Actual Sailing !

The winds are forecast from the NE at force 4/5 occaisionally 6, and a 'moderate' sea state, so we have decided to have a good passage making day, and move 'NJ' to Spurn Head. Good progress was made for most of the day with winds in the range 15 - 25 knots, taking a single reef in the main sail, and adjusting the genoa from time to time. Tide turned foul around 17-00 making the last few miles fairly hard work, motoring hard into a 3Kt tide into the Humber. We only had a cluster of pilot boats and the lifeboat for company in the anchorage ( Spurn Head has the only permanently manned lifeboat station in the country, as it is so remote ). We grabbed a quick bite to eat, tidied up a little and then went to bed early. We were up at 5-00am, and decided that we didn't want to get stuck in Grimsby, and the Spurn Head anchorage has little to commend it on a cold, breezy, and somewhat misty morning.

So, could we make Wells-Next-The-Sea in time to meet the tidal gate ? It looked like this was the way to go, so we got ourselves together quickly and left the anchorage at 6-30. We motored hard to cross the traffic separation zone at the mouth of the Humber, then sailed east, following the main shipping channel before turning to the south east past the Donna Nook firing range. From Donna Nook the course was generally SE or SSE, passing close to Dowsing and S Race cardinals before turning due south to the Wells entrance. We had tried to contact the harbour master by phone ( no signal ) and VHF ( got the channel dredger but not the harbour office ) so it was not untill we were on final approach that we were able to secure a berth ( sigh of relief ! ). The harbour staff were extremely helpful, and the harbour master even came out to the entrance to guide us in through the tortuous approach channel, which was a big relief. Wells was one of the places I really wanted to visit, as it wasn't very practical in 'Shimry' our previous boat. The Southerly is ideal for places like Wells, as with the keel up she only draws 0,72m. We were quite suprised when we arrived at the pontoon and saw a Southerly 35RS ( same hull as 'NJ', but a different interior layout ) with the same light blue hull as 'NJ', along with two more older Southerlies - obviously good territory ! We will stay in Wells for a couple of days to recharge our batteries ( our's not the boat's ).