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squiz
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Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 3688
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4th October 2017
Windsurfing: Point Clear Wind Direction: W Wind Stength: 15/20 Surf / Sea State: flat and lumpy Air Temperature: 14 Sea Temperature: Weather: cloudy Max Speed: 28.43 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 32.37 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Wednesday 4th October – windsurfing **** walk **** cloudy
28.43 kt. max, 26.42 kt. ave., 13.44 kt. hr., 21.31 kt mile, 59.5 km., 18.11 kt. alpha.
This is the start of two top days sailing away in Essex:) With an early start today we arrived first at Point Clear at 9.30 and as we
were hoping to go just down the road to Bradfield tomorrow Mag took enough stuff to stay out the night:) We had prime position on the
Green but it was cloudy and a bit on the chilly side:( Keith farmer soon arrived to double the numbers and started to rig 8.5 with me
going with 7.8. This is the free sail I got the other week and had to make a quick repair with some tape. I was first out and had a
couple of runs out to sea sailing a couple of miles to the Jaywick end where it really roughs up! It wasn’t quick sailing back as I
think there was a fraction of north in what was a westerly but it’s always good fun sailing 50m off the beach flat out:) I then headed
into the lagoon and scared off the seal! Keith soon joined me in the flat water and I sailed for ages before the sea breached the
shingle bank which chops it up! It was not a fast day and I never seem to go quick with my 7.8 and have never broken 30 knots with it:(
I peaked at 28kts but had a great time gybe practising and only ground out in the mud a couple of times! There were some good gusts
coming through so I headed back to the van for a bite to eat and possibly change down? Another sailor had arrived making it only three
sailors out today and the wind had seemed to ease and I couldn’t be bothered to rig another sail so went out on the big kit again. I
had two more runs out to sea before having a final session in the lagoon as the tide dropped. With about 3 hours out it was time to
head back to the van for a warming cuppa. Mag had had the diesel heater on earlier in the day but also enjoyed a walk along the
seawall. A Facebook friend had recently visited Alresford Creek which I had never heard of but it is off the River Colne just down the
road so we thought we would go in search of it. We first tried a left taking us to Martins Farm Country Park which had a height
restriction and as we were towing the trailer it made turning difficult especially as two large quarry lorries were waiting to pass! We
managed to turn and continued to Thorrington but with no more likely looking turnings we returned to Martins Farm. We parked on the
road, walked to the cark park and asked some dog walkers where the creek was. We had a nice chat and they told us where it was, miles
along the road past Thorrington! We had to wait for a train at a level crossing and fight our way past a school at pickup time but
eventually found the lovely creek at the end of a narrow lane. This is a spot for future overnight parking but you would have to be
careful as high tides flood the road! Time for a cuppa and cake then for a walk. Heading along the creek past the old derelict quarry
jetty to the River Colne which leads to Colchester. It was a great wide footpath and we asked another nice local who said it was
possible to bike so we will come back, he also told us we could walk back to the van along a ridge inland. We found the return path
turning inland past some great old oak trees and several more quarries then back to the van. We then headed over to Bradfield making a
bit of an error adding 12 miles to the journey but made it to the farmers field parking area by six. With NW winds forecast to blow
40/50 knots we tucked in behind the trees. We had a campervan favourite of tinned beef and mash potato, finished my book while Mag did
her crafts - love this van :)
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