Oct. 3, 2005 - autumn is here!

Didn't sail on Saturday...

We were intending to... but a Friday night drink when a few friends came over caused a somewhat thicker head than planned on Saturday morning.... so we chilled, and planned a day sail on Sunday....

We set off nice and early Sunday morning, recruiting my father-in-law along the way as additional crew, and chief child entertainment officer......

We got down to the boat by 09h15 Sunday, and after the usual routine, were off the pontoon by 10h00....

It was a beautiful autumn day.... blue skies, and a good stiff breeze blowing, with the temperature struggling to nudge past 10 degrees...

We set off down the river, and unfurled about 2/3 of the genny, and proceeded on a dead run... the wind was at about 15kts, and as we ran down the river, and got closer to Harwich, it built to 20kts, with gusts up to 25kts..... great autumn sailing conditions, but as we were dead downwind, we stayed under genny alone.

We stuck our nose out past Languard point for about 2nm, and then turned round, and headed back up wind.... it was pretty gysty, and going into the wind, it was pretty cold, so we furled the genny, and motored back towards Ipswich.... strainght into the wind, and the ebb out of the river, so we were only making 3 to 4 knots over the ground.... a long slow slog back up the river, saw us tied up by 15h00.

I don't know about anyone else, but those Autumn sails in cold weather are for me some of the best sails of the year.... very few boats about... and the ones that are seem to know what they are doing much more generally, and the rules of the road seem to be understood more readily, so less confusion!

We all got a bit chilly, but nothing that hot coffee and soup couldn't deal with, and the first sail of the year in gloves and hats....

Miles logged this trip 21nm

Miles logged this season 707nm