The End is Nigh

Wells-next-the-Sea is a distinctive harbour based on a river which cuts its way across a low-lying sandy shore. The way into the harbour from the sea is only obvious because it has been marked by buoys. The harbour itself is reasonably deep but this channel through the sandy shore means you have to go in and out within a couple of hours of high tide. In the morning we have to wait until 5pm before making our escape, this feels like a relative lie-in.  It is 9th July 2021.


For a change, the sun is up before we are. Leaving Wells-next-the-Sea.

The sea is flat and initially there is little or no wind. Our carbon footprint for the trip is getting bigger. For the first six hours we at least have the tidal flow working with us and we make great progress. But on this long leg to Lowestoft of 55 miles the inevitable happens and the tide turns. The wind has picked up and we are sail motoring but eventually against a 2 knot flow which is disheartening. We take it turns to sleep and that helps to get us through the day.

By mid-afternoon the mist becomes a fog and it gets a bit scarey because there are ships about. A big ship suddenly appears out of the wall of fog but luckily it is merely at anchor. We fetch our foghorn out and have it on hand just in case, although it is hard to imagine that our little hand held noise machine will be heard over the engines of a ship or even a large fishing boat. We head further inland to get the reassurance of seeing the coastline and on the assumption that only smaller boats will come close to shore. Gradually the opposing tidal flow eases and we approach Lowestoft. It is a busy port but with a narrow and somewhat ‘blind’ entrance so coming and going is controlled by the harbour master and each boat using VHF radio to ask for permission to enter or leave.



Safe in the marina at Lowestoft.

The Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club has a grand club house overlooking its marina and good facilities. We use the showers and the laundry, and this noticeably improves the atmosphere on board Kindred Spirit II. Our aim tomorrow, assuming the fog clears, is to get to Harwich. That will put us within one-day striking distance of Blackwater Sailing Club and the completion of our sailing trip around the UK. In addition to a family wedding, we now also have a football match as a key element of our passage planning. We are looking towards the end of our trip and thinking of what is next. With light winds forecast for tomorrow, our efforts to achieve a low carbon sustainable future may have to wait until next week.

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