Tuesday 11th August 2020 - Shotley to Lowestoft

Tuesday 

A 4am alarm in order to be ready to lock out at 4:30 didn't feel too bad, particularly with the prospect of a 7+ hour passage to catch up on sleep once we were on our way. I always love the early starts to take advantage of tide and this was no different. We pottered about getting ready and then put our nav lights on to show we were ready, Free Wheel's were on too. We heard the lock keeper respond to Free Wheel's request to lock out and radioed to let him know that we would be joining them. An easy exit from our berth in the still of the early morning and then a small drop in the lock before following Free Wheel out of Harwich, the sky turning red with the sunrise as we motored past the cranes at Felixtowe.

 
In the end the passage was a little frustrating. With a little too much north in the wind and not quite enough of it to sail efficiently we motored in the rolly swell. Free Wheel tried to sail and tacked offshore but we don't point very well so I chose to motor at least until Orford Ness where our weather app "Windy" suggested the wind would become a little more easterly, and we would change course, both of which would improve our wind angle. Patrick was catching up on sleep down below... I still didn't have my sea legs yet so stayed on deck. I get seasick  but manage it pretty well, however lockdown has meant that I haven't been at sea since this time last year and the swell was making me feel uncomfortable enough that I wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway. 

Once we got to Orford Ness I slowed us down, changed course and looked at the wind angle... maybe we could sail. Patrick came on deck and put the main and mizzen up and we gave it a go. The motion of the boat improved a little but we couldn't make anywhere near a sensible course so we motor sailed for a while and i got my head down for an hour or so.

The kids had arranged to try contact each other on their little PMR radios and Esmé tried to contact her friends however I think they were a little to far away to be in range. As we approached Lowestoft we were again hoping for a litte sail however by now the tide was starting to turn and this in turn meant that our wind angle was not good for a sail. By now Free Wheel had caught us up and overtaken us, radioing Lowestoft Port Control asking permission to enter and we followed suit.





AJ then radioed the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht club where we were booked in to let them know we were approaching and we were greeted by the crew of Free Wheel offering to take our lines.

David and Marika had not managed to get any additional sleep so we offered to take all the kids for a walk in the afternoon. We walked a little way to the second pier in the heat of the day before buying slushies/ice cream and bodyboards and retreating to the beach for a couple of hours!

On our return David and Marika weren't back from their post sleep walk so we bought some crabbing lines and the kids spent a happy half hour catching enormous crabs.

All tired from a long day we decided to take advantage of "Eat Out to Help Out" again and had tea at "The Harbour Inn" which was close by having not managed to secure a table at the Yacht Club until the next day.