Section I  - East Coast  – 21st May to 11th June (21 days incl. 5 days shore-leave and 6 days shelter)

Movement of Lady Martina from her home base of Horning via Great Yarmouth to Brundall for certain necessary repairs and then down the East Coast as a start to the season. Spending some time completing the repairs and adjustments, the need for which always accompanies a new season’s cruising, whilst staying close to home and enjoying the picturesque and wild landscapes of the East Coast of Anglia. This before continuing along the South Coast of England For the next section see South Coast Cruises 2017

Part 1. Monday 22nd May to Tuesday 23rd May Horning to Brundall (Achieved) see  Horning to Brundall 2017

Part 2. Wednesday 24th May to Friday 26th May Brundall to Southwold (Achieved) see  Brundall to Southwold 2017

Part 3. Sunday 28th May Southwold to Woodbridge (Achieved)  see Southwold to Woodbridge 2017

Part 4. Wednesday 31st May Woodbridge to Ipswich (Achieved) Woodbridge to Ipswich 2017

(Thursday 1st June and Friday 2nd June 2-days shore leave in Horning)

Part 5. Saturday 3rd June Ipswich to Ramsgate (Achieved) Ipswich to Ramsgate 2017

(3rd to 8th Sheltering In Ramsgate due to bad weather)

(9th to 11th shore leave in Horning by car hire)

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Section I  - East Coast  – 10th June to 18th June (9 days incl. 4 lay-days)

Movement of Lady Martina from her home base of Horning via Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft for the first simple cruise of the season as a proving trial after a year of inactivity and then on to Ipswich, back to Southwold positioning ourselves ready for the North Sea crossing to IJmuiden.  Thus staying close to home and enjoying the picturesque and wild landscapes of the East Coast of Anglia as a start to the season.  For an overview of the season as a whole, see Lady Martina Schedule of Voyages 2019

Part 1. Monday 11th June  - Horning to Great Yarmouth  see  Horning to Great Yarmouth 2019

Part 2. Wednesday 12th June - Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft see   Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft 2019

Part 3. Saturday 15th June Lowestoft to Ipswich see  Lowestoft to Ipswich 2019

Part 4. Monday 17th June Ipswich to Woodbridge Tide Mill see Ipswich to Woodbridge 2019

Part 5. Wednesday 19th June Woodbridge Tide Mill to Lowestoft see Woodbridge to Lowestoft 2019

Apart from day outings with friends and neighbours in the new year and a short proving trip earlier in May, this cruise represented the start of the 2017 cruising season proper and the intention was to proceed straight to sea and join other Broom owners for trips down the East Coast, but our first overnight stop without shore-power at Acle revealed that we needed new domestic batteries for Lady Martina and so a visit to see Kevin Peachment in Brundall was a priority.

{gallery}2017/Horning-Brundall{/gallery}

The Plan - I had spent some time registering my new paper navigational charts and copying my waypoints from old ones on to the new ones. This was because I had been in contact with the Yarmouth Yacht station rangers and compered notes on the best times to approach the bridges the next day and agreed that it would be towards lunchtime. I had also arranged a mooring at Oulton Broad yacht station for an overnight berth on Wednesday evening and Mutford lock transit on Thursday afternoon and then a stay at Lowestoft Haven Marina on Thursday night ready for an early exit on Friday morning. Normally, I would have stayed at the RNSYC moorings in the outer harbour but they were all committed with a large fleet of Dutch boats arriving for their Ascension Day weekend holidays and so we could not stop there. We set off and forwent many other mooring opportunities to cruise down the Bure, past Thurne Mouth and on to Acle, where we found a mooring well away from the bridge and traffic noise. My plan was to stay overnight and then take the canopy and mast down to get under the bridge and then keep them down for the trip through the Yarmouth Bure bridges later on.

Once we stopped, I soon found that my domestic batteries were struggling and not able to keep a charge, even though we had been cruising from hours after starting with a shore power service overnight! We struggled through the evening and overnight with candles lighting our way, enjoyed showers from the plentiful hot water and  then had an early night, pledged to research alternative battery strategies in the morning. 

The Preparation - Kevin Peachment came up with  two higher-capacity battery options, one of which at 220AH was just too wide for our battery bays but the other, rated at 200AH, was reasonable narrow but just a little too long. I worked out that by just extending one 40cm edge of the battery compartment by less than a centimetre, I could just accommodate a 200AH version which, with four installed in serial and parallel, would give us a theoretical 400AH at 24volts.  Kevin got these on order for me and kindly offered me the opportunity to moor up at his riverside chalet opposite his works for the night and to perform the battery swap the next day.

