Bank Holiday weekend aboard Myfanwy
Since I joined the Classic Sailing Club bought, we have been very keen to sail Myfanwy on the east coast rivers, to explore some backwaters and find the places that landlubbers and those with deeper draft cannot easily reach! So, the Bank Holiday weekend, seemed the perfect opportunity to visit West Mersea and the Walton backwaters.
Saturday morning saw us leaving Pin Mill and making our way out of the Orwell. It was a beautiful, sunny, but there was negligible wind so and we reluctantly motored down the coast. We decided to spend the afternoon round the Walton backwaters. The channel into the backwaters is narrow and shallow, but the East Coast Pilot proved absolutely invaluable for helping us find the correct route. Spring tides meant that finding the right path was even more critical! We entered Walton channel without mishap and made our way up to Titchmarsh marina. The creek was both beautiful and peaceful, with boats moored either side of the channel and the banks appearing worryingly close at times. We passed a number of classic yachts, and entertained ourselves by trying to identify the designers. The harbour master and chandler at Titchmarsh marina were friendly and we passed a relaxing few hours. The marina restaurant was interesting, possibly something of a local destination. We recommend the fish and chips, sitting outside on the terrace.
Our plan was to leave at 5.00 am, to use the morning tide to our best advantage. The best laid plans … Instead we relaxed and enjoyed the stunning sunrise. The old rhyme “Red sky at morning …” did keep coming to mind, however, but Sunday turned out to be a perfect day and we had the sails up all the way to West Mersea, including flying the asymmetric. Entering West Mersea harbour we called up the harbourmaster (call sign “YC ONE”) and were quickly and courteously found a visitors berth, approximately 10 yards off the end of the pier. Arriving at West Mersea by sea felt completely different to visiting by car. It was a busy sunny Sunday afternoon, with many boats moving round the harbour, the pier lined with visitors and children, the majority of whom were crabbing, with incredible success. Harbour boats were moving visitors and locals around, providing an informal and jolly taxi service.
One reason we wanted to visit West Mersea was to find “The Company Shed”, a fishmonger and “eatery”, where they sell nothing but fish. Nothing else, apart from lemons, but you are permitted to take your own drinks and bread. We weren’t the only ones who had had this idea and the queues for both the shop and the Formica-tabled eatery ran well out into the street. We decided to go for a take-away half an hour later we were back on board, with a seafood feast. We moved the table out into the cockpit, washed down our seafood platter with a beautifully cooled Chablis and congratulated ourselves on having made this trip.
The forecast for Monday was not good, so we tore ourselves away from this idyllic spot and began the journey back up the coast. OK, it was a long way to go for lunch, but what a magnificent lunch and why not anyway? By the evening, we were at the backwaters. We found our way into the channel again, in failing light and with very little water. On a sobering note, we passed a yacht that had run aground, only a metre or so outside the channel, whose crew were resigned to waiting for the tide to rise again. We picked up a mooring in the Twizzle and settled down for a blissfully quiet night, but not before taking the time to listen to the birds and to enjoy the stars that we never seem to see in town.
And as for Bank Holiday Monday? Suffice it to say, it rained, but what else would we expect … Coming up the Orwell in an easterly 40 knot squall is interesting and not recommended for the faint hearted!
A fantastic weekend, and there’s still the Stour, the Deben, the Alde … roll on next Bank Holiday.
Sarah
Founder Member
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