Joining schooner Trinovante in Ipswich, ready for the voyage to London
On the first morning my luck finally runs out and I have the fun of going into the chain locker to help arrange the anchor chain as it is winched in. Apparently it’s supposed to be possible to do this without getting muddy….
Sails up on a beautiful day!
A lot of the particular fun on this trip is visiting places the Swallows visit in the Arthur Ransome book ‘We Didn’t Mean to go to Sea’. Here is the North Shelf Buoy where they anchoredThe river is full of small sailing boatsAnd there are still some of the wonderful Thames barges around!Lucy enjoying herself at the tiller as always
Today we have the light wind rig hoisted, just the jib, fishaker and one fishermans topsail
Passing close to Southend Pier – but sadly not quite close enough for icecream on a hot afternoonJohn checking all is well aloftA beautiful sunsetFinally after more than 10 years, a proper clove hitch!A cormorant divingThe QE2 Bridge comes into view as we head up the ThamesThe Thames Barrier – always fun to hear the radio chatter of boats requesting permission to pass throughHeading further up river, we pass under the Emirates Airline cable carAnd the familiar sight of the O2 And as we reach the end of our voyage, the unmistakable shape of Tower BridgeReluctantly leaving as I have a train to catch (and only made it by seconds!)Farewell for now – but we’ll be back!
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