After completing the course planning and preparation of Lady Martina, much of which had been undertaken the night before, I checked with the harbourmaster and we agreed that it would be okay for us to leave about 3 PM local time, which was nearly an hour after high water. By this time the levels had not dropped very much and we would be able to carry the ebb tide back along the Suffolk coast to Lowestoft. From our moorings, we could still see the P&O cruise ship Arcadia anchored offshore acting as a huge tide gauge was it swung round just before we were leaving port. Today's harbourmaster did not turn any boat away but tried his best to accommodate them. I was wondering why he was looking quizzically at Lady Martina as we left, and I found out once we arrived in turbulence outside Lowestoft Harbour. I had left our Dutch pottery Stork chick, Ooievaar. in his nest up on my radar reflector, with his legs dangling, and he lasted the entire voyage until the very end when he fell off but was recovered safely. 

{gallery}2020/Sthwld-Lowstft{/gallery}

We carried the tide North along the coast with our progress being at least one knot faster and this rose to over 2 kn by the time we approached the Newcombe Sand buoy. The sea was smooth to slight throughout but the tidal turbulence at the entrance to Lowestoft caused by the interaction of the ebb with the coastal flow rocked the boat a little until we safely cruised into the outer harbour. We had met fishing vessel Orion on a coincident course as he was gutting his catch single-handed and then we were followed in by a Coastal Protection ‘warship’ which sailed through the Bascule bridge to its base in Lake Lothing. We radioed in and moored up just 1hr 40mins after leaving Southwold.

19-24 degC; RH 71→64%; 1023mb steady ; smooth/slight/mod seas with 9-13 knot breeze, variable; fair visibility with slight rain in the air

After some brief sea trials, our first proper sea trip of a season much-disrupted by the coronavirus 19 lockdown. Proceeding well on a fine and murky day heading out from Lowestoft Harbour through the Stanford channel and pass the East Barnard cardinal marker before cruising the remaining five nautical miles or so to the Southwold harbour piers. Then calling for entry instructions after which we moored at the pontoon adjacent to the harbourmaster's office 

{gallery}2020/Lowst-Southwold{/gallery}

In predominantly south-easterly breezes, the Force 4 strength with the following tide of 1 to 2 kn kept the sea state to smooth or slight and, with moderate to good visibility and warm temperatures the cruise went very well. As this was the first test of our hulls effectiveness, following the new antifouling application, I opened up the engines and monitored the speed through the water every 100 rpm up to a maximum of 2600 rpm where the speed was about 19 kn. By cruising relatively slowly at 13 to 1500 kn we kept our speed to around 9 kn through the water, 10 kn over the ground, where we were consuming something like 20 L an hour of diesel fuel. The harbourmaster had left after taking our final call so we were left to choose her own location on the pontoon and complete our moorings alone

29-25 degC; RH 55→59%; 1014mb steady ; smooth/slight seas with  12-17 knot breeze, mainly SEly; good/mod visibility

Cruising from Lowestoft to Wells with a perfectly-timed passage to have wind with the following Spring Tide, then slightly delayed by an earlier-than-predicted tidal flow change but we still arrived at Wells Harbour around an hour before high water. Then shown in behind Robert Smith in the harbour launch as the heavens opened with thundery rain.  We tied up at the new pontoons with electricity and water readily available

{gallery}2020/Lowst-Wells{/gallery}

The breeze was 9-12 knots breeze, now SWly Force 3/4 strength with a following tide of 2 to 3 knots for the first two thirds of the passage keeping the sea state smooth to slight, but the tide turned a little earlier than prediction, delayed our passage by about 15mins and made for a slight sea rather than smooth. 

As we were off Blakeney Point, we heard from Wells Harbour VHF traffic that a flotilla of sailing yachts from the Royal Harwich Yacht Club were ahead of us a little early on the tide and preoccupied the harbour staff until then. We then made our presence known on VHF and the harbour launch was ready for us at the entrance for pilotage and they had kept an alongside berth for us in the favourable spot near to the west of the pontoon. 