That left the slight matter of navigating down the River Bure to Great Yarmouth getting under the Bure Bridges and then making my way up the Yare through Reedham Bridge. At this point I engaged the help of the Broads Authority rangers at Great Yarmouth Marina and kept checking on the bridge heights as the morning progressed. We arrived there around 1pm and unfortunately the river had not dropped enough and so we moored up for an hour or so and then left when the tide marker was reading about 10ft 3ins. We got under the bridges with more than 4ins to spare which means that anything over 10ft would be good for future reference. It was a lovely calm, warm and bright day with sunny spells and easy to moor at the Yacht Station and then put up or windscreens and radar mast whilst we cruised on autopilot across Breydon Water. I opened up the engines and made more than 20knots through the water (17 over the ground with an adverse tide) with near-maximum revs and some vibrations. This confirmed my preference for cruising at a slower and more economical speed.

We were able to arrive at Kevin’s chalet and he kindly opened a cupboard so that we could use the shore-power overnight and during the installation the next day. We spend a very pleasant evening in the sun with virtually no wind and even managed to use the Broom Boats Wi-Fi once Kathleen had walked to their yard and secured the code. It was a good reception by very slow service, which was just fine for us.  

The Successful Outcome- The problem was always going to be that the new higher power replacement batteries were marginally larger than those they were replacing and so I had to cut and extend the battery compartment by a centimeter or so. I really needed to know exactly what shape the new batteries were going to be but I took everything apart and removed the first two of the old batteries and was ready to start the modifications.

I made the second of two visits to the Peachment offices and this time I managed to secure a spec sheet which showed exactly what dimensions and shape the news ones took and so I could cut out the right section. I was then fabricating the extension when the delivery took place an hour earlier than expected  and I had to finish the job quickly but, with the help of two Peachment guys lifting the new batteries on to the boat and lifting off the old ones, and me positioning them, the physical swap was completed and they all fitted in nicely.

We then got Lady Martina roughly straight and cast off and cruised to Broom’s marina where we took on board around 150 litres of diesel to top up our tanks and bought filter cartridges for our new primary fuel filters and we were now ready to go!

This was a well-panned and executed cruise from Brundall via the River Yare, with bridges swinging at Reedham and Somerleyton to stop overnight at a pre-booked and reserve mooring on Oulton Broad Yacht Station frontage before passing through Mutford Lock the following afternoon and then cruising to Lowestoft Haven marina for the second night. Then the cruise through the Lowestoft Bascule bridge and down the coast in fine and calm weather carrying the tide to the entrance to Southwold to arrive at the visitor moorings half an hour before high water

{gallery}2017/Brundall-Southwold{/gallery}

The day started with us making our way across to Mutford Lock and thuy were able to lock us through and straight under the railway swing bridge in one operation, which was very helpful of them. I somewhat spoilt it by over-shooting the Haven Marina and having to turn back but we ended up safely moored on the hammer-head of pontoon D and there were very comfortable. Ashore to pay and book a restaurant for this evening and then the afternoon working on charts and waypoints for our passage to Woodbridge Tide Mill on Sunday, when the weather will again be good.  The evening working and writing and thankfully taking advantage of the Marina WiFi to update my journal and get the necessary weather and other information we needed.

We had heard from our Broom colleagues that they had changed their plans and were cruising direct to Woodbridge today and possibly calling in to Southwold on the way back but we had booked the moorings at both places according to the former plan and a direct passage to Woodbridge would have had us arriving very late on the tide and so we let them go alone. The other consideration was that we were making our way down the coast and so cruising directly to Woodbridge would mean not calling in at Southwold at all and I had never been in there. Our passage today took us out of Lowestoft on the 9.30am bridge lift and then allowed for a 10knot leisurely cruise down the coast for an hour or so and then entry half an hour before High Water and, for a new port on a Spring Tide, that suited us just fine.  It was a little breezier than the last few days and it was onshore from the east, but it was only 10-11 knots and very manageable giving slight seas and so the passage was a joy. We approached Southwold Harbour entrance on the 320 bearing recommended and our waypoints took us right there. I kept sharp right and close in around ‘The Knuckle’   and then made my way upstream with a 2kn following tide, turning without trouble and coming in to where the harbourmaster was standing and directing me on VHF. He had allowed me on to the ‘pub moorings’ on the true left bank, which had more depth as well as electricity and water, for the new pontoons moorings on the right bank were shoal on Spring Tides. The only downside is that the quay timers are vertical but he had plenty planks on ropes that we were welcome to use horizontally against fenders to help Lady Martina stand-off.  It took us a while to get all of the ropes, planks and fenders adjusted but we ended up with two planks, one each correctly positioned for the flood and ebb flows, and then we used the water to wash down the boat and fill the tanks.  

