Stormbound

We have effectively been storm-bound in Blakeney for five days; unable to leave the harbour due to strong winds. Being stuck in a port when you have planned to be moving on can be very stressful, the feeling of time ebbing away is quite damaging to morale. To make matters worse there is time to kill, time that would better be spent sailing on to the next destination. The difficulties are further compounded by the fact that you are confined to the boat while it bucks about for extended periods, especially in a drying harbour like Blakeney. In eight days of sailing we have managed to cover 11 nautical miles from Brancaster, Holland could take a very long time at this rate.

A change in circumstances however has made this a very different experience, the feeling that we have lost days of our holiday is not there, this is not a holiday. We have read, corrected charts, maintained the boat, walked on the beach (it has been windy, not rainy), chatted and listened to England dismiss the Aussies in the first ashes test amongst many other distracting pass times. Time has flown and I for one feel relaxed and calm. Blakeney pit is a magical place, there is always something to see and the light is amazing.

We wait now (at 2005 on Thurdsay 1st August) for the tide to recede so that we can move to the outer harbour and anchor ready for an early start tomorrow towards Lowestoft. This is the longest coastal passage that we will undertake at 55NM and represents the start of our trip south and the east. Inevitably we are both nervous about this first long passage, the forecast is good but not perfect and the wind has been in the north for too long so the sea state may be rougher than we would like.

Anyway the condemned crew ate a hearty curry with Nigel and said goodbye to the last of our current friends until the autumn and cracked on with preparations for the passage. If we move to the outer harbour early it will be light but rough, if we wait the harbour will have calmed down but is will be dark; the late, dark option looks favourite.

So if all goes to plan tomorrow evening will find us in Lowestoft trying to resist eating in the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club, sitting in full sized chairs and showering in more than two litres of water. Leaving Blakeney will be difficult though it has felt like the start of our new life.