Sunday 7 August
While pegging out another load of washing and watching for the local seal,
two swimmers stopped to chat and a peacock butterfly dropped by. The shoreline looked as inviting as a Greek bay, with a narrow sandy strip backed by Scots pine, but the crew stayed onboard and soon we were meandering up-channel through clusters of moorings and past a round church tower and towering haystacks. The Maybush at Waldringfield was buzzing with weekend trippers, and many vessels enjoying this picturesque river meant great concentration was required by the helm. As the channel narrowed towards Woodbridge and the Tide Mill Marina, the crew prepared me for a berth, but on arrival it became all too clear that I’m just too big, especially in the still strong winds. This time it was Skipper’s turn to overload on stress, and we turned tail and made our way back down towards the same anchorage, as emergency rations of ginger beer and biscuits were issued to calm frayed nerves.
On our return to The Rocks, conditions were still less than calm, so we carried on downriver. The kind harbour master at Felixstowe Ferry promised us that the last available visitor’s buoy “had our name on it”, and we found a much more sheltered spot to rest and recuperate.