We arrived back in Ipswich on the 14th August after nearly 4 months away.
We were allocated a space near to the lock, we were at the office end last year so it makes a change. The posh loo’s are at this end too. There’s a shortage of space at the moment as it the the Harbour Festival at the weekend so there are numerous visiting yachts of all shapes, sizes and ages.
We slept for a while and then walk out for Fish and Chips, it’s the law after a big trip.
On the 15th we go out for Pizza with Liz and John from Yacht Rascal. We all have stories to tell of our summer escapades, they have been to France and the Channels Islands and bumped into a few of our sailing buddies on the way.
Wednesday the 16th and Liz kindly takes me to Lidl in their car. It’s the first time she has driven for many months, but had no problems. It is always strange going so fast in a car after so long walking everywhere.
I then managed to get a very bad head cold so we had a few quiet days.
The Harbour Festival started on Saturday (19th) and the marina was busy with visiting boats all displaying their bunting. See the Viking in the foreground.
The Festival spreads all the way around the harbour on both sides and attendance was good on both days.
Some of the visiting Thames barges, the one we boarded was very plush inside with a large wood panelled function room and bar.
We had a good chat to the volunteers on James Stevens, the oldest motor powered RNLI boat still sailing.
The weather gods were kind and the Festival had two good days. It’s great to see the harbour-side so busy.
21st August – Monday
Jim and Lyn arrived in their boat Full Circle, as part of their summer cruise. Their boat is the same type as ours so we have lots to talk about. We went to the Chinese Buffet with them and two of their friends in the evening.
The next day Mick and Jim went to Fox’s boatyard looking for plug sockets, while Lyn and I scoured the shops of Ipswich. We had a lovely curry on Full Circle courtesy of Lyn and then the night after we had a Risotto on Fleur. All very sociable after our relatively quiet social life in the Baltic Region.
24th August – Thursday
We had a walk up to Ipswich Art Gallery to see what is currently on display. Their exhibitions are changed regularly so always worth a look.
OMG what an unexpected treat. The exhibition is from ‘Small Films’ set up by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin which made The Clangers, Bagpuss, Ivor the Engine, Noggin the Nog and Pogles Wood.
Actual Sign
Soup Dragon, Granny Clanger (knitting), Major Klanger and the Froglets. The Clangers are about a foot tall.
The Iron Chicken
The Flying Music Boat
Me and Bagpuss, with Emily’s Blue dress. I didn’t know it was blue. We have a Bagpuss as our ‘Ship’s Cat’.
Madeleine the Rag Doll, Professor Yaffle, The Mice on the Mouse Organ and Gabriel The Toad.
The Pogles. Mr and Mrs Pogle, Pippin and Tog. I don’t remember this but Mick does.
There was also artwork from Ivor and Engine and Noggin the Nog. Great to see and such as unexpected pleasure.
25th August – Friday
Back to work varnishing under the floorboards. You may think by varnishing underneath we have too much time on our hands, but it is worth doing.
Bits of grit get underneath and score the wood, and after a while it gets pitted.
No small feat, but we had the weather for it.
27th August – Sunday
A walk to the Multi-Cultural Festival in Alexander Park.
Lots of colourful food stalls and bands on stage. A really well attended event on a beautiful day.
Over the next week we saw the film Dunkirk at the new Empire Cinema in the Buttermarket, excellent picture and sound, good film too. Visited Christchurch Mansion in Christchurch Park and had a picnic, and went to Jack’s Cafe for a full breakfast which was hard earned with a trolley pull to Lidl.
Mick has been doing lots of jobs in the last few weeks.
Took down the front sail.
General Greasing
Serviced the Autohelm and the steering
Rigging Check
7th September - Thursday
We said good bye to Fleur for a while and left her with her big winter mooring ropes securely fastened. We travelled home by train with one trolley, one bag of newly made bears and sandwiches, one computer bag and one ukulele. You really would have disowned us!
Summary
Even though we have been away for a month less than previous years it has felt like such a long time. Crossing the freezing North Sea at the end of April seems like a lifetime ago.
The cold wind did not really leave until the end of June and we only had a few balmy nights. We had many days of high winds and although the days were often sunny the strength of the wind meant that walking ashore was not always a pleasure.
The mooring boxes in the Baltic region mean sitting on the boat in high winds is not a comfortable experience. The boat is literally rocked from pillar to post for days at a time. On those days we did not really want to leave to boat for too long because another boat may come and damage ours, we wanted to be there is case our boat was damaged and onshore was not much more fun.
Despite the challenging winds we did have many sunny days and have had a good summer on the whole. We have both been challenged, with navigation to many new places and the stresses that brings. It has been our most complicated season yet, with many firsts. Crossing the North Sea in extreme cold. Four different nationalities to negotiate with their languages and customs. Very few British people to consult and console en route.
The pluses are as always, the varying destinations and sheer pleasure of visiting new places and getting to know them well as we stayed longer at each place this season.
We really enjoyed Germany, Stralsund, Warnermunde, and Rostock. Along with Heligenhaven, Laboe and Kiel.
This would have been the perfect year to leave the boat elsewhere and continued our journeys into the Baltic Region next year, but due to Brexit, Michael does not want to leave the boat outside the UK. He likes his winter tinkering too.
Ports 34 of which 17 were new
Mileage over 1,500
Once again a massive thanks from us both to everyone who has read our blog and we hope to continue in late May next year. Your comments really do help us along.
Have a great time, at every opportunity!
XXX