Orwell Archives - Sea Bear

A visit to the Medway

by Chris | Sep 30, 2022 | Voyage Logs

In September I took Sea Bear down to visit the Medway. On the first day I sailed down the Wallet to anchor at Pyefleet for the night. Next day up to and across the Wallet Spitway, crossing the top of the Whitaker spit and down the Middle Deep and West Swin to join the Thames, upriver then past Shoebury Ness until I crossed the main channel by the Nore Swatch and so entered the Medway. I proceeded to enter Stangate creek to anchor for the night.

Stangate creek

On of my reasons for this Medway visit was to visit the historic dockyard of Chatham docks so I motored up the Medway to enter and berth at Gillingham marina. That evening I took a walk to a nice old pub in Gillingham called the Ship.

The Ship Inn, Gillingham

The next day I walked to the Historic Dockyard, it turned out to be a little farther to walk than I expected, Chathman marina is nearer .It was a very interesting day wondering around the various exhibits and I particularly enjoyed the ropemaking. The place is well worth a visit.

Victory model

Inside of shed roof

knotwork frame

sailing barge & dock

Leaving the Marina ventured further up the river to see Upnor & Upnor Castle. It was interesting to visit this spot as this was where my sailing mentor and friend Don had grown up and learnt to sail.

Upnor castle

Then I turned back down the river to once more anchor at Stangate creek.

It had been my desire to complete my trip by visiting Queensborough and sail around the Isle of Sheppy but the forecast wind was from the NW and the pilot advised that the anchorage was not sheltered in those conditions. Another consideration was the tides would be wrong a – too late in the day for completing the passage to Harty Ferry in daylight. So I left it for another day.

Instead I headed back across the Thames and up the West Swin and Middle Deep across the Wallet Spitway and so the Pyefleet. I did briefly consider making for the Orwell directly but decided it wouldn’t be worth having to buck the tide and tiredness later, beside Pyefleet is a nice anchorage even it is a bit of a diversion. A good sail the next day took me back to my mooring on the Orwell.

The Ore & the Alde

by Chris | Aug 4, 2022 | Voyage Logs

The descriptions for entering the Ore had always seemed a little daunting, but in August I summoned up enough courage to visit. Of course conditions had to be right, this year there had seemed to a lot of on-shore winds so a visit had been put off. One difficultly of timing a visit from the Orwell is that to arrive at the Ore bar at good time to cross the bar (2hrs before high water) you have to go against the ebb from Felixstowe so first visit timing is tricky

As it turned out, with a good wind I arrived at the Orford Haven clearwater buoy at just about the perfect time so headed in for the bar under sail and conditions were good. Still it was a bit nerve wracking for a first time entrance as the channel is quite narrow and it didn’t help that a faster boat was on my tail and shouting at me that they couldn’t slow down. (Well they could have I thought if they had hauled in their main a little or even scandalised it). Still they managed to pass safely enough. Thereafter it was more straightforward

I took the channel around the back of Havergate island where I dropped the hook in Long Gull. Lots of birds here as Havergate Island is a bird sanctuary

Next day I proceeded up the river past Oreford and further where the river changes it’s name to the Alde up to Aldborough threading my way through the rows of moorings here and then to arrive at Cob island to anchor again a very peaceful spot.

by Cob island

In the morning I reversed my course down the river next day and anchored just short of Flybury point to wait the tide.

Aldeburgh

Martello tower ccc

Orford

I left here 2 hrs before high water which meant I had to buck the incoming tide but its is recommended that it is foolish to leave on the ebb and besides the tide is not really strong until you get to the bar. Here is was strong lots of ripples & eddies and you pass so close to the beach on side and the sand banks on the other , there is a side entrance as it were where the tide rushes in at you and even with engine progress is slow so it kind of prolongs the agony and suspense. It was quite a relief to pass the buoys and head out for the clearwater buoy. There I could relax and have a very pleasant sail back down the coast to rejoin the Orwell and so back to my mooring.

Thames Sailing Barge match race

by Chris | Jul 14, 2022 | Voyage Logs

In early July I was down on Sea Bear for the annual Thames Barge match race on the Orwell. I watched from opposite the start line as the first pairs of barges started then I followed on down the river, out past Felixstowe, out to sea round the Pye end bouy then back and up the Stour before returning to Pin Mill. It was fine weather and fair winds. It was great to see so many barges out a sailing. When I see a sailing barge it always reminds me of when, as a youngster our family holidays were taken on Canvey Island and we would see the barges sailing past. In those days the ’50’s they were still working barges, so I must have witnessed some of their last days as coastal trading vessels.

