Day Nine, Friday 17th June

Great Yarmouth 19/6

7am: 16c WD 140deg WS 8kt VIS 14km RAIN 0%

1pm: -10c WD 0deg WS 0kt VIS 0km RAIN 0%

With only today to reach Coltishall, we arise at 04:30.  Wind is stirring in the tops of the trees, so we rig and get under way. Unfortunately the tall trees completely mask our sail and we are in a dead calm. What I would give for a topsail! After a quarter hour we have made no more than 300 yards. At one point a pigeon passes us – on foot! At this rate we cannot reach Coltishall, so we moor up whilst we decide what to do.  If we cannot get the boat to Coltishall, it can be done on foot, so at 05:45 I set out to walk. There is no footpath so the route is along the road, but at this hour there is little traffic. Also it is not yet uncomfortably hot.  07:05 sees me at the lock.  It is our eleventh navigation limit and the last that we will achieve.  I phone in my success and by 08:30 am back on the boat.  The others have breakfast waiting and I devour it hungrily. There is nothing like a six mile walk first thing to hone the appetite.

After breakfast we drop the mast and head down through the Wroxham bridges, our last of the trip. Below the town we opt to sail on to Wroxham broad, where there is less shelter from the wind. We enjoy an exhilarating sail up and down the broad and take the opportunity to admire Solace, the pleasure wherry, as she swings on her mooring.

Unfortunately we can’t spend all day at this and we return to the river. On a failing wind progress is leisurely, but we are making progress. We eat lunch as we pass St Benet’s Abbey, which despite being a ruin, was never dissolved. The bishop of Norwich is also the abbot to this day.

14:30 sees us back in the yard, and Jon wastes no time in setting off home. He will be able to make his evening appointment.  David and I clean and tidy the boat.  Along with most Hunter’s clients, we share with the staff a love of the boats, and would not dream of handing one back until it’s spotless. We also enjoy a chat with the Hunter’s staff, who are all impressed with the distances we have travelled and are keen that we should write it up as an encouragement to other sailors. All this done, it is with a feeling of satisfaction that we too climb into the car for the journey home.