Day 3 started with rain. Lots of it. It drummed on the awning and slowly but persistently it revealed all of the deak-leaks. Annoyingly most are above our bunks!
It’s pointless staying in a damp bunk – so over breakfast various damp people from the fleet discussed our destination. No longer was it Geldeston, we’d motor down the Waveney and head for Cantley.
All of this was discussed over a nutritious meal of bacon rolls, and ‘hair of the dog’ Strongbow… design specifications had been exceeded last night. (!)
Following this decision, there was a flurry of activity as tents were folded, masts lowered and every inch of space used to stow gear. ‘Corsair’s’ forepeak was crammed, to the point we’d not get the mast back up ever again…
The outboard decided to break its fuel system at this point – thanks to Chief Engineer Jalil for sorting this (note promotion from Petty Officer!). As we left, we were definitely at the back of the fleet, and all of us soaked.
As ‘Corsair’ towed ‘Nulsec’ downriver a lucrative card-school was hosted in the cabin, the stakes were 2p a bet. All was well until some fool (James) lost his winnings.
Periodically these gambling, drinking swines would come to inquire as to the skippers well-being…
(It took years to find all the 2p coins in the bilges!!!)
As we motored downriver – those swines drank ALL the booze!
In the New Cut – bizarrely we realised that on our tail was ‘Herbie’ we weren’t last! Simon & Sarah were hustling along. Herbie was a 12ft Fibrocell dinghy, but was sporting an Evinrude 20hp on the back! There was nothing but a flurry of spray, a bow-wave and two soggy looking people!!
‘Corsair’ and ‘Nulsec’ moored at Reedham Street (to replenish the booze!), and we kept an eye to see if ‘Nulsec’ would sink again. She didn’t, and we managed to get all the sails up, to head upriver for Cantley.
Even the repaired rudder behaved itself!! Both craft enjoyed some champagne sailing up the Yare, to the extent that ‘Corsair’ carried on up with the last of the flood to the Beauchamp Arms…
We moored to a fishing platform – tiptoed ashore as the water swelled the banks and had a well-earnt pint.
Returning to Cantley kept us on our toes, but we’d drifted off (literally). Flush with success we poured ourselves some room temperature Gins and drifted back in the early evening sun.
The weather hadn’t finished with us, a ‘roger’ belted into us just upstream of Langley – shitshitshitSHIT, helm down, let go sheets, no good the booms in, HOLD ON!
Somehow – Robert in his role as official reporter coolly held his nerve (and his drink) and photographed how far we were over;
Suitably chastened – with split Gins and frayed nerved we returne to Cantley
Quick phone call sorted extra beds. So 4 lucky souls will sleep aboard on ‘The Only Girl’ (S/N137) for the night.
In the meantime though, the morning’s hangovers we discarded, who cares! the pub, the pub!!
Goodnight.
A Broadsman 