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squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 3275 |
15th July 2025 Hiking - Walking: Around Harwich Wind Direction: SW Wind Stength: 15/25 Surf / Sea State: river chop Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny periods Max Speed: Distance Covered: Tuesday 15th July - walk/boat trip ***** – Around Harwich – sunny periods and beezy. Some time ago I won a photo competition run by Harwich Haven Authority, the prize included £250 and a trip out in one of the pilots boats which was arranged for today:) We had to meet in the car park of the HHA operational office right on the Orwell overlooking Felixstowe docks at 9.45. With road works on the dreaded Orwell Bridge we decided to leave Felixstowe early and after a quick breakfast, packing a picnic we left Felixstowe at eight. We were once again took 20 minutes to get over the bridge and then took the scenic route past Ramsholt ariiving at Harwich at 9.30, parking just behind the Sailing club we had enough time to walk along the prom to some beach huts and lighthouse with some lovely old houses, we were impressed with Harwich, a nice place to spend a few hours:) We reached the car park dead on time and meet another photo winner who was already there with his Dad, They come from Teeside and were luckily down at Suffolk Sands Caravan site in Felixstowe on holiday. Lisa from HHA came out to say hello and give us both a goody bag before introducing us the the pilots who were taking us out on the trip around the bay, and very nice they all were! We were kitted out with life jackets before heading out on the private jetty to board the impressive pilot boat with some very comphy seats. The boat was skillfully manevoured from the mooring and we set off across a bumpy river Orwell in lovely sunshine with a good breeze from the SW blowing, in fact a few mates were windsurfing just around the corner at The Manor end! He opened the boat as we headed for the two huge container ships moored near the viewing point at Felixstowe docks easily breaking 20 knots, in fact she can actually do 30 knots! We got so close to the container ships, you could nearly touch them, they were massive, Mag was happy to spend most of the trip in her seat behind the pilot and the two photographers onboard spent most of the time outside mainly on the stern viewing area but we did put a safety line on to walk to the front for some more exciting pics, just brilliant! We turned in where the three Felixstowe tugs are berthed, aways our favourite before getting a close look at the last container ship at the far end of the dock before heading over the river towards Parkstone passing a rusty old lightship really close as the old barge from Ipswich motored past, there were waves all round! We then got a close look at Harwich Harbour, back past the Ha’penny pier seeing the lifeboat and Radio Caroline, past some working boats and back to the pilot mooring spot. We then had a walk to the end of the long jetty before a group pick, handshakes and thanks all round as it had been an amazing experience. Goodbyes said Mag and I walked the short distance to sit on the lovely Ha’penny pier with brilliant views across the river to Felixtowe docks before visiting the RLNI to see if we could get a Grandkids a little something, we actually found loads of good stuff before returning to the van to collect the picnic. We sat on a bench by the small beach for an early lunch as we were starving and were entertained by a few gulls as it clouded over! I had bought a secondhand windsurf board from Fluidlines in Colchester so headed there to pick it up! The board was a bargain and looks hardly used, the the light version so might be a little faster than mine, can’t wait to give it a try! Mag then drives home, another 20 mimute delay over the bridge before making it home to look after the Granddaughter, the lovely Maeva until nine, it had been a long but amazing day, certainly one to remember:) Photo Album here |
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