The overall weather had been warm and close and the predicted thunderstorms arrived as we started our approach, saturating the poor harbourmaster but relieving us of the task of washing down the boat! Fortunately and considerately, it paused as we moored and went ashore for a takeaway fish and chips and then resumed with a vengeance. 

Lady Martina was functioning well the cruise was completed without problem. 

27-29 degC; RH 64→50%; 1008→1005mb falling slowly ; smooth/slight seas with 10-12 knot SWly breeze, good visibility fine with thundery showers and downpours developing later

After a very disappointing experience with the Southwold harbour, which entailed leaving the moorings in an indecent hurry, we had a good trip back to the club at Lowestoft with the boat performing well and we arrived in time for me to drive to Ipswich for some new charts and diesel protection additive. There had just been Lady Martina and one other private boat moored for the two days that we were visiting, with 4/5 free moorings, which was a shame.

{gallery}2020/Sthwld-Lowstft{/gallery}

It was a different officer to yesterday and this one knew nothing of any efforts by the other to accommodate us for a further day and insisted that we had to leave as he had five boats arriving. We could not even stay during the day, and had to leave immediately. When pressed, he had no idea when they were due to arrive, and upon which tide, nor where they were going from which was all very unsatisfactory. We heard that three boats had been expected and had not arrived but, with the office unmanned for most of the day and the phone ringing constantly. there seemed little chance of contact and visitors were obviously discouraged.

This had been another good trip, with Lady Martina and all of her equipment all working satisfactorily. There had been a slight salt water leakage into the starboard bilge, which was traced to a leaking stern gland that could be tightened when next accessibly or the gland could be re-packed when next out of the water.

22-25 degC; RH 78→71%; 1015mb steady ; smooth/slight seas with 9-11 knot breeze, mainly NEly; mod/poor visibility turning into fog after our arrival

Another perfectly-timed and planned passage cruising from Wells-next-the-Sea to Lowestoft with the effects of a F5 20-knot wind ameliorated by the following 1.5-2.5 knot following tide so as to result in a slight to moderate following swell and sea. Leaving Wells an hour before after High Water as the last of the pleasure vessels, we carried the following tide all around the North Norfolk coast to Lowestoft.

{gallery}2020/Wells-Lowst{/gallery}

The breeze was in the range of Force 5, 17-20 knots breeze, mostly westerly but varying from NWly to Swly during the passage. This followed our course on the stern as we gained between 1.5 to 3.5 knots of current and so, with a swell as forecast of .7m, Lady Martina was seeming to surf at times.

Apart from the first led out from the Wells channel to round the West Cardinal Marker, where the swell and waves were on our beam, the rest of the passage was firm and comfortable as Lady Martin sailed through the following sea and she made for a very stable platform as we ate our breakfast and lunch underway.

The cruise took us back past the familiar Norfolk coastal resorts of Blakeney, Cley, Weybourne, Sherringham Cromer, Trimmingham, Mundesley, Bacton, Happisburgh, Sea Palling, Horsey and Winterton before we entered the Yarmouth Road via the Cockle Gateway and passed the wind farm as we cruise south in calm waters to Lowestoft. 

We re-fueled with 733 litres of deisel upon arrival whilst the red variety was still available and treated it with an anti-bug and anti-moisture additative because this fuel ws going to be kept for some while.

Lady Martina was functioning well the cruise was completed without problem. 

24-28 degC; RH 58→43%; 1013mb steady ; slight/moderate seas with 17-20 knot F5 mainly SWly breeze which veered NWly, good visibility fine weather

Despite some problems getting our domestic chickens looked after, our recent enjoyment of the trip to Wells-next-the-Sea and decision to keep Lady Martina motivated us to have another cruise before the season ended. In truth, holidays aboard our boat seemed to be the only safe way to maintain social isolation in a society that was taking increasing risks with close contact. Keeping an eye on the Marine Weather forecast, it transpired that the Friday was as good as, and even better than, the following day and so we arrived at The Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club Thursday night and I planned the trip and made the necessary preparations. 

