Thursday 21 July
Today we made landfall on the ‘heritage pontoon’ in Brightlingsea Harbour, along with a pretty selection of East Coast smacks and barges – I think I only got to meet them because I’m big. A water taxi brought the Second Mate back on board for a second visit – I think she likes me. After lunch on another hot day the taxi took them all over to shore, where they made the usual mistake of panic shopping in the first store they found (not that they need to be supermarket snobs but there you are), and then carrying heavy shopping around the rest of the town centre, where they found a good selection of local independent food suppliers. I think they’ve realised that they need to shop earlier if that’s the day’s priority. The Mate brought back “delicious” fresh fish and chips for supper; the smell almost made my mouth water.