We ended up staying in Wells for four days, a very pleasant place with lots to see and do. The town itself is has quite a range of shops for a town of about 3,000, including 2 chandlers !! The tide is building towards springs at the moment, and the amount of salt marsh covering at high water is quite impressive, on the other hand, there isn't much water at all at low water. We made up a lead line to check clearance, and on 4th May we had about 6" water under us with the keel raised completely.
The approach channel is dredged continuously to maintain access, and a new outer harbour has been created to support the development of a large wind farm just offshore.
Moored against the town quay is steel hulled Dutch cargo clipper 'Albatros', this was the last sail clipper to carry a commercial cargo. In latter years she was used for sailing trips untill the cost of insurance made this unviable. Nowadays she is being used as a floating bar / cafe, which we made use of on 4th, Sue having a braised pear, cinnamon, advocaat, and cream crepe, and I had a bowl of rather good Dutch pea soup
( although some swaps were made ! ).
Also on the 4th, we had a walk along the edge of the salt marshes towards Blakeney harbour; quite an interesting landscape, with deep creeks cut into the mud, all held back by significant sea defences. On the way back into Wells we had a good view of the town quay, with our pontoon, and the harbour masters office in the distance.
Have to go now, we have set alarms for 04-30 to catch as much fair tide as possible on a 56NM passage to Lowestoft, and from there we are into unexplored territory as far as we are concerned.
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