{gallery}2020/2Lowst-Southwold{/gallery}

With  easy access from the moorings, we again headed out from Lowestoft Harbour through the Stanford channel and pass the East Barnard cardinal marker before cruising the remaining five nautical miles or so to the Southwold harbour piers. Then calling for entry instructions, after which we moored at the pontoon adjacent to the harbour-master's office. 

As a result of another well-timed passage plan, we benefited from an approximate 2 knot following tide such that our 7-8kt propulsion through the water at a modest 11-1300 revs resulted in a 9.3kt passage speed, covering the 14nm in an hour and a half. The  predominantly 10-11kt south-westerly breeze, gusting to F4/5, being offshore, only raised the sea state from smooth/slight to slight/moderate later in the passage when we increased speed slightly to prevent Lady Martina's 14 tonne hull slamming on the head on well that had accumulated over the past number of days. With good visibility and warm temperatures the cruise went very well. The harbourmaster had left after taking our final call so we were left to choose her own location on the pontoon and complete our moorings alone.

One surpise was the presence of the P & O cruise liner Arcadia at anchor in our planned course just off of Southwold after her World cruise had to be cancelled because of the Covid restrictions. In my CA HLR role for Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and The Broads, I also responded to some unanswered VHF calls from Yacht Harmony who was failing to raise Southwold and eventually diverted to Lowestoft which gave him a berth

24 degC; RH 61→54%; 1020mb steady ; smooth/mod seas with  10-11 knot breeze, mainly Swly; good visibility

This section summarises the cruises planned for Lady Martina in 2020 and evolves with constant updates and additions.

{gallery}2020/2Lowst-Southwold{/gallery}

Whilst plans were always subject to the weather, the serviceability of the vessel and health and well-being of the crew, this summarises our cruising intentions and acts as a guide for friends and family who we wanted to visit us at every opportunity as valued guests.

An additional consideration this year, has been the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, delaying, as it has, all cruising activity domestic and international throughout the spring and early summer of 2020. There have also been uncertainties about the implications of Brexit, impacting both the availability of red diesel for the future and complicating the arrangements for arriving at and leaving adjacent countries in Europe. As a result, we were not able to get on Lady Martina until late July ready to start some local cruising in the month of August.

As our plans for individual cruises take the reader to the details of each passage as they happen. 

Section I - Southwold - Thursday 13th August to Saturday 15th August (3 days incl. 1 lay-day)

Following an initial proving cruise, it was concluded that the 'Broads antifouling' that had previously adequately protected Lady Martina's hull whilst being moored in Horning had not been sufficient to keep the whole clean during recent months at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk yacht club in Lowestoft. We therefore arranged the vessel to come out in Lake Lothing where the hull was cleaned off and was coated with two good layers of Seajet 033 Shogun antifouling; which comes highly recommended for protecting hulls from the East Coast of England at the moment. Whilst out of the water, we enlisted the services of experienced professional yacht surveyor Dominic who concluded that the hull was 'as sound as a bell', which was reassuring. As Lady Martina had been virtually unused since the last full service conducted by Johnston's Boatyard at St Olaves, she was now in good condition for any possible use.

There being limited international cruising opportunities, with return journeys from both France and the Netherlands being subject to a 14 day quarantine, it felt better to concentrate what was left of the season for visits to the East Coast

Part 1. Thursday 13th August-  Lowestoft to Southwold see Lowestoft to Southwold 2020

Part 2. Saturday 15th August - Southwold to Lowestoft see  Southwold to Lowestoft 2020

Section II - Wells next the Sea  - Tuesday 18th August to Tuesday 25 August (7 days incl. 5 lay days) 

Part 1. Tuesday 18th August 2020  - Lowestoft to Wells-next-the-Sea see  Lowestoft to Wells-next-the-Sea 2020

Part 2. Monday 24th August 2020  - Wells-next-the-Sea to Lowestoft see  Wells-next-the-Sea to Lowestoft 2020

Section III - Southwold - Friday 4th September to Monday 7th September (4 days incl. 2 lay-days)

Part 1. Friday 4th September -  Lowestoft to Southwold see Lowestoft to Southwold 2020 2

Part 2. Monday 7th August - Southwold to Lowestoft see  Southwold to Lowestoft 2