The tide was stupid o'clock and we left the berth at ten to four with nautical twilight lighting the way. The wind was rather light so although the sails were up the engine was providing most of our motive power.
Midday had us off Orfordness and the wind had filled in enough for us to get the nylon out.
So with the asymmetric and the mizzen staysail set we romped along rather nicely.
In the end we had 16 knots true wind, bit too much really but this is downwind sailing. It is normal to drop the mizzen on a run so it doesn't cover the staysail, I drop it and use it as a watersail to give us a few extra square feet. It was pretty quiet so I took the opportunity to shut eye for five minutes and then have a minute lookout. This way one can have about three quarters of an hour rest for every hour, assuming the conditions allow. This means it is easier for me to stay awake at night. I had ideas that it might be good to press on being as things were going ok. By 1600hrs it really was too much for the light stuff. I unrolled the genoa and dropped the asymmetric behind it, it still went in the flipping water, grrrr.
Dusk had us off Happisburgh on the north Norfolk coast, setting a course for the Humber. With the wind dropping and the tide against us the engine was started to give us a helping hand.
Dawn was showing us the West Sheringham light buoy and by midday we had made the Humber entrance. We had cheated a mile or so as the Donna Nook range was not live early in the day. The hook was dropped at 1425hrs off the Haile Sand Fort on the south side of the estuary with Grimsby not far to the west. You can pick it out by the needle like hydraulic tower marking the entrance to the docks.
We clocked 163 nm in about 34 hours, cracking sail for a bit too. A friendly face popped up to welcome us....
The following morning we took out tide out of the Humber and followed the ebb northwards past the gas carrier that I swear was here last year.
The wind was quite boisterous so the nylons were left below. We had 4 to 5 from the south west so the waves were not bad. The sunset did not bode well mind.
By 2200hrs even the wheelhouse was getting draughty and the heater has packed in too. Bugger. It looked like it was going to be a rough night with the wind going round to the WNW and now at 25 kts. I headed for Runswick bay under reduced power as the waves were bothersome. Fortunately the fishermen had left the fairway clear of pot markers as the cliffs made for a very black entrance. I managed to get drenched on the deck as the bow smashed into the waves, that sea had really built up even though the wind was offshore.
The morning broke with the worst of the weather past leaving us with a 3 - 4 and fluffy clouds as we passed Staithes.
As we neared the Tyne pier-heads a pod of dolphins took the opportunity to have a play with Tutak's bow wave. A car carrier was leaving the port but it was well out of my way by the time we eventually said goodbye to the Flippers. We anchored at 2040hrs in time for another rather pretty sunset, this time over North Shields.
Next day was bright and fine as we looked north to the ruins on the hill.
I spied these leading light towers on the south side. I am pretty sure they are not in use now as there are other lights on the inner and outer pierheads. I discovered later that the leading lights are actually on the north bank, silly me.
Last year this was a building site and I think this is part of the creation. The street lights are red,green,blue changers on the promenade, rather pretty I thought.
This thing was still here too, I had assumed it was some sort of crane for pumping concrete to the top of a large building. How wrong can one be!
Silly people are strapped into seats at the end of the arm and then hoisted aloft........
Only to be dropped to a certain death.......
As one pendulums back a forth about fourteen times......
Gradually coming to a halt. The seating cradle is free to pivot on the end of the arm creating rather alarming angles of heel as it tries to carry on at the end of the swing.
Fair put me off me lunch it did.
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