Temp 24>19>23degC, RH 56>69>56%, Pressure 1025>1020mb slowly falling, good visibility, calm/slight seas with wind<11 knots SEly

Another well-planned and executed cruise from Southwold to Woodbridge Tide Mill, cruising at an economical 10 knots, enjoying slight seas and a 1-2 knot following tide all the way down the coast past Orford Ness to arrive at the mouth of the Deben at High Water for a safe entry over this shallow approach.  Then carrying a further 1.5 knots of favourable flood tide all the way up to the Tide Mill to arrive just before High Water there for maximum clearance over the sill of 2.5m. 

{gallery}2017/Southwold-Woodbridge{/gallery}

The seas were calm and wind a mere 9-11 knots and our level of preparedness after two days in port set us in good stead for the day’s cruising. Our latest problem had been a water leak from our newly installed high-pressure water system which I had to repair in the bilges. Sandwiches were scarce for the voyage but we shared what we had and then filled in with biscuits etc. and had a flask each of tea and coffee.

I was  wondering why my colleagues had suggested visiting Woodbridge first and then returning to Southwold. It would mean cruising at speed along the coast and rushing up the Deben against an ebb flow; risking upsetting  moored boats in the process and then only just making the Tide Mill barrier access by inches of depth. Then I would be battling the tide again today and struggling to get up to Southwold and to find moorings at this very popular port there having settled for a late arrival. By contrast, we arrived at Southwold half an hour before high tide yesterday and then today we carried a following tide all the way down the coast and up the Deben where we had an extra 3m of depth at the difficult tricky entrance and then had 2.5m of depth over the barrier upon arrival. It was a splendid day, very slight seas and sunny warm weather and good visibility. 

We arrived just after High Water and were directed to our finger berth which presented no difficulties given the breeze had dropped to almost nothing. We used the hose to wash Lady Martina down and free of salt and then filled up the tanks that I had left empty for economy during the trip. Shore power was available but the marina WiFi was a challenge, radiating very closely to their office and shower block and then being very slow from over-use , but each of our computers could connect one at a time by me using the BT-Fon service for access by BT internet customers and that served us well

Temp 27>32degC, RH 49>37%, Pressure 1017mb steady, good visibility (occ mod at Deben Entrance), calm/slight seas with wind 8-10 knots Sly

The timings of this cruise were totally dictated by the need for leaving just as there is sufficient clearance over the Tide Mill sill to maximise depths at the mouth of the Deben and so the tides were adverse for most of the trip but the weather was excellent , warm with very little winds. The exit from the Deben seems to be shallower and trickier each year but we had 4-6m today at high tide. The cruise past Harwich and up the Orwell was straightforward with past waypoints as a guide and Ipswich lock opened us for us when requested 

{gallery}2017/Woodbridge-Ipswich{/gallery}

We negotiated the Tide Mill exit without difficulty and then had the problem of keeping to a poorly and sparsely-marked channel where red and orange mooring buoys competed with navigational markers to confuse even the most wary of navigators! Just like on the way in, I made at least one mistake and detour but fortunately the past tracks on my computer alerted me so that I could correct before we ventured in water that was too shallow. Being early on a making tide would have meant that we could have got off anyway, but we did not need that!

The exit at the mouth of the Deben was another concern. Years ago, my chartlet of the area showed around 1m on the channel at LAT but now it is only around .3m in places but, again, I was there just before High Water and we had around 3m throughout. Even so, the channel was narrow with only two port and one starboard buoys and you could see breaking waves very close.

