart will show that a NE wind direction requires an anti-clockwise sailing. The Strood must obviously be crossed near to the time of high water. From this it can be seen that for a NE wind the first part of the trip is against both wind and tide.

THE ATTEMPT Around 10am, seven rather reluctant-looking dinghy sailors launched a 16 foot Wayfarer, a 13 foot Enterprise, an 11 foot Gull, and a 12 foot 6 inch Lune Pilot (a modern-built traditional looking gaff-rigger with brown sails). In the sheltered foreshore in front of the West Mersea Yacht Club the NE wind was ‘only’ about force 4-5! The Enterprise under cruising rig rushed across the creek, returned safely to the launching area and packed up.

By 10.45 three boats were sailing up and down. The Lune Pilot, close-reefed, set off down to Mersea Quarters in front of the Gull, under jib and reefed mainsail. The Wayfarer followed shortly after, under two deep reefs and no jib, with a crew of three. Out of the Quarters, past the Nass Beacon, our course was easterly; hard on the wind, by now force 5-6, straight into the tide and the short steep waves which took every opportunity to climb aboard. The Lune Pilot bore away towards Bradwell, and for most of the day its brown sail was occasionally glimpsed in the distance. At this time the rest of us were not too concerned as we understood his intention was to enjoy a sail and come back a little later; also his boat was strong and he was properly clothed.

The Wayfarer and the Gull continued to make steady progress, and after a few tacks put in to the beach to compare notes and bail out an accumulation of spray. ‘Round Mersea’ was definitely off. The Wayfarer returned to the launch site. The Gull continued to take me to windward to the prearranged meeting point by the beach-huts. Here the sailboard contingent of the expedition were to have started. My brother was pleased to see me, but had already decided not to try ‘round-the-island’. The Gull returned me to West Mersea on a broadish reach; with the building waves I have never travelled so fast in that boat. After only a few minutes of really exciting sailing, with the foaming bow waves up around the shroud plates each side, we were slipping round the bend of Besom Creek on a beam reach in quieter waters — quite a relief really. By 12.15pm the Gull was on its trolley. After a short discussion we decided the Lune Pilot was not in trouble, and would not appreciate us calling the Coastguard. We repaired to the Victory for a soothing pint, during which the brown sail of the Lune Pilot could occasionally be seen through binoculars.

After sandwiches in the car park, the Wayfarer and crew set off for the drive home. The Enterprise crew walked round to the beach hoping to be entertained by the sailboarders. By now the conditions were even stronger and, with a cross-offshore wind, only about three sailboards were to be seen flying through their own clouds of spray. Meanwhile I thought I would take the Gull out again and see if I could sail up to the Strood, wind dead on the nose of course. After half an hour of force 5-6 plus gusts I decided I would prefer to be on land.

Despite taking my time packing up the boat, there was still no sign of the Lune Pilot nor had my note been removed from the windscreen of his car. As time passed I became more anxious. The boat wasn’t back; the crew wasn’t back by road either.

By 6.30pm I gave in to my increasing disquiet and phoned Thames Coastguard at Walton‑on-the-Naze and told the story. I phoned them back ten minutes later to be told “Your friend is OK. The West Mersea inshore lifeboat is taking his boat in tow, and should be back in fifteen minutes.” My brother and I waited at the Inshore Lifeboat Station and recovered the Lune Pilot onto its trailer around 7.00pm. After the unexpected pleasure of finding that the Mersea auxiliary coastguard was a teenage friend of our sister (from the sixties!), I then enjoyed (yet another!) pint in the Victory with a couple of the lifeboat crew. The coastguard and the lifeboat crew did tell me that I should have called them about three hours earlier. They made the point that they would rather be called out before someone needs help, than when it is too late. Although they did not mention it, I was aware that the early evening call-out had disrupted a few family evening meals; that could have been avoided if I had called earlier. After an impromptu takeaway Chinese at my brother’s house I fell asleep with no trouble at all, although I did occasionally wake with a start.

So for me round-Mersea-Island remains ‘unconquered’. I am looking forward to the next very high tides in September!

POSTSCRIPT I have been in touch with Bill Bailiff, the designer and builder of Character Boats. He has been most helpful, and has come up with a number of practical hints for making the boats go to windward under sail. They mostly relate to keeping a tight luff, but also Bill pointed out that when his lug-rigged boats are reefed he recommends that the halyard attachment is moved up the yard, so ‘peaking up’ the sail and moving forward the centre of effort which reduces weather-helm.

