And now for something a little bit different...
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| The "Pop Pin" |
I've left the mountains for a few days and have travelled to the East Coast of England, where I've taken up the offer of an adventure on a sailing boat. Always keen for new experiences and being a novice in all things nautical, I was excited to take up the offer of a crew position on board my uncle's yacht.
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| Pin Mill Boat Yard |
After a few visits to friends and relatives on the journey east, we began our expedition at Pin Mill on the River Orwell. The boat 'The Pop Pin' was on a mooring that was acessable only a few hours either side of high tide, so the timing of our departure was crucial.
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| The patented 'Poppleton Design' Lauching Trolley |
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| Pop Pin |
After checking and loading up our provisions for our voyage, we rowed a small (and some might say, a little leaky) dingy out to the mooring, leaving the ingenious 'paddle trolley' behind at the boat yard.
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| Aboard for the first time! |
'The Crew' (i.e me) were invited to board first and I was given my first task of raising the flag!
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| Flying the 'End Sign' |
After stowing our provisions that Aunty Gill had generously packed for us (we weren't likely to go hungry!), we set about leaving the mooring and the dingy and travelled down river. We travelled part under sail, and part by motoring when the wind was against us. The weather was fine and all in all, it felt great to be on the water.
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| Motoring up the Orwell |
At the mouth of the river, we left the tranquil countryside behind and travelled up the side of the shipping lanes at Felixstowe, which was a real sight!
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| Felixstow Harbour |
The boats were being loaded and unloaded by huge cranes and it was hard to appreciate the size of the vessels. When you think that each container is the size of a lorry, we started to feel rather small indeed as floated past! And what is in all those containers!?...
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| BIG Boats! |
We spent the day travelling up the coastline on the open ocean - my first 'proper' sailing, under the watchful eye of The Captain. We passed the beach huts and old forts at Felixstowe before tucking into the tight channel of the River Deben. Both tide and wind were against us here and we had to motor upstream to find our mooring for the night. Care had to be taken to follow the bouy markers to stay in the deepest channel of the estuary and avoid the big shingle banks.
Once moored up, we decided to inflate the onboard dingy and row ashore to trade with the natives.
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| The 'escape pod' fully inflated |
Here we were delighted to find a splendid eatery that provided us with local ale and a sea food platter big enough to have fed all in the marina. Hungry work this sailing lark - we soon polished it off!
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| At the Captain's Table! |
Having neglected to bring a torch ashore, it turned out to be quite an exciting row back to the boat in the dark! Luckily, there was just enough light to ensure that we were clambering aboard the correct vessel! The Captain soon had the stove going and produced some excellent coca, which we drank under the stars, listening to the call of the late night Ostyer Catchers.
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| The Captain brewing coca |
Then it was down with the flag, and down into our bunks for a comfy night as the new moon began to rise in the south. Snoring you say?... I didn't hear a thing!!
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| Good night |
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