August Bank Holiday Weekend

Bank holiday plans this weekend were delayed due to family commitments, however we were able to depart a very busy Goole on Sunday morning on some of the largest tides of the year bound for Hull Marina. With a light N f2 we had a very pleasant 55 minute run logging 22.8 nautical miles. Upon arrival we were surprised at how quiet the visitor moorings were for a bank holiday weekend. 

This trip has been a good test for the new turbo boost gauge pipes fitted last weekend. The starboard turbo gauge now shows a very good boost pressure as this is the turbo we had refurbished last winter, however this now highlights the need for the port turbo to be refurbished this coming winter.

The above photos show the high water mark on Sunday evening. 6 metres over the sill on Hull Marina lock.

 

After a glorious sunny warm day the sun set over Hull on Sunday evening in a pink haze.

After a spot of shopping at Crawshaws the Butchers on a very wet and thoroughly miserable bank holiday Monday, we were ready to leave Hull homeward bound for Goole on the pm tide. We enjoyed a very fast run back up river, at times reaching over 30 knots over the ground due to the large spring tide. From Hull to Swinefleet this took 45 minutes at 24 knots through the water.

The above shows the strength of the tide off Hull. When we reached Swinefleet we slowed to displacement speed, and penned into Ocean Lock Goole with Desert Star and Sachael after a short wait for the M V Amy which was sailing outbound.

Turbo Boost Gauges

Over the past few weeks we have been getting erratic readings on the turbo boost gauges.  When we installed the gauges we used soft windscreen washer hose as recommended by the manufacturer.  This would work well on a car for example with a short run of hose, however on Moonshine a long run of hose was required.  The soft hose has been problematic and has been flattening on bends, this probably has not been helped due to the warm engine room environment. 
We have now installed new hard nylon tubes which should hopefully be more up to the job, and less likely to kink...time will tell.

Homeward bound

Day 13.  At the start of our final week and heading back up north, we departed Bradwell Marina bound for Titchmarsh Marina Walton-on-the-Naze logging 29.3 nautical miles.   On approach we called the marina to be allocated a mooring, D36 it transpired was exactly the same mooring given as last year! 

The Harbour Lights restaurant which overlooks the marina does excellent and good value meals which we tried last year, so this was once again on our visit list.

We are always on the look out for other Hardy Seawings moored within the marina's we visit, and we spotted a 277 model called 'In Da Red'.

 

Day 14. A very short hop from Titchmarsh Marina to Suffolk Yacht Harbour on the River Orwell. We had a very pleasant calm trip travelling at displacement speed logging 10.3 nautical miles. We even spotted another Hardy Seawings 305 'Aurelia' moored in this marina.

 

Day 15. We departed Suffolk Yacht Harbour bound for Lowestoft. Ideally we could have done to have left mid morning in order to gain help from the tide, however since some NE wind was forecast we decided to leave at 07.00 and push the tide but have a smoother ride with wind with tide. Nevertheless, the passage was still rather bumpy at times especially off Orford Ness and Sizewell Bank. Upon arrival at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club, Moonshine took on more fuel at 94.5p per litre. Since the yacht club was very busy with it being Sea Week (their annual sailing regatta), we decided to moor in ABP's Hamilton Dock marina.  Another 49.6 nautical miles was logged.

Day 16. Since there was a fresh NE breeze forecast for today we spent the day in port relaxing and keeping an eye on the weather forecast for the final sea leg of our journey to Grimsby.

The photos below show the barge 'Charlie Rock' with the assistance of the tug 'Afon Goch' discharging granite boulders at high water for the new sea defence works.

 

Day 17. After keeping a vigilant eye on the weather forecast we decided today was the day to depart Lowestoft, accompanied with a fresh southerly breeze, with wind with tide. The sea was rather lumpy off Lowestoft and Cromer, however the wind was forecast to ease further up the coast giving us a fairly pleasant passage. Visibility closed in off The Wash making the sea earily glassy in places, however after a 4 hour journey the muddy waters of the Humber and Spurn Point were a welcoming sight as it is such a long journey with no safe haven if the weather turns bad. Always being vigilant for crab pots off the Norfolk coast, we certainly didn't expect them being dotted around at the Inner Dowsing and on the approaches to Spurn. Safely moored at Grimsby we had logged  another 99.1 nautical miles. 

