Marconi Sailing Club
Membership open to all
2007 Watercress Run
2007 Heybridge Basin Cruise
Saturday September 15th dawned bright and sunny but with very little wind, so that when the fleet started to leave the moorings it was more a drift rather than a sail, however most boats did attempt to ghost up the river on the flooding tide.
The head of the fleet arrived outside the lock on schedule at 14:00 and were welcomed by the sight of an armada of rowing boats waiting for the start of the Round Northey Island Rowing race (perhaps some of our younger fitter members might like to fly the Club flag if it is repeated next year).
Shortly after this the first group of boats were told to enter the lock and we heard over the radio the advice from the lockkeeper “Just give it plenty of wellie”. All were safely through the lock and moored alongside the wall or rafted out although apparently some had a problem interpreting the chart showing where to go.
The second wave, including yours truly, were now invited into the lock but this became somewhat interesting as some of the rowers had returned and came into the lock with us, causing one member of our fleet to take a cooling dip as he attempted to move his tender. Whether the presence of the rower showed that we were slow at passing through the lock or that the rowers completed the course in a shorter than anticipated time I do not know. I believe the winning boat had taken approx 45 minutes.
Finally the third wave of the invasion force entered the lock and, as there was very limited room in the basin, they entered the basin and returned to the lock for the night.
To the roar of the 2 or 3 horsepower outboards some folks made their way to Tesco and one I believe ventured far into the wilds of Essex to Beeleigh Weir.
As 18:00 hrs approached the sound of supplies being unloaded from the boats was heard as the barbeques beckoned the male cooks to come forwarded to observe the ritual of burning the meat. To the clink of glasses the burnt offerings were consumed not just by those who had sailed up but fellow members and friends who had travelled round by car. The evening stayed reasonably warm and the last hardy chefs finished cooking about 20:30. As time went by some retired back to their boats, others to other people’s boats and some to the Old Ship to enjoy a pint of Adnams Broadside or similar refreshment.
Once again Sunday dawned bright and sunny as people slowly emerged from their boats. A few of us decided to sample the “Full English Breakfast” at the Old Ship and excellent it was too.
During the morning the more active persons went for a walk around the lake beside the Basin and some very kind souls remove the rubbish from the BBQ to the waste bins in the car park. My thanks to them.
As 14:00 hrs approached Colin and his team at the lock emerged. Colin studied the fleet waiting to lock out, as he had been in the rowing race the previous day, to decide the best order for us to lock out. He then started to call forward the boats in the order he wanted them, however one boat did not wait for his call and had to be squeezed into the first lock. Message for the future – Wait for Colin to call you to the lock.
By now the wind had strengthen from the southwest so on exiting the lock a rapid and pleasant sail under reefed genoa for most, although I believe one boat was seen with full main and genoa, in the force five gusting six was had back to the Club where the conditions made picking up the moorings and getting ashore interesting.
In all I believe an enjoyable weekend was had by all and I would like to thank the twenty two boats that took part along with the sixty to seventy people that Derek Gardner counted at the BBQ for their support for the event. Perhaps next year we can try to break the record of twenty eight boats that West Mersea took up there this year.
Thank you one and all.
The boats taking part were:- Ariadne, Charlotte, Cheema, Dreamer, Esme, Evenstar, Fraise Du Bois, Green Panther, Icarus, Iolanthe, Marmalade, Nimrod, Reflection, Rubicon, Sabre, Suruca, Shell Seeker, Southern Hey, Tahiti, Trumpeter, Twiga and Vida Loca which I think includes from the smallest to the largest boats that live on our moorings.
Neil Pembleton
Back to Cruising Programme 2008
Boats in the basin
Boats lying in the lock
The entrance at low water
Boats pack in to the lock on arrival
Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation
Page last updated: 25/01/2008 15:11:45