Why not join us at the big party in Ipswich and Levington, and maybe stay on to enjoy the Jubilee Cruise that follows?  We know from experience just what good events and parties the East Coast Gaffers organise, so we can assure you it will be a very enjoyable time; not to be missed.  From the brochure you have received, you will see that boats of all sizes are welcome as well as those folk who are land-based.  

Last weekend we welcomed and saw on their way from Cowes the boats taking part in the Round Britain Challenge and we are now making plans to sail to meet them in Ipswich.  To date, we know of five Solent Boats that are interested in the east-going option and we’d be delighted to hear from more.  Already it has become obvious that we all have different boats, plans, crews, date restrictions and even dreams of where we want to go on the way, or even where to avoid, so this will not be a convoy of boats but a group of folk doing their own thing en route, probably hoping to meet up from time to time and definitely getting together when we reach our destination.

For ourselves, we prefer days sails and while we’re there we want to include visits to the Ore and Alde (including Snape), the Deben and Southwold which we shall try to fit in before the Ipswich party begins.  Another skipper has a dream of going through Havengore to explore the Roach and the Crouch.  

We shall certainly pay heed to the forecasts nearer the time but our very provisional programme could be as outlined below without any spare extra days written in (tides need to checked).  We may well bring forward our departure.  Some of the others are planning to leave a bit later and one boat will join us after a cruise to France.  We are also delighted that Sue and David Pennison plan to trail Satellite to the East Coast and join us there.

The plan:

July 24^th       Bucklers Hard to Littlehampton 
July 25^th       Littlehampton to Eastbourne
July 26^th       Eastbourne to Dover (add at least one day if you want to explore Rye)
July 27^th       Dover to Ramsgate
July 28^th       Ramsgate to Harwich/Levington (add days to include the Roach/Deben)
July 29^th       Harwich to Southwold
July 30^th       Southwold to Orford
July 31^st       Orford to Snape and back
August 1^st    Orford to the Deben
August 2^nd    Deben to Ipswich
Aug 3-6^th      Ipswich and Levington for the OGA 60 Jubilee Party
Aug 7-12^th    E Coast cruise to Chatham visiting the Walton Backwaters. West Mersea and the Blackwater

Then head home!

If you are planning to join the OGA 60 event we urge you to book as soon as possible because numbers are restricted at some events and it’s first-come-first-served.  The registration process is a bit challenging so persevere or, if desperate, ask ourselves or Grant for help. The link to the OGA60 website to register for the Jubilee party and the E Coast cruise is on the OGA60 tab of this website.

Please contact us on timandlizdodwell@btinternet.com or via the Solent Whatsapp if you are interested and would like to be kept informed of what others are planning.  We hope to see many of you on the water in July, if not before then.                                 

Tim and Liz on High Barbaree