Christophe SPIERS

Waited for the tide to get over the Tollesbury cill, beautiful day with a hint of a decent Easterly - no dramas leaving leaving the berth, 1h30 before HW. Plenty of room over the cill, but squeaky over the channel markers. Squirted out into the Blackwater into a vast array of boats, a landscape of colour and geometries tacking their way around the place. Essex smacks under full rig, chasing the bone between their teeth. Lively wind, flat water, fetching along the sun bleached coast at 8 or so knots with a spring tide carrying us to Harwich. Not quite record breaking, but nearly.

Caught to 0600 tide train, blowing approx 10 knots, tacked up to Tollesbury, hit Tollesbury at perfect time, 1hr before HW, moored up (no cleats!!)

Rain, more rain Harbour porpoises Apparently got told off on CH16 by harbour authorities for crossing too close to a cable laying vessel...oops Great sail in the end, close hauled doing 7 knots

Foggy, v low vis in am Not a puff of wind Motored whole way

wind at 30 knots at start, easing later. shipping lanes much easier with AIS, engine issues need fixing.