Once beyond the Deben fairway buoy my new short cut across the sands at near high water had no less than 7m depth throughout until we joined the Harwich Small Ship Channel and then cruised along its length until entering the Deben and taking the rest of the voyage easily on a wide river with former tracks and waypoints under auto-pilot to aid me as I relaxed on deck with my feet up. The Ipswich Town lock opened for us upon request and we rose .6m and were soon cruising along to the Ipswich Haven Marina where we had been allocated berth K1. Unfortunately another sailing yacht was in our place but I manoeuvred Lady Martina into the shorter one next to it and attracted admiring comments from the onlookers, leaning on the rails and enjoying their beer and cigarettes!

We connected the shore power and then spent our customary first hour after a sea trip hosing down the boat before relaxing inside for the evening. Some serious work on my computer and in the bridge planning our trip for Saturday on to Ramsgate and then another late night to bed after an enjoyable shower, packing up my computer and other things to be right ready for our train trip back home

Temp 20>32degC, RH 66>30%, Pressure 1022-1021mb steady, good visibility, smooth/slight seas with wind less than 10 knots variable but mostly SEly

A good plan to make best use of the tides was frustrated today by a poorly-organised Ipswich Lock operation which delayed our departure and thus our arrival at Ramsgate by more than an hour. This meant that we were late for our reception for an inner harbour berth and were also punching an adverse tide for the last hour across the North Foreland and Broadstairs Knoll shallows for our final approach and had to increase speed and use more fuel for a comfortable entry. Despite that, the weather was benign, warm with a variable breeze of less than 11knots and so the cruise itself was very pleasant until the last hour or so

{gallery}2017/Ipswich-Ramsgate{/gallery}

Before leaving, I could tell that the lock was going to be congested by the level of radio traffic and I wanted to leave earlier but nothing prepared us for the ridiculous delays that were to follow when we tried to leave Ipswich Dock.  The problem was that there were two large trip boats, anxious to get their priority and the dock control lady was too generous in holding up traffic for them to exit the lock, go and pick up passengers and keep the same lock open for their return when the vessels concerned were plainly not yet ready to leave their moorings and proceed to the lock. This created frustration and delays and the traffic was backing up in both directions. Added to that the lock itself was poorly loaded with spare spaces unoccupied and seemed to be very slow, with apparently two sluices not working, so each ‘pen’ took ages.

All this made us a full hour late in starting our cruise down the River Orwell and I had to push the 6-knot speed limit a bit in reaches where there were no moored boats, but the delay had at least meant that there was  a following ebb tide to help us. That soon disappeared as we left Harwich and went well out to sea in the Thames Estuary to avoid the Long Sand and Kentish Knock sandbanks. The flood tide helped us again once we turned south and headed towards Kent but that hour’s delay hit us hard in our final approach when we were late on the tide and fought an adverse 1-2 knot flow when approaching Ramsgate. The shallows off offshore produced their normal bumpiness when the tide was flowing and so I increased engine speed and sped in to the port.

The bridge to the inner harbour was still open, but the fuel berth had closed and the pumps were all locked up and we then had the problem of mooring. I had spoken to Port Control before leaving Ipswich,  and they had said that they would inform the Dock-Master of my expected arrival at 6pm, but by now we were an hour later and, whether or not there had been a change of shift or whatever I was not sure, but our arrival came as a complete surprise to him and he resisted our entry with three red lights. He then appeared to get into an argument with port control over the situation, saying that there was nobody there to assist me and give me an entrance key etc and was getting generally upset with his Dockmaster role being bypassed. Perhaps there is now friction at ‘The Royal Harbour of Ramsgate’ where demarcation could be an issue now that the responsibilities have reduced with the demise of the Roll-Ro Ferries, even though the huge Wind Farms nearby should had led to more activity to take up the slack. We have Port Control, the Marina and also this Dock-master all with their own roles and communication becomes a problem.

There being no answer on my VHF call to the Dock-master, I ignored the red lights and took Lady Martina slowly through into the inner harbour anyway and a helpful young man on the ground waved us into a vacant berth, found us an electricity point and gave us a security key fob which he said was a ‘maintenance key’ which we had to make sure of returning. There were no hoses and so we used our own flat reeled one to wash down Lady Martina and fill her tank and then settled down for the evening and got things straight. Although I had said I was staying for 2/3 days there seems to be some huge storms coming in that time frame and so I might stay longer. 

Temp 22>>33>24degC, RH 57>28>44%, Pressure 1013-1011mb falling slowly, good visibility (fair off of N Foreland), smooth/slight seas (occ sl/mod off Ramsgate) with wind less than 11 knots variable but mostly SWly