-- FOUR RIVERS - A PILGRIMAGE - RIVER THREE - THE RIVER BLACKWELL --

This particular journey was really a pilgrimage to Heybridge Basin which is an off shoot of the River Blackwell rather than the river itself. Heybridge Basin features often in the writings of many sailors including Maurice Griffiths whose book 'The Magic of the Swatchways' introduced many to the charm of this part of the English coast. Also the writings of Charles Stock a legendary figure in these parts (and more recently the books and videos of its new owner) with their little 16 foot gaff cutter 'Shoal Waters' have been an inspiration to many small boat sailors to explore this area.

The Basin consists of an area that is accessed through lock gates that are secured at high tide allowing the boats to float throughout the whole tide range. Boats outside the basin sit on the mud at low water. The white two storied house on the left is the lock keepers house.

 Looking back from the basin towards the lock gates and the river.

 A range of boats share this peaceful sanctuary.

 Dutch Botter type ideally suited to shoal waters around seas, lakes and rivers.

The name on this houseboat pretty much sums up the ambiance of Heybridge Basin.

 A Boat trip leaves from this quay up river to Maldon.

This interesting garden backs onto the Heybridge Basing walkway. I got a shock when I saw it for the first time - for a milli second I thought I had stumbled on an African wildlife park - nope! just another piece of Brit eccentricity that gave us Monty Pythons Flying Circus and other gems.

 'Myosotis' a Maurice Griffiths 'Tidewater' design moored in the basin.

A classic Thames barge. Before the development of the eastern railways these barges accounted for most of the transport and trade around the Thames estuary and its north eastern coast.

 The Tiptree Tea Rooms (white building in the distance) was a good place for lunch.

 Looking back towards the lock from the tearooms.

The Tiptree Tearooms toilet had a framed picture of a nice schooner - should be compulsory world wide.

Small trading barge. If you are going to sit on the mud at low tide then do it properly and sensibly just like this.

 Stebbens Boat Yard rings a bell somewhere in my subconscious memory.

 The Jolly Sailor - another picturesque watering hole and eatery.

 Much of old Britain is quaint picture postcard perfect.

 This old girl (A Bawley?) still has her flag flying. Obviously the boom wasn't going to be outdone for length by the bowsprit!

 All paths lead to somewhere to sail in my mind.

-------- FOUR RIVERS - A PILGRIMAGE - RIVER TWO - THE RIVER DEBEN --------

When we arrived at Woodbridge at the head of the river Deben we watched a local boat being lifted out.

I am guessing that the boats in the foreground are fair dinkum Deben 3 tonners in their native environment.

A beautiful day of soft light on the Deben. I think the yacht in the foreground is an East Anglian One Design. (Alan Buchanan?)

The Deben Yacht Club perched over the river with floating pontoons - a real proper yacht club.

Deben Yacht Club on the river since 1838 - Two years before the signing of New Zealands founding document, The Treaty of Waitangi.

It was a mellow day on the Deben. I was struck with how peaceful and quiet it was. I would love to sail around these beautiful rivers.

 Good fleet of sailing dinghies. Let's hope no one ever turns this into a car park. 

 Soft Autumn English light on the Deben. 

Took a look inside a boat shed on the wharf close to the Deben Yacht Club. If I could take this great boat building shed home with me to New Zealand I wouldn't do so without taking this jaw droppingly beautiful little shoal draft cruising yacht with me.

Beautiful little cruising yachts - real little ships.

Taking a look at photos on the internet I can see that a flying visit and a walk around didn't cover anything like what Woodbridge and the River Deben has to offer - but I'll be back, hopefully next time out on the river as well.

I liked Woodbridge and what I could see of the river Deben very much indeed - I'll be back.

--- FOUR RIVERS - A PILGRIMAGE - RIVER ONE - THE RIVER ORWELL ---

While in the UK last year for the birth of a second grandchild we were able (despite some difficulties) to do a couple of road trips, the first to Stonehenge and the second in the form of a pilgrimage to the coast of Essex and Suffolk an area that has significance for me.

The day was over cast, the English motorway roundabouts formidable and our GPS ........ well, 'not amusing' are words that spring to mind.

Harry King and Sons is an old established boat builders that has built many fine yachts over the years. How do I know this? You don't spend years reading English yachting mags without picking up a bit of local knowledge.

A damp and overcast day with Autumn well on the way.

Interesting yacht - designer?

Swallows and Amazons anyone?

Deben 3 tonner?

Should know this - Arpege? nah.

If Steve had hauled 'Sparrow' out here I could have taken a look at his boat - soooo inconsiderate.

Deben 3 tonner again?

The Pin Mill Sailing Club is the building to the right of the flagpole and the tree.

Pin Mill Sailing Club - I peered through the window at all the history hanging on the walls and sat on the veranda - starting guns in the UK are rather large.