Felixstowe Ferry — May 16 (Combined Dinghy Cruising Association and BT Research Sailing Club). by John Smith

The first dinghy outing this year, for me, was a trip down the River Deben to Felixstowe Ferry on 16th May. Although it seemed a little early in the season the weather had been quite good for sailing over the previous week. So I was a bit disappointed that on the Friday before the trip only five or six people had shown any interest. However on the Sunday morning I was beginning to think that we had quite enough participants, the forecast being SW4-5 backing S and increasing 5 occasionally, with rain by the afternoon! The coastguard was already reporting force 5. It was going to be quite a wet and bumpy sail to the ferry, although it should be easy to get back.

Mike and Jarnail were first on the water in the 420, but after sailing around for 30 minutes waiting for the others, they decided it was a bit too exciting and came ashore! Eventually we were all — that is 2 Gulls helmed by Geoffrey and Andrew, Pat and Jo in their Enterprise and myself in a Wayfarer — on the water and heading for Ramsholt. In the meantime we’d had a slight incident with a ‘vessel under power’ and I had surprised my crew, an absolute beginner, by jumping out of the boat when we went aground. This at least served to relieve the tension.

After a brief halt at The Rocks, where I decided to take in an extra reef, we resumed our passage. Geoffrey decided to avoid the mud at Ramsholt and press on to Felixstowe — we opted for this plan, although my crew were already making noises about lunch! After a fairly exhilarating, and quite wet, beat we deposited ourselves on the shingle at Felixstowe Ferry and went for a well deserved lunch/breakfast at the Ferry Cafe.

A walk on the beach was enough to convince us that a second mug of tea was a much better alternative to sailing out over the bar. Pat and Jo eventually arrived, just as we were rigging our sails for the return trip. Apparently they had left Andrew at Ramsholt. My beginner crew helmed most of the way home; this time I had taken down the mainsail leaving just the jib. She couldn’t believe how different this was from the morning’s sail, even though the wind had not decreased at all. Upriver we encountered Andrew and sailed in company to Waldringfield.

Geoffrey had planned to explore the Horse Sands on his way back. He told me later that the Enterprise had been caught in a sudden wind shift on the way home, resulting in some swimming practice for its crew! However everyone reached home without further incident.

In retrospect it was quite an enjoyable day out, although I don’t think I would want to be out with an inexperienced crew in anything windier. However it was reassuring to know that the return trip was going to be easier than the outward passage. Thanks to all those that took part.

Wilford Bridge — June 6 (Combined Dinghy Cruising Association and BT Research Sailing Club event). by Geoffrey Osborne

Starting from Felixstowe Ferry at 9.45am, running before a full force 1 easterly breeze made quite a change for this season; I could actually relax! Dipper, my Mk 1 Gull could almost keep pace with Hugh Riddle (DCA) on his Mistral sailboard. Barry and Maureen Parker (also DCA) set off about 10.00 am, having been delayed by roadside repairs to the trailer tow-hitch. Approaching the moorings at Ramsholt I thought I would raise Dipper’s spinnaker to save Hugh from having to slow down for me. I slipped the elastic on the tiller and went forward to set the sail. The guy then went under the boat about as far as the shroud; the whole foot of the sail was in the water totally blocking any view forward. I retrieved the guy a couple of times only to see it go under the boat again each time. This did not feel like the relaxing day I had been promising myself all week. Unfortunately I had not secured the halyard properly, and the sail had slipped down about six feet. Once I understood the problem I soon had the spinnaker under control and my heartbeat started to settle down again. Dipper even received the occasional complimentary greeting from people in the cockpits of their moored boats. Even with the spinnaker, progress was not exactly rapid, and I was thankful of the favourable tide which seemed to be doing most of the work.

Just after The Rocks, opposite Shottisham Sluice, I could just see in the distance a BTRSC Wayfarer flying the red ribbon recognition signal from its mast head. At the same time the Leader could just be made out astern. We passed Waldringfield at 11.15am, wind still force 1 from astern. By the time we were up at Woodbridge we started to catch up the Waldringfield-launched contingent; Wayfarer, BTRSC Gull, and a Lune Pilot (DCA) looking a picture with its gaff rig and tan sails. For the next interesting half an hour or so we twisted and turned following the narrow and convoluted channel — which is not always obvious.

12.45pm — All six of us, and two or three other local boats, had arrived at Wilford Bridge ready to tie up and go ashore. Consternation — the wharf was inhabited with anglers, fishing rods and lines right across the river. Anglers and sailors looked at each other equally aghast. Eventually all the boats turned round without damage to boats or fishing lines and brought up a little downstream at the sloping sea-wall. Here Dipper’s reserve buoyancy (8” fenders lashed under the side-benches) proved its versatility by acting as fenders — its original purpose in life! The next problem was the new flood defence steel pilings right up above the sea-wall; there was no ground for anchors, and no mooring rings of course. Dipper’s ‘bosun box’ produced a Sea-Searcher magnet which soon attached itself to the piling to provide a mooring point. Most of the other boats just dangled their anchors over the top of the piling capping. Some lunched aboard, others crossed the road to the pub (highly recommended by boat or car).

