Sailing Resumed

Ellie as Nana

Following my broken sternum, I was not supposed to lift shopping bags, do laundry, housework or gardening. I was restricted to walking as my only exercise. I was able to cook meals and drive short distances, as long as I placed a towel or cushion under the seatbelt.

Ben, Sophie, Jeremy, Kathy, Em and Ellie at Felixstowe Ferry

My first outing was to my granddaughters’ school to watch Ellie perform in her last primary school pantomime as Nana in Peter Pan. She was a star (of course, I’m biased!). Three weeks later it was Emily’s birthday. The weather was hot right into the evening. We had smoked salmon sandwiches and cake on the beach with Em, Ben, Ellie and Sophie. They all went swimming and paddle boarding, while I went for a walk by the sea. 

Beach BBQ at The Rocks

 Early in August, we had another outing with our Suffolk family. This time we had a beach BBQ and we went in our boats, Sal Darago and Sea Rose. I could steer but otherwise, I was a passenger. We stayed longer than intended and I was very tired, but happy to have been out on the water.

Lene, Robert, Kathy and Jeremy at Harwich

 Our Danish friends, Robert and Lene, flew over from Denmark for four nights. This was another opportunity to sail and we had crew. We motorsailed from the River Deben to the River Orwell and spent the night in Ipswich Beacon Marina. Lene was briefly seasick passing Felixstowe but soon recovered. The next night we picked up a mooring in the river. On our way home we stopped at Harwich for lunch. Berthing at the Halfpenny Pier was tricky and I could only watch and shout as Sal Darago’s bow was bounced into a metal rail close to the pier. After lunch, we continued to the Deben and met up with Em, Ben, Ellie and Sophie for dinner at the Ramsholt pub.

Kathy and Sal Darago in Heybridge Basin

 Towards the end of August, Jeremy and I set off on a two week coastal sail. There was a gale warning the first day, so we stayed on the mooring for two nights. We moved to Felixstowe Ferry and prepared for a dawn departure. It should have been light, but the rain clouds were so heavy, it was practically dark as we left the Deben on the ebb. It was rough and we needed binoculars to see the buoys. That’s when the lens dropped out of my binoculars! Quickly, I found another pair and soon we were out in the North Sea with the lit cranes of Felixstowe container port ahead. We made our way to the River Blackwater in Essex and on the Heybridge Basin on the Chelmer and Blackwater Canal, where we spent three nights.

Kathy on the River Blackwater embankment

 Jeremy had bought two folding bikes from our local recycling centre and we had them on board. First, we needed some groceries, so we took the dinghy along the canal to Tesco. The last time we’d been on a boat here was back in the mid-1970’s when we lived in Essex and kept our motor boat, Francoise Deux, at Little Baddow on the canal. Back at Sal Darago, Jeremy lifted down the bikes and we cycled along the towpath and road to Maldon, completing the day with dinner at The Swan. The next day we cycled along the river embankment and had lunch at The Jolly Sailor. We locked out and spent the night on a mooring off Osea Island.

Dinghy trip along the Chelmer and Blackwater Canal

 Our next anchorage was at Stone Point in the Walton Backwaters, where we walked, swam and snorkelled in sunny weather. Then we sailed directly to the River Ore back in Suffolk and met up with Em and family at Orford. We had lunch at another Jolly Sailor after we’d all toured Orford Castle. The following day we went in opposite directions. Em and family returned to the Deben and we explored the River Alde, anchoring at Aldeburgh for one night and off an old brickyard further upriver another night. We tried to reach Snape and made it to the church at Iken after several muddy groundings. After a quiet night in the Butley River and a pleasant walk ashore, where we met Em on her bike, we returned to the Deben.  Later in the week, we motored upriver to Melton Boatyard and tied to their pontoon next to the travel lift. She was hauled out in mid-September. Two weeks of frantic activity followed. SD was emptied; sails, bimini, sprayhood and dodgers were removed; the engine was winterised and winter covers put in place. Another season had come to an end for us.

Sal Darago at Stone Point

 On 1^st October we drove to Mull. Over the next three weeks we tidied the cottage and garden, watched the Mull (car) Rally and did some walking. We enjoyed catching up with the neighbours, especially drinks, nibbles and a natter with John and Eilidh. Our great niece, Alice, came up for the Mull Rally and to see friends. 

Mull Rally

 We were pleased she joined us for dinner and chat on the three evenings she was in Mull. Jeremy had an accident in the garden. He slipped on the steep rockery he was clearing and fell 14 feet into the open drain. He was shaken, but decided nothing was broken. He’d had one session of physiotherapy on his painful shoulder back in Suffolk. The fall hasn’t helped the healing process.

Meeting family at Orford

 Winds and rain up to Storm Force 10 were forecast for the day we were to catch the ferry to Oban. Local people advised us to leave a day early. We booked on the ferry to Lochaline and arrived home safely. Later, our original sailing was cancelled and our money was refunded. 

Jeremy and Kathy after their talk

 We had two illustrated talks to give the week we arrived home. One was in our own village to a small audience from my book club. The other was in London to the East Coast group of the Westerly Owners Association. We were the speakers at their AGM. We sold five of our books “Sailing By on Sal Darago.”

Kathy and Sal Darago at the Butley River

 Em, Ellie and Sophie came to our house for a Halloween tea followed by trick and treating around our village. Naturally, we dressed up for the occasion. 

Sophie, Ellie, Jeremy, Kathy and ghost

 Scary, good fun was had by all. Ben was able to join us later for soup, cake and sweets.

Tobermory Bay

 So now we’re into November, the season of flu and covid jabs. We are planning a road trip from California to Mexico, where we hope to spend Christmas and New Year with our USA family:  Simon, Erin, Nina and Ramona.

Alice and Kathy in Mull

 We wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.