Essex

So what does one do at sea in the Motherland? Yachting, of course ol'boy!
Friday night was race night and race we did. While the Admirals Cup Regatta was canceled( lack of crew and entries), Alan & Shirley still race every Friday. I was still cabin boy and learning, so 2 extra crew came on board. I wasn't much use the whole race as I was feeling like "feeding the fish" (so to speak)but managed to hold it together.
We came 8th in our handicap and after the race, it was down to the club for a bit of nosh and a warm beer.
The next day, it was up early and on the yacht at 9 am, ready for the flotilla (14 yachts) to invade Heybridge basin for a weekend of food and singing and drink and ........
The day started off a little cool, but I soon warmed up on reaching Heybridge after seeing a single lady with her own craft. Alan said she was from the "Romford Navy" 😉.
On our way to Heybridge, we passed Radio Caroline, the 1960s pirate radio ship, to which a great film was made starring Bill Nighy.
Sailing in these waters requires great skill as there are some shallows, and you need to know the channels so you don't get the keel stuck. These are signaled by "witheys" that are sticks in the water, signaling the shallows.
Nearby Heybridge, it was regatta weekend for this local yacht club, and we saw spectacular vessels in full sail. Yachting is a very exhilarating sport. Heybridge basin has a lock in which to enter so we could moor on the canal banks by "rafting up." We entered the lock from the sea enmass, about 6 yachts at a time. The Lock Master ( a profession in the UK) then closes the lock, and the water fills from the canal or, depending on the tide, drains to raise or lower the vessels. Again, massive skill required along with a number of fenders, after all, can't allow the Gin to be shaken ol' chap.
Once through the lock we moored up by rafting and then Shirley gave me a lecture on etiquette on how to get ashore by crossing other yachts(never cross at the rear, might see a Romford gal rearranging her sails).
So the fun began with a night of BBQs, singing by Alan Mason of the Three Flats and Sharp group, world famous in Europe, and food for this Navy. Alan is an accomplished musician of 60 years, and he sure demonstrated this on Saturday night.
The evening came to an end, and we crawled on board our yachts to be gently rocked to sleep.
The next day, after a hearty breakfast, we prepared to leave. Again, the skill required as we filled with water, packed away goods, unleashed our rafting, and entered
the lock according to tides. I soon learned to fend off, rope up, and other naval terms that left me confused and bewildered at times. At least I wasn't "keeled hauled" by the Captains wife for failing to clean the deck, oh arrrgh!
We arrived shore side at Mersea around 3pm, and it was off to the club for one last drink.
Yachting is a very cooperative exercise. Everyone looks out for each other and supports those who need that little extra (tot of rum). It really is a great show of humanity.
I went from Cabin Boy to First Mate after learning my Port & Starboard, fending off, Knott tying, trimming, grinding, and endless jokes about Essex girls.
This part of my trip will stay in my mind forever😉.Read more