Up early to catch the ebb and motored off down the river, no wind at first but the boat felt livelier after the scrub. Hoisted the main by Orwell buoy and by Harwich Shelf we had yankee and staysail set and  the engine was off. By and by we were past Walton pier, out to the Wallet buoys and our first tack of the day. The sun was out the winds light, all very pleasant and the tide about to turn in my favour. Sometime later just short of the Spitway the wind died so back to motoring but not for long, crossing the Spitway the wind returned and more strongly 17 to 18 knots. Somehow I let my attention slip, no excuse really but it was windy and bouncy, I should have put a reef in, slowed things down, took more care. I  missed the turn down to the Whitaker and found myself by Maplin entrance, oops. Mistake rectified by a little backtracking and off down the Whitaker channel. This was hard going hard on the wind and had to pinch at times to keep in the channel. Eventually we were in the Crouch and then I turned into the Roach and dropped anchor in Quay reach. 44 nmiles and 10 hours.

Perhaps not surprisingly next day I felt tired. I had a late breakfast of bacon and eggs and then fell asleep in the cockpit. A sign to take it easy so I did remaining at anchor all day. Next day dawned sunny and fine again but little wind so I motored up the river to Paglesham. Here I picked up a vacant mooring, inflated the dinghy and rowed ashore by Shuttlewood’s boatyard. The old black timber shed is now gone, damaged beyond repair by winters gales. A walk along an unmade lane soon took me the fine old weatherboarded pub of the Plough and Sail. Very pleasant to sit in the sun and sample some good ale, Wallasea Wench brewed by George’s was particularly fine as was Malden Gold from the Mighty Oak Brewery. The inner man satisfied I returned to the boat to enjoy the peace and serenity of this spot up the river.

The following day back down the Roach and I turned up the Crouch running under just the yankee. The Crouch was almost eerily quiet, hardly any boats moving and so many vacant mooring buoys opposite Burnham. I ran up as far as Cliff Foot where I anchored awhile deciding to proceed no further. Later I returned to the Roach and anchored in Quay reach, this time across the other side as the wind was from the NE.

Sod’s law of course meant that the wind had switched to the NE for my journey back up the Whitaker. I left early and at hour there was just a breath of wind so motoring with it on the nose was not so bad.  Passing Whitaker no5 I headed over to the Swallowtail and followed this up to the Spitway. The wind had gradually built to about 12 – 15 knots so at last I could sail.  Abeam wind across the Spitway then tacking up the Wallet, at least it is wide so long tacks. By Stone Banks the wind had increased to 17- 20 knots. Closing in on Felixstowe I dowsed the staysail, partly for control, partly for better visibility forward in these crowded waters. One of the benefits of the yankee is its high cut foot  much easier to see under than a genoa. The wind past the docks is always fickle and suddenly it went from 20 knots to none. On with the engine but then there was the shriek of the water alarm from the engine so I stopped the engine. Fortunately or well timed arrival meant a flood tide up the river so after it carried us pass the Orwell Buoy I headed towards the bank and dropped the anchor. I quick prod cleared any blockage in the water inlet but I thought to check the impellor whilst at it and yes cracks in the vanes so I replaced that with my last spare. I sailed back to the mooring just using the engine for the last  manoeuvre to pick up the mooring. Put the boat to bed and next morning rowed ashore and went home.