The famous 'Butt and Oyster' at Pin Mill. 

The river Orwell is midway between the Thames river in the south and Yarmouth and the entrance to the Norfolk Broads in the north. This whole area is a particular kind of cruising ground and best suits a particular type of boat - shoal draft - centre board - Maurice Griffiths et al sort of country.

There is probably an interesting story as to why the Royal Harwich Yacht Club is on the River Orwell when it could be argued that the town of Harwich lies more on the River Stour - when I looked just now at a map I see that it lies at the mouth of both rivers - maybe they flipped a coin.

The drive in from the main road to this yacht club passed through some beautiful woodland and fields.

'Fanny of Cowes' took my eye at the small marina in front of the RHYC.

 Almost at the head of the Orwell is the Orwell Bridge with the town of Ipswich beyond.

This was the view of the head of the river from a cafe cum indoor food market just below the Orwell bridge where we had a nice lunch. This is one of the things we love about the UK - always interesting places to eat and great food.

The main thing I took from the visit to the river Orwell is that I must go back again.

_______________________ LOCK DOWN READING _______________________

This is the Arthur Ransome shelf which resides between the 'Mariner' series books (above) and the Maurice Griffiths shelf (below). The books on the right are the 12 books that make up what I guess you could call the 'Swallows and Amazons' series (I don't know whether or not the series has an official title). The books to the left and extending into the next door section are three other AR titles, a couple of AR biographies and other AR related books.

You can see from the bookmark that I am ready to start reading "The Big Six" the 7th in the series. I've had this series for a few years now and are slowly working my way through. Why slowly? I hear you ask - well apart from the fact that I read books other than those of a sailing genre, one doesn't just scoff caviar all in one go does one!

 

It is the childrens adventures recounted in the Swallows and Amazons books that inspire full grown adults to live out their own small adventures and build their own small Swallows and Amazons boats as I have done.

 "Scout" my own version of dinghy cruising Swallows and Amazons style.

 I'm getting itchy sailing feet just creating this posting.

__________________ HUMOUR IN THE TIME OF COVID (2) _________________

 

The sensible governmental health advice in this time of Covid 19 has been to keep a 2 meter distance from everyone else - this guy has a precise measurement strategy. This is the way to do things.

 

 This is NOT the way the way a gorilla  should cook food in the current Covid 19 climate (not even with a face mask).

(With thanks to Brian Peet:   NZ - ZOA sailor and dispenser of humour.)

________________________ A LONG TIME AGO __________________________

Last November I took these photographs for my Zephyr sailor mate Don here in Northland NZ outside the Matakohe museum. Don once did own an MG sports car and belonged to the local MG club in Christchurch. It was through this interest that he met his future wife who also owned one of these classic cars.

In the early world .................  (It is sobering to think that is 50 years ago when I was 19) ................ I nearly bought one of these.

I answered an advertisement for a sky blue MG in 1970, the same model as the one in these photographs. "How much do you want for it?" I asked; "Fifteen hundred" came the reply.

Hardly believing my luck I took the car for a quick drive and got ready for the next stage. "So," I said, "Fifteen hundred dollars." ....................... "No", came the answer " Fifteen hundred pounds".

New Zealand changed to decimal currency in 1967, but it took a lot of people some time to convert their thinking completely to the new regime. At that time One New Zealand pound was worth Two New Zealand dollars. So the price of fifteen hundred pounds was in the newish decimal currency a cool $3000 - twice what I thought the asking price was and completely out of my price range. I was of course very disappointed and have always cast a wistful look in the direction of these adorable machines - sigh.

________________________ LOOKING FORWARD ________________________

 "Scout" before I carved her name plate and added her lugsail rig.

When this lock down is over and traveling around becomes safe again I think one of the first things I will do is go for a good row in 'Scout'. I will wait for a nice bright sunny day and go and get some exercise. In the mean time I am:

1 - Going through a large pile of old yachting magazines and "weeding" as the librarians say. I already have a number of boxes that go out with the rubbish tomorrow. The smile on my dear wifes face as I execute this much promised job (100 years and counting) is something to behold.

2 - Continuing to rig out my Zephyr 'Slipstream' - running lines, attaching cleats and hiking straps etc. Enjoyable work although not having a yacht chandlers open is proving difficult - some jobs will have to be on the post lock down list.

3 - Continuing to tidy my little "Can't swing a cat in it" work shed. I have a large number of chisels that require sharpening - the shocking rumours that I have been using all of them at times as screwdrivers is absolutely not true - I have only misused some of them in this way.

4 - Continuing my ongoing eclectic book reading - something that got ramped up on retirement and continues unabated. I usually have a number of books on the go.

