Apologies for the delay, I completely forgot to write up the blog last night. Booze, I assure you, had nothing to do with it!Still, look on the bright side - it does mean two for the price of one tonight!
After a completely sleepless night, not so much as a wink, I gave it up as a bad job by five am and, after a coffee, headed to Asda for an early run around the shelves with a trolley.
With supplies laid in, I headed back to Fambridge and carted everything down to the pontoon in three trips.That was one trolley load of grub, one trolley load of clothes and a final trolley load of "stuff"
Then came the challenge of stowing it all away! Actually, that went quite easily but I think it would have been more interesting had space been needed for a third crew members kit. Do-able but more challenging.
I had everything sorted out by lunchtime and decided that neither the weather nor my prospects of any sleep were likely to be improved by hanging about so it was off with the sail covers and on with the engine
I set off just before midday onto a wild and wooly river. There were, this far upriver, no big waves but it was definitely lumpy! Photos never do this sort of thing justice - it looks quite benign and friendly but I can assure you, dear reader, it was anything but!
Given that I was, at times, heeling over 10 degrees with bare poles, I decided discretion and speed were the better part of valour and whilst I was ready to set some sail if necessary, engine failure for example, I elected to get the passage over and down with with maximum speed and minimum effort under motor.
(Inevitably, this led to a certain amount of mickey taking that evening but I don't care! This was a delivery trip with the sole purpose of getting me and the boat to where we needed to be and I saw no reason to risk damage or injury to either me or Erbas trying to prove a point)
As is quite often the case, it took a couple of trys before I managed to raise Burnham Yacht Harbour on the VHF - I swear the harbour master's hand held has been faulty for several years! - but once communications had been established I was allocated a starboard side to berth as this would be easier to get into in the conditions.
It did, however, mean leaving Big George (the tiller pilot) to maintain our course downriver whilst I ran around on deck moving fenders and mooring lines from port to starboard - I'd left everything ready on deck on the basis that I had an evens chance of not having to shift it.
The delay in comms meant I overshot the entrance whilst sorting out my lines and had to do a 180 into the wind whence things got even more exciting for a few minutes. The sailors amongst my readers will be nodding sagely understanding the effect of running before the wind reducing the apparent wind speed over the deck whilst conversely motoring into the wind has the opposite effect of increasing the wind speed
It was with some relief that I entered the more sheltered waters of the marina. However, that relief was tempered with trepidation at the prospect of maneouvering into a berth across the fierce winds that was gusting well over 30 knots (I am convinced, by the way, that our wind instrument is under reading even more than we suspected). The harbour master was standing by to take my lines which was very useful however I fluked a perfect approach stopping parallel to the pontoon and a foot or so off it from which position the wind pushed us neatly into position without any drama at all
I was quietly chuffed and doubly so at the quite "nicely done" from the harbour master. I set about putting Erbas to bed and was all wrapped up by half past one.
By now the fatigue of having not slept for nearly 24 hours had caught up with me so I settled down for a restorative nap. During my doze, Peter on Alchemist arrived with his two crew having mad the adventurous and extremely creditable trip down from Harwich despite the conditions.
Any further prospects of a kip went out of the window as I entertained visitors aboard Erbas (and how pleasant it is to be able to do so in comfort) and went visiting aboard other boats myself. Time flew by and I quickly washed and changed before walking along the sea wall to the Crouch Yacht Club for the East Coast Forum Fitting Up Supper
I thoroughly enjoyed an evening of good food and great company in a pleasant venue ... and I totally forgot to take any photos! All good things come to an end though and eventually I wended my weary way back to the yacht harbour in the dark of the night.
Although it was still blowing old boots, by the time I was half way down my nightcap decaf coffee I was fast asleep.
After a completely sleepless night, not so much as a wink, I gave it up as a bad job by five am and, after a coffee, headed to Asda for an early run around the shelves with a trolley. With supplies laid in, I headed back to Fambridge and carted everything down to the pontoon in three trips.That was one trolley load of grub, one trolley load of clothes and a final trolley load of "stuff"
Then came the challenge of stowing it all away! Actually, that went quite easily but I think it would have been more interesting had space been needed for a third crew members kit. Do-able but more challenging.
I had everything sorted out by lunchtime and decided that neither the weather nor my prospects of any sleep were likely to be improved by hanging about so it was off with the sail covers and on with the engine
Given that I was, at times, heeling over 10 degrees with bare poles, I decided discretion and speed were the better part of valour and whilst I was ready to set some sail if necessary, engine failure for example, I elected to get the passage over and down with with maximum speed and minimum effort under motor.
(Inevitably, this led to a certain amount of mickey taking that evening but I don't care! This was a delivery trip with the sole purpose of getting me and the boat to where we needed to be and I saw no reason to risk damage or injury to either me or Erbas trying to prove a point)
As is quite often the case, it took a couple of trys before I managed to raise Burnham Yacht Harbour on the VHF - I swear the harbour master's hand held has been faulty for several years! - but once communications had been established I was allocated a starboard side to berth as this would be easier to get into in the conditions.
It did, however, mean leaving Big George (the tiller pilot) to maintain our course downriver whilst I ran around on deck moving fenders and mooring lines from port to starboard - I'd left everything ready on deck on the basis that I had an evens chance of not having to shift it.
The delay in comms meant I overshot the entrance whilst sorting out my lines and had to do a 180 into the wind whence things got even more exciting for a few minutes. The sailors amongst my readers will be nodding sagely understanding the effect of running before the wind reducing the apparent wind speed over the deck whilst conversely motoring into the wind has the opposite effect of increasing the wind speed
It was with some relief that I entered the more sheltered waters of the marina. However, that relief was tempered with trepidation at the prospect of maneouvering into a berth across the fierce winds that was gusting well over 30 knots (I am convinced, by the way, that our wind instrument is under reading even more than we suspected). The harbour master was standing by to take my lines which was very useful however I fluked a perfect approach stopping parallel to the pontoon and a foot or so off it from which position the wind pushed us neatly into position without any drama at all
I was quietly chuffed and doubly so at the quite "nicely done" from the harbour master. I set about putting Erbas to bed and was all wrapped up by half past one.
By now the fatigue of having not slept for nearly 24 hours had caught up with me so I settled down for a restorative nap. During my doze, Peter on Alchemist arrived with his two crew having mad the adventurous and extremely creditable trip down from Harwich despite the conditions.
Any further prospects of a kip went out of the window as I entertained visitors aboard Erbas (and how pleasant it is to be able to do so in comfort) and went visiting aboard other boats myself. Time flew by and I quickly washed and changed before walking along the sea wall to the Crouch Yacht Club for the East Coast Forum Fitting Up Supper
I thoroughly enjoyed an evening of good food and great company in a pleasant venue ... and I totally forgot to take any photos! All good things come to an end though and eventually I wended my weary way back to the yacht harbour in the dark of the night.
Although it was still blowing old boots, by the time I was half way down my nightcap decaf coffee I was fast asleep.
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