2.45pm — After a good lunch and a rest we all set off, Dipper slightly after the others. The wind was a little stronger at force 2 on the nose, but with tide just in our favour. Dipper and the Lune Pilot sailed together past the Woodbridge Tide Mill which made a fitting backdrop for the traditional gaff rig of the Lune Pilot. By the time we had reached Kyson Point below Woodbridge, the wind had picked up to about force 2-3 and Dipper said farewell to the Lune Pilot and set off in the sunshine to try to catch up with the Leader and the sailboard.

5.45pm — Dipper beached at Felixstowe Ferry to find the others in the last stages of packing up. (Thanks to them for the pull up the launching ramp). A mug of tea from the friendly (and famous) Felixstowe Ferry Cafe and the boats and sailboard were readied for their journeys home. Dipper only had to travel to Ipswich, while the sailboard set off for Cambridge and the Leader to South Woodham Ferrers in Essex.

Woolverstone — June 12/13 by Geoffrey Osborne

PEOPLE AND BOATS Ann Kell & Geoffrey Osborn Wanderer Samphire Denis Kell Canoe John Buckley Kestrel Mark Tingley Roamer Harriott Charles Proudfoot Roamer Tai Tai Roger Barnes & Richard Bramley Tideway Baggywrinkle Hugh Riddle Sailboard

The Friday morning Marinecall and shipping forecasts suggested winds force 5-6 SW. This did not fit well with Dipper’s intentions of sailing from Waldringfield on the River Deben. So I accepted Ann Kell’s kind offer of being the crew for Samphire, her Wanderer dinghy — Denis Kell being unavailable due to pressure of work.

10.30am Saturday — Samphire set off down river from Woolverstone Marina, her home ‘port’, against a force 1 southerly; followed shortly after by Harriott (Roamer R10) single‑handed by Mark. Beating against a f1-2 does not exactly make for fast progress.

11.25am — Samphire passed the Butt and Oyster at Pin Mill with a regretful lick of the lips by the crew. We went back to see Mark and told him of our intention to lunch at Shotley Marina. The weather was overcast, but still dry.

1.10pm — There was just enough wind for Samphire to make a respectable berthing at the pontoon outside Shotley Point Marina entrance lock. A quick check with the Berthing Master confirmed that Samphire could lie there while we had lunch in the Shipwreck Bar. Returning to the pontoon I was just in time to take a line from Harriott as she — Seagull powered — berthed ahead of Samphire. While lunching (and drinking) I noticed Hugh Riddle looking around outside and suggested he launch his sailboard, after lunch, on the shore about half a mile or so to the west up the River Stour.

2.30pm — Samphire headed out to Harwich Harbour entrance against a young flood and f1‑2, in sunshine. Against the tide and such a light wind we did well to get past Guard buoy!

3.30pm — Shotley Spit S Cardinal abeam on our way up the River Orwell. Wind f1, sunshine.

4.20pm — Suffolk Yacht Harbour (Levington) abeam. Samphire overtook a Sadler 32 by sailing through their lee. The owners seemed a little miffed by this and asked us where we got our wind. They seemed a little mollified by my suggestion that a Wanderer might reef in f3-4 while their yacht would probably carry full sail up to f5-6. (I refrained from suggesting that dinghies are often superior to expensive yachts!).

4.55pm — Off Woolverstone and the sunshine had long gone and we were experiencing serious rain with reduced visibility — accompanied by a full-bodied f3 beam reach. After drifting about all day this was too good to miss, so it was oilskin hoods up and head for the Orwell Bridge. After passing, under the bridge we turned round and met Mark in his Roamer with same object in mind. Returning to Woolverstone about 6.00pm, as we came up with John in his Kestrel sailing with just the jib, we noticed a native canoe putting out from the shore. The ‘native’ turned out to be Denis Kell coming to meet us with a clear conscience having completed all his work. By now we had quite a gathering, including Hugh on his sailboard. Hugh had taken about an hour and a half to escape from the mile of adverse tide in the River Stour before being able to drift up the River Orwell. The general consensus was to meet up in the Butt and Oyster, Pin Mill. People were allocated to various cars and somehow we all made it to the pub. Once in the Butt and Oyster drinks and meals encouraged a flow of tales to be exchanged. Baggywrinkle had launched at Waldringfield. Far from experiencing the forecast f5-6 she had drifted up and down the river, hauled out at Waldringfield, driven to Pin Mill to re-launch and camped about half a mile downriver.

As it was still raining Hugh Riddle came back to the anchorage with me rather than sleep on the ground under his sail.

