Out of the Harbour and Turn Right

By Howard and Mary Williams

Chapter 8 Ramsgate to Spurn Head

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	Day 51 Saturday 1st July, Ramsgate to Ewarton Ness (River Stour, off Harwich) - 54 NM We had been planning the passage across the Thames for several days, as we did not want to get caught up in the numerous sandbanks. We had plotted several different routes, but they all seemed over involved and cumbersome, and the real elegant route was at hand all the time.

We had not really looked at the book entitled “East Coast Pilot” purchased before leaving, until we got to Dover, but it had in its rear pages a chart of Thames Estuary Passages and the route from Ramsgate to Harwich was then simplicity itself – out past the “Broadstairs knoll,” then starboard of the “Elbow” cardinal off the North Foreland then starboard round the  “Kentish Knock” cardinal. Aim then for the Cork Sand cardinal, running between the “Black Deep” red channel marker and “Trinity” cardinal, then follow the channel into Felixstowe/Harwich. With not a breath of wind we motored all 54 miles, leaving Ramsgate with the tide at 0505 arriving at a wonderful anchorage at Ewarton Ness, just a few miles up the River Stour, at 1345.

Day 52 Sunday 2nd July, Ewarton Ness to Lowestoft via Southwold - 48 NM

We again set off early with the tide, hauling our anchor at 0615 to motor downriver into the main port with a tide of 2 knots. Hoisted our sails once we had cleared the harbour, but with an ENE1 the sails just gave us a small lift.

We motored into Southwold harbour at 1355 and after a quick lunch walked into the beautiful town. Southwold beach was heaving, and we had a leisurely wander back along the beach to the harbour. In contrast to the town the harbour was a smelly, muddy place, with old tatty wooden shacks selling expensive fish, and at £18 per night for a mud berth with the only toilet block some 600 metres away I did not consider it the best of places. We were charged £5 for our short stay, leaving at 1540. With a semi-decent ENE2 we had a gentle sail for a while, but when the speed dipped below 2 knots we again resorted to the iron sail, tying up at the Royal Norfolk Yacht Club Marina in Lowestoft at 1820. The marina was very full as it was a staging post for the Clydesdale Bank Round Britain Race, and competitors were coming and going all the time. Most were moaning at the lack of wind since the Western Isles, where they had to deal with 44 knot gusts, but since then progress had been brain numbingly slow.

We really liked Lowestoft – it had a great buzz about it, and we had a great evening in the clubhouse. 

Day 53/54 Monday/Tuesday 3/4th July, Lowestoft to Spurn Head via a detour - 131 NM Planning the next stage of our trip was turning out to be very difficult. We didn’t want to get involved in the sandbanks of the Wash and with places like Wells-Next-The-Sea having access only within two hours of HW whatever we seemed to plan did not work out. The only sensible thing was to do something we had firmly said we would not do – sail overnight. Our rough passage plan to sail two hours before the tide turned, aiming for Bridlington, and if we missed the tidal gate we would sail on to Filey Bay. We had a leisurely day, filling tanks and larder spaces and visiting the restored trawler in the harbour as a museum piece. We wandered the beaches, ate Ice Cream and chips before slipping our moorings at 1625. There was not a breath of wind anywhere as we motored north, making 8 knots as we started across the wash. Our good progress continued until the wee hours when Mary took over and I attempted some sleep. I was just dropping off when the engine note suddenly changed and the boat started to swing wildly from port to starboard, and I rushed into the cockpit to see what was up.

Two ships were what was up, one off each bow and Mary was convinced they were both coming straight at us. This was the first time she had ever sailed at night and didn’t know what to look for and after several boats had passed she was able to tell quite easily what was happening. By this time her watch was over and I once again took over the helm, motoring steadily ahead in the dark. Mary took over again just after dawn, when the visibility had dropped to a couple of miles, and I once again lay down to sleep. Again my sleep was short-lived as we went into a fog bank. With numerous gas platforms around as well as shipping it was important to keep a good look out and to use the Radar. I was absolutely useless up top as my glasses instantly fogged over as soon as I stepped out of the cabin, so we worked as a team – Mary steering, yours truly on the radar, and looking at the radar can be very tiring.

At 0620 the inshore forecast was broadcast by the coastguard announcing a NE3/4 with Fog Banks, but at the end of the forecast the coastguard announced that it was blowing a NW5 at Bridlington, and within an hour the wind had backed to a NW5, with the fog as thick as ever.

At 0930 we tacked and it was soon pretty clear that we were not making any real progress. With over 3 knots of tide against us, no autohelm to assist and not being able to fix anything to aim for ahead we were making no way, and we decided that we should try and motor for Bridlington. With the engine working hard we could manage no more than 3.5 knots and with my brain addled by lack of sleep a quick calculation showed that we would not be anywhere near Bridlington when the tide went out and it would be after 2100 before we got to Filey bay. Regrettably we turned about, turned the engine off and went with the tide for Spurn Head, where the pilot showed an anchorage just behind the point which would be sheltered from Northerlies. It had to do us as there was little else besides another anchorage quite a long way up river.

When we arrived at the anchorage our hearts sank – it looked really grim. However, we dropped the anchor, it held secure in the mud and we had lunch before assessing our options – it was 1620 and we had been sailing for 24 hours.

After lunch I went for a short nap until dinner – and woke up at 0700 the following day!! I don't think I've ever done that before.

Next section - Spurn Head to Aberdour