Sailing Barges anchored off Pin Mill

Start of Barge race

Blackthorn & unknown

Marjorie

Niagra

Barges off Felixstowe

A few days on the boat

by Chris | Jun 27, 2022 | Voyage Logs

I had a few days on the boat in June. I had planned to go down to river Colne first then perhaps further south. However the wind was from the SW and strong at first. I had a look at going out via the Wallet but it would have been no fun so instead went up the Stour, anchoring first at Copperas bay then by Stutton Ness. Here I saw a deer going for a swim in the river, quite remarkable. At the height of the tide we went up for a closer look at Mistley. It appears that the fence is still up on the quay there despite the High Court order that it be taken down.

Mistley

The weather had calmed down and the tides were right so I thought it time for my first visit to the Deben. It is a bit scary first time with the waves (gentle in this case) breaking on the shingle banks and the channel passing close to the beach. But I entered under sail with a favourable wind and the tide still under me, whoseing me down the channel and I was soon proceeding calmly up the river.

Deben entrance

I picked up a mooring by the Ramsholt Arms. Next day I went up as far as Waldringfield before turning around and heading back to Felixstowe Ferry and out over the bar.

Felixstowe Ferry

The exit I found slightly more nerve wracking than the entrance surprisingly. I had timed it for HW slack so the exit took longer and from the red buoy by Felixstowe ferry you cannot see the green marking the knoll spit so you just have to follow the shoreline as you do not want to stray too far towards the shingle banks. Just a few days before a yacht on exiting had done this and gone aground – a feat I did not want to repeat.

Thames sailing barge in the Wallet

Early the next day I took the tide down the Wallet to Brightlingsea, calm condition but no wind. But of course arrived to anchor in Pyefleet creek and the wind came. The next day forecast spoke of the winds veering to the NE and strengthening to F7 so I decided to head back early rather than having to beat up the Wallet with wind over tide. In the event I had a cracking sail back with a nice F4-5 on the beam and the aft quarter.

Back on the mooring the wind departed and a peaceful eve was had before departing for home the next day.

A still evening at Pin Mill

Fitting out done & shakedown sail.

by chris ayres | Jul 2, 2021 | Fitting out & maintenance, Voyage Logs

I had made a start on the winter work schedule just about as soon as the lockdown easing at the end of April allowed me to travel down to the boat yard. I made a start and got a fair bit done but then was interrupted by a spell of cold and wet weather which put a stop to the work. It wasn’t until almost the end of May that finally we had some good weather and I was able to proceed with fitting out. Of course there is always far more to do than you first anticipate and it all takes longer than expected. There were few nonessential things I wanted to do but decided to put off. Eventually it was all done and the Sea Bear was ready to go back in the water. A few days after the yard told me that she was back on her mooring I went down to Pin Mill with Wendy for company. It was a lovely hot sunny day and after dinghying out to the boat we had a leisurely afternoon just settling in and relaxing.

Wendy & Sea Bear

Pin Mill Sunset

Next morning we slipped away from the mooring, there was no much wind but we did care about that, just sailed and drifted slowly down the river. It was Wendy’s first trip in the area so she was happy to have plenty of time to enjoy the sights. We decided not to go too far and once past Harwich we just headed for the Pye End buuy and hence to the channel to the Walton Backwaters. I though to anchor off Stone point, never having anchored there before but once there I wasn’t too happy with the Anchorage, it either felt too close in and too shallow for when the tide ebbed of far too close to the channel to be truly relaxing so we moved into Hamford water to anchor – much more relaxing. Not long ad after we had settled the wind increased and veered to the NE. This created quite a chop so it was a little uncomfortable for a while but it later eased. Next morning we spotted a pair of Avocets working along the shoreline, it was the first time I had ever seen these distinctive birds. Once the tide had risen enough we set off back out the channel and could just hold the line close hauled so had a good sail back to the mooring. There was enough tide for us to go ashore and have a walk though Pin Mill woods.

Pin Mill views

Returning back I made a classic mistake in that I overlooked the old age dictum of time and tide wait for no man. Actually it was the lure of a pint in the Butt & Oyster, which was perhaps my downfall. Maybe after it was excusable, as I had not had a pint in a pub since before lockdown, October last year, and even so that was just once since lockdown had started way back in March the previous year. Wendy queried whether we would have the time before the tide dropped but anyway the pint prevailed but sure enough back at the pontoon and the dinghy was high & dry. And so it was that I made my first acquaintance with Pin Mill mud – I won’t so easily make that mistake again!

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