Time was creeping on and after loitering with intent … in Maldon, we broke free and sailed off down river to Lawling Creek, a fine place for a shoal draft vessel to rest at anchor.
Rest wasn’t our reason for being there: Whimbrel’s bottom needed a scrub. This was done on Mundon Stone, settling some 2 hours or so before low water.
Bottom scrubbed, transom and rudder sanded and varnished on Mundon Stone.
Upon leaving Lawling we pottered across to Osea and sat under the island’s lee in a northerly and a continuously wet day, only the second we had experienced all summer, well since Monday 29th June. The following morning dawned sunny with a little cloud…
Dawn after a wet day … the sun streams down the Blackwater … a good omen for the coming Rally of Finesse class yachts.
We toddled down to Mersea for a couple of days on a rising tide with a ditch-crawl up to Mersea Strood for good measure.
Two views of Whimbrel approaching the Strood. We turned a little beyond the arm of mud under the jib … with my mate saying, ‘…you finished being silly yet…’
Then it was time to set off to meet boats collecting for the weekend’s rally of Finesse yachts at Bradwell. My laptop wifi ability had fallen over during the week: I’d opened up a box with a new dongle only to find it hadn’t a sim card inside. I’d not checked upon receipt! I will next time… People were trying to make contact and I couldn’t send a proper list to Bradwell, Hey Ho!
Two of the craft had arrived by Thursday, taking the opportunity to enjoy a longer break. These were Seaden, a F24 Bermudan sloop and Drifter, a F21 gaff cutter and the only 21 footer to come along.
Early to arrive were Seaden and her intrepid crew. The boat’s mate had only ever done 2 hours sailing prior to their departure from Gillingham – she loved it…
Some hours after our own arrival on Friday morning in came several boats from the north and south.
Mariette coming in to berth alongside pontoon with Whimbrel under the marina bar…
By the end of Friday we had a collection of eight craft: Pippit, Calluna, Akaroa, and Snowgoose not already named. Akaroa was the second of the 24’s to be built back in 1971. There were many happy faces drifting from boat to boat by the evening. Many admirers stopped to look too as they passed by on transit to their own, mainly modern plastic craft.
Pippit shortly after her arrival…
Snowgoose came from Harwich.
During the evening I’d had a message that one would arrive by noon on Saturday and the other was doubtful, however she called on Saturday morning to say they had cleared the Naze and were due to arrive around one o-clock … giving us ten craft… These were Martha IV, based at West Mersea and Driftwood based on the Stour at Shotley Marina.
Akoroa F24 No. 2 from 1971.
During the day on Saturday people wandered between boats, including to and fro to the two craft berthed by marina on ‘A’ pontoon (miles away), with copious quantities of tea and coffee being consumed – I felt almost hyper! Christobel almost boiled a tank of water…
The owners of Lady Christina based on the R. Soar near Leicester being entertained by my good mate… This intrepid couple have now sailed (motoring a little!) their boat out into the Wash through Boston Sluice twice now. I’m working on them to do an article…
Looking along past Mariette towards Whimbrel, where Arjen, our ‘tame’ Dutchman, is enjoying some coffee after his arrival from Poole in Dorset where he sails Tig – once of Tollesbury.
Part of the fleet from the marina bar… The other two could have happily been berthed inside…
Too much enjoyment going on aboard Calluna…!
The evening came round all too quickly and we all met around Whimbrel for drinks and nibbles before departing for the marina bar where a buffet had been arranged.
Pontoon party…
The buffet before it was ‘attacked by the hungry hoards…
I gave a little talk about the reasons why we need to maintain an annual rally, welcoming new owners and finished with a ‘plea’ for a relief… Many chuckles and such!
Christobel had made a rally cake in the spring, it was fed weekly by me and ‘we’ dressed it just prior to leaving home in June. It was delivered by our ‘boy’ who had stayed for a chunk of the afternoon and evening, finding several faces he knew from around the Island YC which had three boats at the rally.
Toya and Shane Hoadley cutting the cake: they had sailed the greatest distance, and had only owned their boat for around four weeks…
It was a great event. This could only happen with owners and their boats turning up, and too, the support of owners living great distances away. Bristol was the farthest. Local owners came too: some had reasons why they couldn’t sail over… The marina were helpful too … even though their shower heating system had broken down, so many cold showers were enjoyed! The marina bar, and owner Mick Leahy and his partner did us proud: the buffet was superb.
I can only add a public thank you to all who made it a great weekend, including the visitors who came just to look…
Our own leaving…