Day 18. We spent a relaxing day in Grimsby knowing that the trip back up river to Goole the following morning would be a 'piece of cake'. We took the opportunity to walk into the town for food for a celebratory bbq later in the day, took the dogs for a run on the beach, and took on more fuel at 89p per litre 60/40 split.

Day 19. Homeward bound. We departed Grimsby half an hour before high water, only just making it through the lock prior to the flood gates being shut due to there being such a large spring tide. We had a lovely calm run back up river to Goole in a W f2 passing the 'Tharsis' at Blacktoft inward bound. We entered Goole Bight just as 3 other boats were chaotically entering the lock with none of the crews wearing life jackets. The Dock Master lifted the lock up quickly as he wanted to be ready for 'Tharsis'. On the final leg of our journey we logged 35.6 nautical miles.

Moonshine has excelled in her performance over the past two and a half weeks, with few minor teething problems, such as the repaired toilet seal, shower pump getting clogged and a slight over heating problem on the starboard engine when working hard which we believe to be impeller related. We have logged a rather impressive 683.3 nautical miles and used approx 1970 litres of fuel.

 All packed up with Skipper and Crew ready to leave for home, Moonshine is now due a well earned rest!

East Coast Holidays 2015

Hull Marina

Day 1. We originally planned to depart for Grimsby on the 4pm tide from Goole to start our holidays, however this plan was scuppered due to an unexpected emergency trip to the orthodontist to rectify our youngest daughters brace.  We did however make it back to Goole in time to still make it to Hull Marina.  Our holidays start now!
 

Royal Norfolk & Suffolk

Busy inward ferry traffic

 

Royal Norfolk & Suffolk

Royal Norfolk & Suffolk

Day 2. We finally made Lowestoft from Hull, a total distance of 116 nautical miles after a 5am start. There was a very heavy swell running down from the north, which was the aftermath of the strong winds from earlier in the week.
 

Swin Spitway

Burnham Yacht Harbour

Burnham Yacht Harbour

 

Burnham on Crouch town

Day 3. We departed Lowestoft for Burnham on Crouch which took us approx 3 hrs and 66.6 nautical miles. The swells from the recent winds were still being felt but were easing all the time.  We had a lovely run from Orford Ness to Harwich, but a SW breeze was causing a bit of chop in the Wallet, but didn't cause us any problems.  We transited the Wallet Spitway near high water, this can be very shallow during low water springs, and we had a minimum depth of 5 mtrs.

London Gateway

Approaching Thames Barrier

Millennium Dome

 

South Dock Marina

Day 4. Burnham on Crouch to London took approx 4 hours and 64.2 nautical miles.  Upon approach to the Thames Barrier we called London VTS, who advised us how to proceed through the barrier and at a speed of 12 knots. We did originally want to moor in St. Katherine Docks, however when we contacted them whilst still in Lowestoft they advised us they were fully booked, we then contacted South Dock Marina in Rotherhithe, who were more than willing to accommodate Moonshine.  This Marina has a combination of residential and leisure moorings, and doesn't boast the high prices for an overnight stay as that of St. Katherine Docks.  The marina is accessed via a lock, which was very tricky to enter with the wash from speeding river buses and tourist ribs testing Peter's seamanship skills.

Buckingham Palace

Harrods

 

St.Katherine Docks

Tower Bridge

 

View from cable cars

View from cable cars

Day 5.  We ventured out and purchased day travel cards to see the sights in London Central.  We visited Buckingham Palace, Oxford Street, Knightsbridge, Tower of London, St.Katherine Docks and then caught the Docklands Light Railway to Royal Victoria to catch the Emirates Airline cable cars to cross the Thames to North Greenwich and then returned on the tube to Canada Water to get back to the boat....a very hectic day but very enjoyable. 

Can't believe we still have another 2 weeks left, but hopefully the remainder of our holiday will be a bit more leisurely.