Malaika is a 26' Eventide sailing yacht. The Eventide is a Yachting Monthly design in 24' and 26' versions intended for home building. Built in marine ply, hard chine with a triple keel, sloop rigged, originally with an inboard motor and four berths, Malaika (the name is Swahili and means 'Angel') was bought by my son Stephen about three years ago. He had a fair amount of work to do to the hull, but then removed one of the saloon bunks to make room for a smaller seat, a wood and solid-fuel stove and a cooker. Steve's out of the country as I write, but generously gave us permission to sail Malaika, who lives in a mud berth (right outside the Queen's Head in Maldon!) which is so silted up only a spring tide allows her to leave.

High tide on Monday was at about 1400 hrs. Wind forecast was westerly, moderate to fresh occasionally strong; sheltered by Maldon, we rolled down a reef as far as the first batten (mistake No. 1 - didn't remove the batten) and were happily under way before 1300. Three barges were leaving at the same time - Thalatta, Xylonite and Pudge. Pudge was motoring - indeed had no sails bent - and caught us up; we took the turn to port to pass Heybridge wide to let her through.

As we headed towards Osea we became aware that really we were carrying too much sail - and removing the batten was beyond me. So down came the main and we continued just as quickly under genoa alone. Passing The Doctor at Osea we decided that less genoa was the order of the day. It was quite uncomfortable. The following swell gave Malaika a pronounced roll and it was clear that the wind was more strong than fresh! A cockpit conference concluded that Mersea was the most sensible objective. Malaika has no motor. No 'secondary means of propulsion' - unless you count the dinghy and oars. Looking at the chart, two dinghy sailors assessed the situation - and decided that Mersea Quarters offered the best accessible mooring, and in due course were able to snug down safe and relatively comfortable, but quite a long way from West Mersea landing. By 1900, Malaika was resting on the bottom and we were eating our supper. From about 2000 to 2100 we 'enjoyed' the odd sensation of Malaika gradually bumping round as the tide rose, the wind ensuring we swung towards the shelving mud.

The shipping forecast (watch alarm at 0530... where is the wretched thing?) "Humber. Thames, Portland. Plymouth, west or northwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6, rain, moderate," was not inspiring, neither was the overcast sky and line of black cloud threatening to the northwest. Back to bed - can't sleep, read until breakfast, listening to BBC Radio Essex, in particular to the inshore forecast at about 20 minutes to the hour.

Boredom having set in along with the flood tide, we set forth to row up to West Mersea. Tide with us, but still hard work with the wind across our way. A pleasant enough morning dumping around, coffee in the ArtCafé, buying one or two items we had forgotten (bottle of Famous Grouse, pens, stamps) and writing cards for them at home. Returning to the pontoon, we looked at the rushing tide and decided that what we needed was some lunch...

This time on our return to the pontoon, we found the water so high that the approach to the pontoon was under 6 inches of water. The less said about the row back the better, except we got there and got back on board without too much trouble.

Looking round, things seemed to be calming down, so at about 1600 we set off for Pyefleet and had a most satisfactory sail until we reached the Colne just below Brightlingsea. "Don't like the look of that cloud," said Andrew. There we were, 1730 and not far of our objective (but downwind) when the cloud, and its associated squall, hit us. We reckoned the wind was hitting F7 at times - the water was flat - and we were beating up into it, envious of S.B.Thalatta, safe at anchor at the entrance to Pyefleet Creek. I have been more frightened in a dinghy but it was not pleasant. Malaika coped under reefed main and partly furled for's'l and we worked. By 1800 the wind had dropped merely fresh and we were anyway partly sheltered in Pyefleet and able to grab a mooring, as we thought, well up the creek; stow and snug down and have some supper, hot chocolate and (for me) a tot of Famous Grouse. We were welcomed to the creek by a seal and the usual gulls and waders.

Wednesday morning, still a lousy forecast, and beginning to wonder whether we would have the confidence to get back to Maldon by Friday high water (about 1630). We were distracted for a time around midday by a pair of osprey circling overhead or skimming the water. The weather seemed better. We watched a very ominous cloud pass us by, clearly drenching everyone to the SE of us. Then when another had come, sprinkled us, and passed, we hoisted the sails, slipped the mooring and slid out and into the Colne, following Thalatta who was doing the same as us, as it turned out; then saw Xylonite approaching from the horizon.

Malaika was sailing well and comfortably, still with the reef in the main. Once past the Molliette beacon we had to reduce the genny briefly but made good progress, despite the ebb, towards the Quarters. Discussing how far up to go, Andi pointed to a black cloud rapidly approaching. We were moored and stowing when the squall hit us, wind and soaking rain, so we were able to sit looking out back down the channel and watch Thalatta beating towards an anchorage off Mersea, and a motor-sailor passing us.

In bed and asleep by 2130. Awake at 2227 - what was that dreadful banging? Our tender was obviously feeling lonely and neglected and due to some freak of wind and tide was nuzzling our quarter; twenty minutes of chilly fiddling to get it under control, discovering on returning to bed that I had exchanged loud bangs for squeek-squeek as the tender rubbed against the fender.

0540. Hopeful forecast. "North or northwest 4 or 5, veering northeast" and dropping later (but how much later?). Want to be back at Maldon this afternoon, by high water at 1545. Last of the coal on the stove. Breakfast, fried egg sandwiches, last of the water (but never mind, fruit juice and expensive bottled water enough for today) and under way at 0800. Yes, definitely northerly and with the ebb, no problem getting out to the Nass Beacon. Best not to try cutting the corner, only 0.3m of water at low tide.

A wonderful thrash on a broad reach past Bradwell power station, Thirslet Spit buoy and Stone. Oh dear, the tide's only just turning. Best grab that buoy by Osea and wait for the tide...

Round The Doctor and short boards up towards Heybridge using the lead-line (fortunately in metres!) successfully until we touched bottom by the port-hand buoy at the turn to Colliers Reach past Heybridge, and again at the other side of the channel; here it seemed like a good idea to drop the hook while we attempted to get a line across to a mooring to wait again. Cheese sandwiches and orange juice, Kendal mint cake and chocolate.

Off again 1315 - broad reach past Heybridge, then short tacks once more; a wriggle in the fairway not quite enough to let us reach, then short tacks between moorings and the barges at the quay - watched by professional sailors and visitors alike. Fortunately we managed not to disgrace ourselves, though I must admit I could have managed positioning Malaika to enter her berth better, running on to the mud, then using lines from moorings and a post to work her into her berth as the tide rose. We ended somewhat muddy! Midway the inelegant process I noticed an elderly couple in the Queen's Head restaurant watching our efforts raptly and gave them a wave; later they came to ask about Malaika.

Tidy up and stow and a glass of beer in the pub. It was interesting to watch the tide continue to rise. Eventually it reached to within 6 inches of the edge of the quay, and the plank allowing access to Malaika was sloping both up and sideways... Unfortunately the pub wasn't serving meals until after 1800, so we had a wait for our steak and ale pie, but a glass of Glenfiddich went down well.

(PS - To those who remember the Hunt family in Spirit Wings, a Kestrel dinghy - we still have her, but as she only got sailed a couple of time last year she is staying with my son Andi at Grafham Water where he is an instructor - hopefully she will get sailed regularly and perhaps raced. It's not too far to go to collect her for a week's holiday.)