5 - Watching a large number of Utube videos about the Linux Mint Cinnamon distro. This is something that I would like to pursue when I get enough time. It will be a good interest when I am too physically doddery to sail anymore.

6 - Re - reading Alexander S. Whites thorough 275 page manual "Photographer's Guide To The Sony DSC-RX10 1V" so that I am well informed when I purchase this camera post lock down (I should have purchased it pre lock down - doh!). Why cameras have become so bloody complicated is any ones guess.

7 - Watching the daily updates on Covid 19 ably lead by our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who is providing the country with strong, no nonsense, decisive leadership of Churchillian proportions. Thank God for that.

___________________ HUMOUR IN THE TIME OF COVID ___________________

 ........ and yes I am aware that half the world spells 'Humour" differently as 'Humor' but who am I to tell them that they are spelling it incorrectly and mangling the English language - everyone to their own spelling world view I say.......... but I digress.

Brian Peet is an Auckland Zephyr yacht sailor who has been cheering up the rest of us members of the Zephyr Association Owners by emailing us all with a dose of daily humour. I thought this one was worth sharing - it ticks all the boxes of the cunning structural strategies of a good joke:

"Yesterday  I was at my local Countdown  store buying a  large bag of Pedigree dog food for my loyal pet and was in the  checkout queue when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
What did she think I had, an elephant?  So, since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting  the Pedigree Diet again.  I added that I probably  shouldn’t,
because I ended up in hospital last time, but I'd lost 8 kg before I woke up in intensive care with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IV's in both arms.
I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load  your pockets with Pedigree nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry.  The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going  to try it again.  (I have to mention here that  practically everyone in queue was now enthralled with my story.)
Horrified, she asked me if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me.  I told her no, I stepped off the kerb to sniff an Irish Setter's arse and a car hit me.
I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. 
I'm now banned from Countdown.  Better watch what you ask retired people. 
They have all the time in the world to think of daft things to say."

Humour / Humor will help us get through to the other side of this.

 

___________________________ ON WE GO _____________________________

With the painting and varnishing completed 'Slipstream' is now right way up and ready for all the various accessories to be bolted and screwed on ........ mainsheet track, inspection ports, rudder gudgeons, sail control cleats etc etc .............. Then we will be good to go - can't wait.

_________________________ MELLOW YELLOW _________________________

Painting is something that I really do not do well, so it was with a lot of trepidation that I began this part of the restoration. All I can say is - "So far, so good". With two out of three (or four) finishing coats on, things are looking reasonably good.

The drill has been coats of 'single pot' International brand 'TopLac' finishing paint applied with a fine foam roller, tipped off with a paint brush. The coats have been 'next day' coats, so I am going for a chemical bond between coats with the very minimum of selected sanding in a few problematic areas.

The key to the smoothness has been thinning the paint up to 10% with the appropriate thinners. After tipping off the thinly applied rolls of paint, the addition of thinners to the paint has allowed the paint to 'self level' giving a surface free of paint brush marks.

I will apply another coat tomorrow and maybe another the day after that. I will then sail the boat as painted, then do a cut and buff after a couple of months when the paint has completely hardened. I chose the colour yellow because it is a bright, happy, positive colour that makes me smile.................... also it will be a good colour for the Coast Guard to see if I need to be rescued from some old age dotage induced, self indulgent whim of loading the boat up with sandwiches and a thermos and setting off on a passage in the direction of Cape Horn.

_________________ INVOKING BILBOS WALKING SONG __________________

The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

Bilbo Baggins of Bag End wrote this walking song about, well, walking. Being a distant cousin of Bilbo I have decided to use my family connections and borrow the song for a nautical use. It may be a stretch for some, but for me I like to see the walking song also as a metaphor for (among other endeavours) boat building and restoration. If you've ever laboured (and suffered) over a much loved project you will indeed understand.

Bow detail - Mahogany scarfed into Alaskan Red Cedar

I have always thought myself to be a bumbling and hopeless painter. Today I had a brain wave. Instead of launching forth into the beginning of 6 coats of varnish I read for the first time the Aus/NZ edition of International Paints 'Boat Paint Guide with Colour Card and How-to Guide'. What a useful eye opener! The golden sentence were words to the effect that 'Two thin coats of varnish are better than one thick coat that runs everywhere'. I brushed on one thin coat - no runs - Hallelujah.

 I have made the mast collar with a rebated slot to take the mast boot bungy cord - keeps the water out.

I also varnished the poplar dagger-board case. The holes at the forward base are hiking strap attachment points.

 Rather than butt the cockpit trim at right angles I have fitted rounded corners - much easier on the eye.

I am pleased with the way the grain in the Gaboon plywood deck has been picked up by the varnish.

The weather is balmy and warm at the moment so the next 5 days are booked for the last coats of varnish (6 in total). I then begin the painting of the hull - the road goes ever on.