We left Wrabness to join up with Torsten on Folia in Titchmarsh Marina. It is a while since I’ve sailed in the Walton Backwaters and I’ve always had fond memories of anchoring at Stone Point. Torsten was due to arrive with a couple of friends late on the Friday evening so while we waited we walked into Walton on the Naze to do some shopping and have a mooch around. I hadn’t realised that the beach disappears at high tide. We went down to the pier and stopped at an appalling pub for a lightly iffy beer while the most incredibly noisy game of pool was being played. Glad to escape. We picked up some food and returned to Sumara for an evening meal. I’m tending to avoid marinas when there is another option so while we are in one we take full advantage and fill up with food, water, fuel and have showers and hose the boat down. We set off in the morning joined by Folia and decided to have lunch back in Wrabness. Folia arrived first and anchored. We joined soon after and tied up alongside.
I know Sumara is small but when tied alongside Folia she looks tiny. We had a wonderful lunch and set off to Pin Mill to find my new mooring for the first time. We had booked an evening meal at the famous Butt and Oyster pub and arranged to meet more friends Martin and Katie and their children Dylan and Tess. All the buoys all looked occupied so I was surprised to find number 32 was still vacant and waiting for us. This is to be Sumara’s new home. Torsten picked up a larger buoy on the other bank. We rowed the 20 minute row ashore, found a nice table outside and we all had great pub meal. Torsten sailed off on the early tide. Next week he is sailing to Norway. The following day we walked to Wolverstone along the river.
We decided our next stop would be Woodbridge. It is necessary to arrive at the bar couple of hours before high water to allow enough time to take the tide up the River Deben to Woodbridge Tide Mill Basin.
We had no problems on the bar and arrived at high water to be allocated a berth which was later reclaimed by a rather angry owner. Peter Willis popped down to see us and we had a beer on board. We were lucky enough to visit the Tide Mill while it was working, well worth the trip. The following day we strolled up the river to visit the Sutton Hoo site. We spent most of the day there and joined a conducted walk.
The house belonging to Mrs Pretty who owned the land was an interesting addition the day. The following morning Peter took us to visit John Criech (sp) who has spent eight years restoring a canoe yawl (Albert Strange?). It is a joy to behold. John is hoping to launch very soon. Currently engineless, John will decide whether to install one later but it will need to have an offset prop. After lunch we motored down to Ramsholt and picked up a buoy. George the Ramsholt Harbourmaster is great character who is very helpful and he seems to be on permanent duty. My friend Philip has his Vertue moored there and always sings George’s praises. The next day was very windy with a force 7 forecast so we went for a walk to Ramsholt Church and had fish and chips in the Ramsholt Arms. The village seems to be a pub and a church with a few houses. We had to set off on Saturday as our holiday was drawing to a close. It was still quite windy 4-5 but at the time we left it was from the west. We left two hours before high water and motor sailed into a strong spring tide barely making progress. The wind sadly then veered so it would be on the nose going over the bar. With no pull from the sails and a lumpy sea it was a long struggle to reach Woodbridge Haven buoy. We did make it of course and bore away out to sea before making a couple of long boards towards Harwich. With the wind behind us we flew up the River Orwell and picked up our buoy at Pin Mill to end our East Coast Holiday.
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