Southwold → Orford → Southwold
Having got our eye in sailing out of Southwold harbour and a mile or 2 up and down the coast, we were building confidence in Elise. She spent the winter of 2020/21 on the drive receiving some tlc and some upgrades which also meant I could play inside in the evenings pretending I was on an ocean voyage.
Shakedown Season
Soon it was spring and the sun was shining showing signs of the colder weather easing up. This is also when my excitement begins to take over me. With Elise looking better than ever and fresh bottom we were soon to launch and shakedown.
Our club programme for 2021 looks looks great, with more cruiser racing and cruising scheduled. One of the events, a club cruise to Orford, 25Nm each way, was definitely something we wanted to go on. Having the safety blanket of other familiar vessels around gave us the false sense of security that we needed to branch out from the hugging arms of Southwold harbour!
Departure
Soon enough, the time had come and it was a glorious hot and sunny morning down at Blackshore as we were getting the last few bits loaded up on Elise. Armed with a new pair of sunnies and extra sun cream, libby and I boarded and made our way out to sea with 5 fellow yachts and their crews. We headed due south, up went the spinnakers as we all sailed downwind in convoy basking in the Mediterranean conditions. The wind was about 12 knots on the rear quarter so it couldn’t be better.
Orford Ness
We rounded the corner of Orford Ness. Top secret tests were carried out here during both world wars and into the nuclear age, the labs are still standing which makes an awesome back drop. The wind had picked up a little having veered slightly more onshore as a sea breeze was filling in. Still with our spinnaker up we were fast approaching the safe water buoy just off the entrance to the Ore at Shingle Street. Our fellow cruisers were a little ahead of us which was ideal as we would be able to follow them through the shoaling entrance, or perhaps take a different route. The shingle spit is the largest in Europe stretching 10miles. The spit is formed from long shore drift with the sea dumping shingle there from further north of the Suffolk coast.
Approach
We dropped the spinnaker and rounded the safe water buoy. This sudden course change put the apparent wind angle just ahead of the beam. With the wind behind us, it was glorious, but as soon as we rounded up we must have had about 20 knots of breeze that we were inevitably going to be steaming into as we made our entrance into the river.
Every year there is a new chartlet published with advice for approaching. This can be found on the east coast pilot website and is very useful. So obviously we had studied it and having just rounded the haven buoy, then getting pummelled by waves and wind, a final check, and it looked to me all the buoys were in the wrong place. With Libby looking unimpressed, our fellow cruisers ahead of us already passing the spit, I noticed one of our party had nosed up the beach adjacent to the Weir SHB. At which point I said to Libby “oh no they are on the beach” “right sod this I’m cutting across” Libby responded with “can we just turn back and go home”. This manoeuvre would have meant missing Oxley buoy and taking a straight line from the Haven buoy to Weir buoy. Let’s just take a look at that on the chartlet.
As we begun to take the crazy route thinking we will avoid being beached, I looked behind and a local Cornish crabber was following us. We then thought that this is ridiculous, we will have to go round the buoys now because it’s one thing us getting in trouble, but if some one followed us……. Needless to say we resulted in taking the correct route and entered safely.
We later heard that the cruiser that ran their nose onto the beach did so due to hitting the shoal on the inside. It spun them and they nosed onto the beach. It just so happened to be right next to a sun bather who proceeded to role up their towel and move on. Not wanting to witness what may unfold. Any how, all was ok as they reversed off using the motor and continued toward Orford. Hilarious thought.
Safely entered
We proceeded to motor up the river Ore gently and with the tide under us. We saw hundreds of seals sun bathing on the spit . Probably amused by our approaches.
We continued 5 miles up the river passing Orford Ness nature reserve again but on the inside and while keeping an eye out for the ‘wild man of Orford’.
We finally arrived at Orford. A quick call on the vhf to the harbour master, he quickly pointed out our mooring buoy for the night whilst the others anchored up slightly downstream. We moored up, killed the engine and chilled with a cold one.
Celebration
We had a table booked at Pinneys restaurant and pre drinks aboard Spirit as we relaxed and amused each other with our approaches. young Hugh was our water taxi.
We made our way into the village for some drinks at the kings head before arriving for an amazing fish dinner at Pinney’s. A few bottles later an some hours we made our way back onboard our vessels. Well most of us did, there was a case of mistaken identity but we don’t think any one was aboard in this case. Fortunately as that would be quite a rude awakening.
We called it a night
A decent night sleep left us feeling fresh in the morning. We departed at 6am and made our way sea ward with the start of the ebb under us. We popped out of the Ore and motored most of the way back due to light winds from ahead. Eventually we rounded Orford Ness which brought the wind a little more for a close hauled sail which we enjoyed for the remainder of the passage.
Libby rustled up some lovely rolls for lunch.
We eventually had a lovely sail as the wind filled in and veered.
Were we boated out?
This was a fantastic trip, and the first of many amazing trips to come. Libby and I felt rather accomplished and it was a great costal passage for us to start building some trust in Elise. Having sailed out of Southwold for most of my life, it’s mainly been dinghy sailing, so it’s great to be able start exploring the east coast of Suffolk a little more. I don’t think I was boated out, in fact I was left wanting more, and to go further.
Thanks for reading my post
If you enjoyed reading this post and would like to read about some of my other adventures then click here to see my other posts. Thanks again and fair winds.
Ollie & Libby- Boated out!
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