Our scheduled trip to Southwold had to be aborted today due to strong easterly winds, which would make the tricky harbour entrance potentially unsafe. There was more strong winds forecast for the Easter weekend and so instead we opted for a short sea trial cruise to Lowestoft, and then through the Mutford Lock into Oulton Broad, where we could enjoy shore power and the nearby chandlery. Our almanac listed an 1100 bridge lift at the harbour entrance and with a phone call to the Mutford Lockkeeper we confirmed that they could let us through the lock shortly afterwards.

This was our first sea trip since our winter refit and we were pleased to find the boat coping well with the fairly lumpy easterly swell and we made 21 knots over the ground, with the help of a four knot following tide. Arrived at the harbour entrance just in time for the bridge lift and made our way up Lake Lothing, the tidal channel between the sea and Mutford Lock, the entrance to the Broads. This is a working port and the banks are lined with boatyards and commercial marine businesses.

To complete our passage into Oulton Broad we had to wait for the Mutford railway bridge to open and then enter the Mutford lock with the road and pedestrian bridges all lifted.