This rally was memorable for me for two reasons. Firstly it was the twenty-fifth anniversary of Rebell’s launching in June 1969, and secondly it was the first Blackwater rally when the weather has been kind to us, at least during the last ten years.

Five boats assembled at the Blackwater Sailing Club by 1000 hrs on the Sunday morning with a total of eight crew. Chris Brooks, from Mansfield, joined me in Rebell and Richard Hadlee and friend in a Salcombe Yawl were already on the BSC moorings. Peter Bick launched his Finn yawl as did Peter Moore and Mike Saunders with their Wayfarer. Tony Showell in his YM Senior joined us from the Salcott Sailing Club next door.

We had a very pleasant cruise down the Blackwater with a force 4-5 westerly wind, exploring Lawling Creek on the way. I had hoped to beach on the Bradwell Power Station beach for lunch but it was a lee shore and too rough so we rafted up on a mooring in Salcott Creek.

The beat back to the BSC was uneventful but needed one reef and we were back at the slipway just as the tide allowed the two Peters to recover their boats about 1800 hrs. The verdict was a very pleasant day’s sailing.

Walton Backwaters — 16th-17th July by Charles Proudfoot

Attending the rally were: Charles Proudfoot Tai Tai Roamer Alan & Sue Hunt Rum Punch Wanderer Ann Kell & Sue King Samphire Wanderer

Apologies from Peter Bick who was unable to attend

I was down to the mooring at 0715 and Tai Tai was away by 0730 from Walton having arranged to meet Alan Hunt at Stone Point, the mouth of the Walton Backwaters. The forecast was good and the weather set fair so perhaps for a change this would be a rain‑free rally. Alan launched from Titchmarsh Marina and arrived at Stone Point around 0930. We set off together for the River Orwell to meet Ann Kell sailing down from Woolverstone on the last of the ebb.

Wind was a light northerly which made it a very slow beat up to Harwich harbour where the wind died completely. Wanderers are fast boats in these conditions so Rum Punch was soon way ahead of me. I found them anchored for lunch in the lower reaches of the Orwell.

It was a hot day so the inevitable sea breeze sprang up after lunch shifting the wind to the ENE. Soon after deciding to use the good wind to return to the Backwaters, Ann and Sue came storming down the Orwell in Samphire on a broad reach. They were too intent on sailing to notice us and shot past. We set off in hot pursuit through Harwich harbour. Outside it was an exciting and boisterous beat back to Stone Point where we all landed on the beach at 1515. After coffee and a natter we sailed up to Walton Town where we landed by the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club for those necessary calls of nature and the purchase of ice creams. Rum Punch left us here to return to Titchmarsh as they had not planned to spend the night aboard.

It was 1700 by the time that Samphire and Tai Tai set out for Kirby Creek by way of Horsey Mere. An hour before HW and on a neap tide there was only just enough water across The Wade. The wind was still blowing ENE 4 and right up our tails as we left the Twizzle and emerged into Horsey Mere. In Tai Tai’s capacity as pilot I decided to drop the mainsail to reduce speed and Samphire did the same straight away. Hitting a boulder, a broken withy or one of the iron stakes at high speed on the sunken roadway would not have been much fun. We made it safely across The Wade and glided up to Kirby Quay, landing gently on the little flat beach in the saltings, a lovely place, peaceful and sheltered, just the marshes and the birds for company. The only other sign of human habitation is the Quay House nearby. Paul Rampling, whose parents own the house came down to inspect us. He recognised me from last year and it turned out he also knew Ann Kell’s friend Sue. Visitors are not encouraged here and he explained that all the surrounding saltings are private land. However he has no objection to good law abiding DCA folk in small numbers. Paul stopped and chatted with us for a while. He is a most interesting man — studying mud! There’s certainly plenty of that at Kirby. He invited us up to the house for a nightcap later.

Ann, Sue and I had a good supper at The Ship in Kirby-le-Soken five minutes walk away. We stopped off at the Quay House in the last of the twilight and sat in the garden. The Rampling family were most welcoming with coffee, biscuits and whisky and we whiled away the rest of the evening chatting and relaxing. We were back at the boats by 2300. The tide had long since departed. The wind had not dropped but we were very sheltered and I slept the sleep of the just.

On Sunday we were up at 0600 to catch HW. The forecast was NNE 4-5, occasionally 6 later. For Tai Tai this was not going to be a problem as my mooring at Walton is only a short trip away. For Samphire it was going to be a dead noser all the way back to Woolverstone and a hard slog for about 10 miles. However Ann and Sue are very experienced sailors and didn’t seem bothered. Tai Tai and I left Kirby at 0700 under engine. Out of the lee of the seawall it was blowing quite hard. By the time I was back on my mooring 40 minutes later I began to wonder if the ladies would be okay and had the odd twinge of conscience that perhaps I should have stuck around with them longer in case they needed pilotage or decided to abandon the voyage back. Some sixth sense made me call in at Titchmarsh Marina before going home. Sure enough Samphire was just coming in having decided to abort the trip. It had been very rough in Hamford Water and they had to regularly heave-to to pump out. Conditions would only have been worse outside the shelter of the Backwaters. Ann and Sue were wet but in good heart. They made a sensible and seamanlike decision. We secured Samphire and I drove them back to Ann’s house for them to pick up car and trailer.

My thanks to Alan and Sue Hunt of Rum Punch for showing me a very clean pair of heels in proving how fast was a Wanderer. My thanks to Ann Kell and Sue of Samphire for their convivial company which I much enjoyed. Finally my thanks to the Rampling family of Quay House, Kirby-le-Soken for their welcome and kindness. To all those who couldn’t make it I’m sorry you missed the weekend but why not come along next year. The Walton Backwaters is a beautiful place with safe and sheltered sailing.