Wix and Wrabness Yacht Club 

Dove Cottage Oakley Road Wix Nr. Manningtree Essex. CO11 2SE

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This one had everything, we might have had broken boats and crew swapping before, but on top of that, this one had crew requesting calls to the Coastguard, salvage tugs, deserters, stowaways and in flight re-fuelling for racing pigeons!

Add to that sunshine, swimming off the boats, detours, new destinations, most of which are now firmly on the agenda for future visits, fine sailing and some excellent company, as well as experiencing World Cup fever in Holland. It is difficult to know what more one could wish for.

320 miles and a tired but very happy band of sailors!

Harwich - Stellendam (surprisingly similar to Nieuwpoort, it turns out).

Official planning went straight out of the window as we were faced with an easterly beat all the way to Stellendam.  Carried on manfully until crossing the shipping lanes when decided prudent to use engines only to find Levanter overheating.

A diversion towards Oostende/Nieuwpoort became inevitable, especially as Irella III's engine decided to retire in spectacular fashion. However, wind strengthening and now a reach allowed us to cross W Hinder separation zone without difficulty although a foul tide on approaches to Nieuwpoort made for some hard work to windward for Irella.

Picking up a tow from Levanter approx 1.5 miles from entrance made for some exciting berthing before the entire entourage repaired to Old Nieuwpoort for a thoroughly deserved steak dinner.

Nieuwpoort - Roompot

Once Mike had re-acquainted himself with the delights of negotiating with engineers in a foreign language (at least it wasn't Dunkerque again), it was decided to leave Irella III in Nieuwpoort for engine replacement and osmosis treatment and Irella's crew dispersed to Full Circle and Levanter.

A hastily re-arranged itinery now began with a cruise to the Roompot to ensure we could still visit Oosterschelde and Veersemeere.

Light winds, (still on the nose) made for leisurely progress under a blazing sun until the ebb out of the Oosterschelde called for engines again.  Numerous sightings of porpoises as we locked into Oosterschelde and a quick right turn into Roompot marina, gate-crashing the seagulls' party on an almost deserted pontoon (save for one lonely Dutchman).

Roompot - Zierikzee

10 miles, flat calm, inland sea and wall to wall sunshine.  Tied up at Zierikzee before lunch, rafted 3 out and swimming within minutes.... it was too hot.

What a lovely town, so good we couldn't tear ourselves away and stayed another day.

Zierikzee - Veere.

A bit of a wait to get through the bridge, but at least we were managing some sailing this year.

Once through the lock into Veeresmeere the wind became blustery with some rain but a thoroughly enjoyable sail down to Veere where Paul and Sharon demonstrated total mastery of Full Circle reversing into a very tight dock, with a strong and blustery wind, only to find the dock full and having to come out again.

On to marina about 1 mile from town, we were treated particularly hospitably by the local Yacht Club, who even watched the football on the BBC, so we could understand it.

Meanwhile, the girls were brazenly scoffing all Paul's chocolate on Full Circle apparently requiring it to be melted first, for some inexplicable reason!!

 

 Veere - Middleburg.

We just had to get the the town of Veere.  We couldn't go past it 3 times without stopping.  The only thing for it was to stop on the waiting posts once through the lock into "Kanaldoor Walcheren" and walk into town.

Despite the rain, it was worth it.

Following a flying visit to Veere, it was on to Middleburg.  For some a mad motor to meet the bridge opening, for others a lazy sail down pasture lined canals, with cattle along the banks, whilst the rest sorted out the berthing.

It was here that we discovered what a bustling and interesting town Middleburg was, we discovered how useless England were at football (courtesy of the Middleburg Yacht Club), Mike discovered stannah stair lifts, and the Scots discovered an escape route via train to Amsterdam and flights back home!!!

Middleburg - Oostende.

After waving good bye to Gordon and Lynn, it was down the canals to Vlissingen.  Not so hard to keep the boats together this year and we made good time until the last bridge, when the lock keepers seemed to forget about us.

When we finally got through there was a bit of excitement in the lock (courtesy of an impatient German) where Adrian discovered Mrs C was almost exactly as long as the lock was wide!!

Having escaped the clutches of the locks we had more light winds (on the nose again) down to Oostende.  The tide was helping so sailing was possible for most of the way.  Just as well, as when motoring across the entrance to Zeebrugge, Levanter discovered her impeller was shattered.  Worse to come, the spare was faulty too!

A quick ship to ship transfer from Mrs C and we were up and running again, only to find when we got to Oostende, there was no water in the lock.

Once the lock was filled, we locked into the Mercator in time to pay homage to the best chicken in the known universe (no better reason to go to Oostende) and for us to run into the racing fleet from Harwich, (no wonder there was no room in the NSYC).

Oostende - Nieuwpoort.

After a fruitless diversion seemingly half way to Bussels in search of an impeller a quick dash to enable Mike to kiss his boat's bottom before leaving it to have it's bottom scraped off and a new engine fitted.

Once more light winds, but on the beam allowed a short reach and an opportunity to fly the flag, otherwise known as Levanter's cruising chute.

Sunny skies proved too much of a temptation and Mrs C and Levanter decided to anchor off Nieuwpoort entrance for a quick dip before going in.  Deborah was quick to record Adrian's backwards swimming as the tide proved to be a challenging workout.

Jenny was merely quick to lose her breath as the sea proved to be more bracing than expected.

Dinner at the WWV yacht club and a few late night Brandies to fortify some of us for the trip home.

Nieuwpoort - Harwich.

And so, the return to Harwich.  About the first time the wind wasn't on the nose, mainly because there wasn't any.

Mike stripped Irella of treasured possessions before shipping aboard Full Circle.  John continued valiantly as crew for Levanter and Mrs C. stripped to a husband and wife team following the desertion in Middleburg, we slipped from Belgian shores at 05.00 with little wind.

Sighted a school of dolphins in the shipping lanes, but numbers of ships prevented a closer inspection.  All three yachts played host to a racing pigeon at some time or another but eventually settled on Levanter until we had to throw him off at Titchmarsh.  Why don't they house train pigeons?

Inspected by Custom's launch on approaches to UK (on look out for returning racers from Oostende stocked up with mother's ruin).

Finally secured Titchmarsh at 19.15 after 320 miles of thoroughly good fun, good sailing and fabulous company.

Here's to 2007 and a two week cruise!!!

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