Sunday — Wind force 4 northerly. After a leisurely breakfast Hugh and I drove to Woolverstone via Ipswich Docks. In what seemed to me to be a remarkably short time Hugh had packed his sleeping bag, clothes and other possessions into layers of plastic bags secured to the front of his sailboard in an elasticated net along with his double paddle. The rucksack was tied to the rear foot straps. 11.30am — I waved goodbye to Hugh and drove to Pin Mill in about 5 minutes. By the time I got there he was already a quarter of a mile or so past the hard and landed at Shotley not much more than an hour later.

Many thanks to Ann and Denis for organising the rally, and for inviting me to crew.

Walton Backwaters — May 29/30 by Peter Bick

The forecast was good for the Saturday, but the last update suggested f6-7 on the Sunday, so I decided to launch into the Backwaters to ensure a trauma-free end to the weekend.

A hitch came when I was rigging up at Titchmarsh Marina. I got the outboard out of the boot and gave the the starter a pull to check the cord, but it didn’t budge — the engine was seized solid. This had happened the previous year. The workshop reported nothing wrong, no water had entered the cylinders, but they had freed it, tested it, and I had not used it since. With a sense of relief at not having to carry it, I put it back in the boot. Although I had still not sorted out where to carry an oar since altering my Roamer’s layout, there was no problem as they allow you to sail in that marina.

It was a fine sunny day and a good whole-sail breeze from the east. With helm pegged I had my morning coffee as made my way to the open sea. Snufkin, my Roamer, was obviously in a good mood without the o/b on board, as he consented to sail himself up the coast while I lounged against my backrest and viewed the yachts around me and Harwich approaching from the horizon. There was a minor contretemps when, within one minute, visibility was reduced from several miles to a hundred metres. One yacht was visible instead of sixty: the fog bank covered all. As I was on a familiar compass course, I held on, knowing that I had only to return on the reciprocal bearing to find the Backwaters’ channel buoys. As it happened, ten minutes later it cleared like magic and I changed course to seaward to pass Harwich and continue up the coast.

We were due to meet up at 1600 at Stone Point before sailing to our anchorage at Kirby Creek, so I allowed adequate time for my return when I turned round off the Deben. I had no intention of going in as I should have had to buck tide and wind to get out again, and I had no engine on board to allow me to cheat. Snufkin behaved as impeccably on the return as before, and lunch was consumed in comfort. Finally I had to put in the odd tacks to reach the Stone Point anchorage. In due course I was joined by Charles Proudfoot in another Roamer, John Adye in his recently acquired Drascombe Lugger crewed by Mark Tingley, and a Tideway crewed by Roger and Helen Barnes; all swinging on my 10 lbs CQR. The Tideway had come from Pin Mill on the Orwell, the Lugger had launched in the Backwaters the previous day and had spent the night in the Orwell, sailing back for the rally. When the tide served they separated, leaving me to haul up the anchor before following them to Kirby Creek. As the breeze had increased I tucked in a reef but hauled up the centreplate, not my usual habit, so as to catch up in order to take photographs of the others. After the photographs the run changed to a reach, and then to a beat and I realised I was fast losing ground. I finally had to shake out the reef, when the reason for my poor performance immediately became apparent. I slid sideways at the first tack — I hadn’t put the centreplate down! A ribald comment on the speed of Roamers was made, but it was all the helmsman’s fault!

A very good beach for the rally, discovered by Charles Proudfoot, was also only 5 minutes walk from a pub where admirable grub was served. The evening forecast included a gale warning for our area and I was glad I had launched locally. We settled in to a night of downpour and what seemed continuous thunder, but the morning proved fair but with a steadily increasing breeze. We all packed up early, particularly the Tideway which had to return to the Orwell, fortunately with a leading wind.

When it became my turn to set off from the windward shore that had sheltered us, I popped in two reefs and hauled up a couple of feet of sail before hauling up the stern anchor. While I was cleaning off the mud, Snufkin, who never likes leaving a windward shore, sailed himself in amongst the saltings. Yes, I know I should have used the jib, but it was now too late, and I struggled unsuccessfully to extricate myself using the spinnaker pole against soft mud!

I had to call for assistance, and Helen Barnes from the Tideway kindly turned me round and after one more little struggle I was off — having supplied my quota to the entertainment! Now I must study that oar problem again.

Charles had his mooring in the Backwaters, and John Adye had launched at the same marina as I did, so we all had only a short trip. Roger and Helen had a fast passage to Harwich but when they came to cross the mouth of the Stour the wind against tide conditions caused such a commotion that they could make nothing of it. Eventually a kind yachtsman took them in tow across to Shotley Marina where they had a second breakfast.

Much thanks to Charles for finding such a cosy creek for the rally, combined with an excellent, easily accessible pub.