Wix and Wrabness Yacht Club 

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

                                                                                        Tel 01255 870777

The Carlsberg (or for the older ones, The Condor) moment!

Probably the best sailing of the year!

Only two boats, Mrs C and Levanter, set off on the Friday evening of the August Bank holiday weekend, with a lively force 4 from west.  Round N. Cork and then round Roughs towards shipping lanes and Garden City, the wind reaching towards F5 necessitating reefing as we sailed into the night.

Mrs C practicing "darkened ship" with no running lights crept up on us from south west and finally gave her presence away as we negotiated   5 tugs towing an oil rig in shipping lanes.

We reached Nieuwpoort in early hours with wind easing down to F3-4, securing VVW marina at 09.30, (with other 2 marinas being full).

After short snooze, all five crew from both boats hired bikes, set off to explore lovely old town of Nieuwpoort before moving on to new town, beach, carnival and moules!

After more of same on Sunday, with extended sampling of Yacht Club hospitality and discovery by some of older crew of coffee and Brandy elixir of life , we set off back to England early on Monday morning.

68 miles of mainly light winds, F2-3, piping up to F4 for time in afternoon arrived back at Titchmarsh at 19.30, (one hour after the Mrs C missile).

Early morning approaching Nieuwpoort	Adrian Cole at helm of Mrs C	Levanter from Mrs C	Just how hungry are you?	Well earned refreshment

 

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