Summer 2008 on board Angele

The day dawned with the most beautiful sunrise and all but two of the gallant crew missed it. The plan for day one of the summer expedition was to travel from The Royal Harwich Yacht Club down the Orwell to Halfpenny pier for the annual Sea Shanty weekend. It was a simple matter of gliding down a silky smooth river past the docks at Felixstowe and across into the Stour to Harwich where we moored up to Halfpenny pier. After a strenuous three quarters of an hour exertion the crew needed to rest and discover the local amenities.

The festival itself was very colourful with Harwich being shown off to her best with bunting and crowds of people on the piers listening to the various groups of singers, some solo, some in groups, a cappella or with squeeze boxes, violins and flutes. The old waterfront came alive and all of the boats received visitors of one form or other.

In the evening the singers repaired to the local hostelries where in very cramped positions the shanties continued along with much drinking and merriment.

The day we were due to head out to Ostend a thick blanket of fog came down and it was felt by all that discretion was by far the best part of valour and so we staid put.

This meant we did not leave for Ostend until 14th Oct and although the trip started off fine rain clouds soon gathered and the wind got up which made cross two very major shipping lanes interesting to say the least. We arrived in the dark but soon found a berth and everyone collapsed and took well earned refreshment and sleep.

Being the end of season Ostend was quiet but no less welcoming and the weather was fine. The city was undergoing an autumn festival and in all the nooks and crannies were set up those types of fair ground ride that make the girls scream the boys hold on with white knuckles not daring to show weakness and those with more sense walk away. The cathedral was beautiful and good meal was had in the evening with mayonnaise and chips.

The next day we set out for Dunkirk, the fine weather we had in Ostend gradually disappeared and a wind got up. We managed to find our way and Jean, Ray and David pose in the bows of Angele with Dunkirk behind us, you can see how warm it was by the look on our faces. It was good to be here though because sixty eight years before Angele was rescuing British and French soldiers from t.jpghe beaches and taking them to Ramsgate, which is we intend going next.

We arrived at Ramsgate in the middle of the night, the journey across from Dunkirk had been pretty rough with a force seven gale and rain showers but Angele had done all this before and it was no problem for her to shoulder he way across making the occasional side step to avoid a tanker or container ship. When we got into Ramsgate harbour the wind was blowing us off the dock but with the help of some very enthusiastic youngsters whose ship was moored the other side of the pontoon we managed to get secured.

Ramsgate was an enchanting town with the terracotta façade to the warehouses facing the harbour and its interesting windy little streets. We spent the day in Ramsgate planning on leaving at midnight. We found a nice little Italian restaurant on the hill for supper and were in good spirits ready for the journey north back up to the Orwell. At midnight the harbour being sheltered was as calm as a mill pond and Angele made a ghost like figure over the water as she headed out to sea.

The journey north went very smoothly but everyone was glad to see home waters once more. The sun rose to greet us and the old river looked resplendent in the gold tinted light of the morning. We gained our mooring and after a bit of breakfast headed below for a bit of shut-eye. A journey of eight days that began in the sunshine and ended in sunshine with many different weather permutations in between; everyone agreed that this trip was a great experience and a good opportunity for making new friends.