Attending: Peter Small in Lutino — Wayfarer John Adye in Willa — Drascombe Lugger David Jennings in Orinoco — Highlander 14 George Saffrey in Aurora — Cruz Peter & Anne Ingram in Red Lady — Roamer Christopher & Lesley Vincent — Mirror

The joint organisers have a confession to make: we made a miscalculation of the tides and sunset when planning the rally before the start of the season, so we had to make a change of plan to avoid creeping up creeks in darkness. (We were able to notify everyone who let us know they were coming.)

Saturday saw us all launching at Bradwell, then most of us went to the West Mersea Yacht Club for a drink and a bite to eat. Unfortunately Peter and Anne Ingram had difficulties on the return journey when their rudder pintle broke and their outboard flooded with fuel (faulty carburettor design). They were towed back to West Mersea by a friendly RIB, where they spent the rest of the weekend recovering their boat on Bank Holiday Monday.

The rest of us spent Saturday evening at the Green Man pub at Bradwell, even though they had cancelled the promised jazz festival. On Sunday we sailed to Pyefleet Creek for a raft-up at mid-day, less Christopher and Lesley Vincent in their Mirror. They opted to sail in the Bradwell vicinity where they were camping. Sunday night was spent by the rest of us on the mid-river pontoons at Brightlingsea. We used the water taxi (shame on us!) to the shore and the fleshpots of Brightlingsea — dinner at the Mariners Restaurant.

We finished off an enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend sailing back to Bradwell via West Mersea. John Adye