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- Category: 2015
- Hits: 4210
Saturday 25th April Ref: 2015/3
A challenging coastal cruise in company with BOC members in manageable weather from Lowestoft to Shotley, in F4 13-16kn wind and, with the SSW penultimate leg undertaken with wind against tide, making the sl./mod. seems to be more moderate than slight! The weather was milder than of late but windier and wet with heavy rain and showers before the sun broke through for our arrival. The correct transit and procedures to approach Shotley Marina and a straight forward lock operation into the basin.
The cruise was originally planned to start a couple of hours later but it was decided over by a consensus of boat skippers the night before, to move before 9.00am LT so as to get shelter before the stronger winds arrived later. This worked well for the start of the cruise as the tide was against us (but with the wind) thus flattening the sea but later on the tide turned in our favour, but against the wind, making the sea for our long south- south-westerly leg moderate rather than slight.
Wind was averaging around 14kn (exactly as the GRIB weather forecast had indicated) and started off at c13kn and then peaked at 16kn, still within the F4 range. The cruise was led by Ken on Gentle One and followed firstly by Yorkshire Belle II and Misty Isle who set off near to the pace of the leader at c15kn but the fleet soon become strung out. I held back and kept an eye on Escape II and Moonbow, who were experiencing problems on passage with mechanical problems and the conditions but everybody managed well. Some of the vessels had no functioning radar (either due to non-fitment or unfamiliarity) and so lost visual contact with each other as viz deteriorated to around 2nm at times but they were all operating on the same passage plan.
Arrival at Shotley was straightforward, with the channel posts easily lined up with the lock entrance and there was just the challenge of deploying ropes in fenders in the tideway. Berths were alongside on linear pontoon G for the larger vessels and finger pontoons, the other side of G, for the rest. There was a modest extra charge for electricity but water was free and WiFi (by code from the lock office) was free but of poor connective quality. Very good toliets and showers are provided at two locations within the site
On site were a small chandlers, which sold some provisions, a restaurant and bar with a children's area and some outside tables with dog water bowls. Apart from that, walks were available but made difficult by (an apparently recently-installed) locked security gates, which was a shame.
20→18→25degC ; RH 63→44%; 1003→1004mb steady ; slight/mod seas; good/mod visibility; lively breeze and rainy/cold weather
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- Category: 2015
- Hits: 5010
Thursday 23rd April to Friday 24th April Ref: 2015/2
A good two-day trip and coastal cruise in very calm weather from Brundall to Great Yarmouth and then on the next day to Lowestoft to moor for an evening dinner at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club. The fine weather was beckoning for us to cruise further to avoid the poorer weather forecast for the days to come, but, with the cruise in company itinerary and arrangements already made, we moored in Lowestoft and enjoyed time with our Broom Owners friends. A very good training run for new crew member, Kathleen, who handled the ropes and fenders well and was drawing compliments from colleagues whilst she was also learning about the boat instrumentation so as to be able to take log readings on the bridge.
Thursday 23rd April 2015: The cruise started in absolutely magical weather from Brundall as we were joined by Andrew and his crew in Broom boat, Yorkshire Belle, and then cruised steadily downstream together, passing Strumpshaw Fen nature reserve, The Beauchamp Arms and Hardely Mill. It was noticeable how high the water had been with much of the bank-side vegetation under water and dried mud on the surface of the quay as we swung round to moor against the tide at The Berney Arms. We found Misty Isle already moored and then were soon joined by Moonbow to make a Broom Owners fleet of four. This was a great location to walk our very active GSP dog, Max, and he enjoyed the countryside just a day or two after the swallows had arrived for the summer. Some drinks aboard Misty Isle, courtesy of the owners, and then to eat and early to bed ready for the sea trip the next day. All three GPS sets had been uploaded with the course from my laptop which was running v12 of the MaxSea navigation software.
Friday 24th April 2015: an early start in good time to cross Breydon Water and with time to spare to undergo a few speed runs on Lady Martina peaking at 19 knots over the ground at 2500 revs with no problems experienced with either over-heating, vibration or fuel supply. Lady Martina took the lead and made the necessary calls as Andrew on Yorkshire Belle was having VHF problems. We were able to cruise steadily as a compact fleet passing under the Breydon and Haven Bridges, which both lifted for us. A blissful trip down the coast on a smooth sea and we felt some disappointment that we could not carry on cruising as the weather had been so fine; but we stayed with the fleet and then and tied up at the RNSYC in Lowestoft, washed the boat free of the salt and then took Max for his walk. This, before planning the following day's cruise, doing some shopping and then attending our evening club dinner in the clubhouse.
25→28→20degC ; RH 47→33→44%; 1021→1009mb falling ; smooth seas; good/mod visibility; light breeze and sunny weather
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- Category: 2015
- Hits: 4627
Sunday 25th January to Monday 26th January Ref: 2015/1
Mid-winter re-positioning cruise for Lady Martina to Brooms at Brundall for annual mechanical service, sea-cock replacement, anti-fouling and the provision of a new canopy from Customcraft. The cruise plan provide Kathleen with experience and me the opportunity to replace the interior lighting with dimmable LED's as she took the helm.
Sunday January 25th was a cold and windy day with clouds threatening, and we already had to stop, moor and drop our mast and canopy at Acle Bridge to get under the 11ft headroom. The weather also made a transit of Great Yarmouth that evening preferable but this involved cruising under the Bure Bridges and across Breydon Water at dusk and mooring up at The Berney Arms in the dark, which was accomplished with the crew getting a bit cold and shaky until sent inside for shelter and warmth!
The final leg from Berney Arms to Brundall was accomplished with only a small wait for the Reedham Swing Bridge but the overnight downpour and strengthening wind to around 30 knots was best accomplished in the morning on the open River Yare, thus vindicating our passage of Breydon at dusk in the dry the night before. The overnight stay at the very bleak and deserted Berney Arms moorings proved the domestic systems and heating were working well and the new LED interior lighting was effective and efficient.
- Details
- Category: 2015
- Hits: 4766
This section describes a variety of cruises along the coast of East Anglia in April and May 2015
