Day Four, Sunday 12th June

Great Yarmouth 12/6

7am: 11c WD 221deg WS 4kt VIS 24km RAIN 0%

1pm: 14c WD 254deg WS 7kt VIS 5km RAIN 70%

At 04:30 I am up and having a look outside.  If conditions are suitable we will get under way and make up for lost time.  There’s no wind and a low mist over the river so we will be unable to make progress against the tide.  I go back to bed having resolved to be under way by 10:00, when the tide will be about to turn.

The later start gives us time for a leisurely breakfast followed, as it is Sunday, by celebrating an informal Holy Communion led by our resident Minister in Training, Jon.  We finish both as the wind picks up and so just after 09:00 we get away and make progress against the last of the falling tide.  The plan for the day is to carry on up the Waveney, through Beccles and to Geldeston Lock.  This will achieve the first limit of navigation on the southern rivers.  With more west in the wind we have to tack up some stretches, but by lunch time we are approaching Beccles.

Beccles is a lovely town.  The town centre is full of wonderful old buildings and a quaint narrow road leads down to the water.  Today however, we are not going to explore the town.  We moor at the yacht station just for long enough to lower the mast.

Beccles bridge is low, with only just over six feet of clearance at high water, but it is not arched so the passage through is fairly straightforward.  Once through we look for a mooring but unable to find anywhere, we drop the mudweight whilst we raise the mast.  Lunch is taken under way and we carry on up the river.  The banks are now much more tree lined and occasionally blanket the wind enough to have to assist progress with the quant. Shortly before the junction where the Geldeston and Geldeston Lock routes diverge, we spend some time in the company of a River Cruiser class yacht.  With their large sail area they eventually leave us behind and we continue alone.

Shortly afterwards we have a close encounter with an overhead hazard, although well away from the bank we catch the rigging in an overhanging tree.  Of course it is at that moment that Chris, the Hunter’s Yard administrator, passes by in her motor boat. How embarrassing! The debris is still on the cabin roof as, at 15:50, we arrive at Geldeston Lock, our fifth navigation limit.  We don’t waste time celebrating, but turn straight round for the journey back.

Once again, progress is gentle through the tree s as we head back down towards Beccles in the gentle breeze, which now comes from the south west.

Approaching Beccles, and remembering the lack of mooring on the way up, we elect to lower the mast whilst under way.  This technique only works in a very light wind and is hard work with a crew of only three: one to lower the mast, one to quant and grab the mast as it is nearly down and one to steer.

Below Beccles there is a bit more wind as we clear the trees, and we make our steady way down the river.  This part of the Waveney is a lovely river.  There are enough trees to break the monotony, but not enough to blanket the wind. We make gentle but steady progress back downstream, helped by the wind, which is now almost due west.

In this relaxed fashion we eventually reach the entrance to Oulton Dyke, our route to Lowestoft.  A steady reach down the dyke a run across the broad and in to moor at the Yacht Station at 19:30.  We have arrived in Lowestoft. Limit number six.

Oulton Broad is one of my least favourite parts of the Broads.  It is highly commercialised and home to powerboat racing.  This is not a concern right now, at this time of day all is quiet and the Yacht Station is not crowded.  Our nearest guests are two sailing yachts from Southgates Yard, whose crews express admiration that we have come so far without an engine.  Things improve even further as I go to pay our mooring fees.  The harbourmaster is an enthusiast for traditional yachts and we spend a happy quarter hour reminiscing about the sailing yachts we have known over the years.

Back to the boat and another superb meal courtesy of Jon then we go ashore for a beer.  We try the nearest pub, which is not inspiring so we take a walk to look at Mutford Lock.  The lock separates Oulton Broad from Lake Lothing, a part of Lowestoft harbour and was built to allow trade via Lowestoft to reach the Broads.  It is unusual in having two sets of gates at each end.  Depending on the tide, Lake Lothing may be higher or lower than the broad, so the lock must work both ways round.  By the end of our stroll it is fully dark, and we retire below.