Burnham-on-Sea 17-18th Sep

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Many thanks to Peter who climbed Katy's mast on Friday to fix my wind instruments, which are once again working. We went to Burnham once the mastaineering had been done. Myself on Katy and Karen and Peter on Cassandra.
Sorry Sheila, but just to break the curse on Katy (or me!), nothing happened. Despite the dire warnings about approaching Burnham in Peter Cumberlidge's pilot book I followed the waypoints listed in said book and had no problems whatsoever.

It was surprisingly lumpy over on the English side of the Channel, considering neap tides and gentle winds. (Max 10kts - I noticed now that my wind instruments are operational again) but once anchored behind Sturt Island it was so sheltered as to be virtually flat.

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Karen and Peter enjoying breakfast aboard Cassandra in the sunshine on Saturday morning. Later they dinghied across to join me on Katy where we sat drinking tea in the sun. It was so pleasant that they delayed leaving almost too long.

Karen and Peter where planning to spend that night in Watchet, and because being anchored in the sun was so enjoyable departure was left until the very last minute and they almost didn't make the gate.

It wasn't so critical for me, as I was heading back to Cardiff where I had another meeting planned with yet another female from the dating agencies in my never ending attempt to find a girlfriend who sails. Another failure. This one didn't even turn up.

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Good to have your company Friday night, Saturday morning Julian.
Karen and me had a great weekend on Cassandra. Burnham in the morning sun was great ..and unexpected this time of year. We followed a very similar route in to Katy, but I had addapted the waypoints slightly and added a few extras around the curve of the channel. In the end we had enough water anyway, so there were no problems. Although I certainly wouldn't recomend visiting Burnham without GPS, I did notice that the very prominant hill - 'Brent Knoll' (with a hedge running down the middle of it) behind Burnham remained in transit with the furthest visable headland behind us until we were close in, where the channel turned relitively quickly to starboard and then headed for the post marker on the end of the town slipway, so with a reasonable amount of water, in good visability, it would probably be possible.

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Hope the photos do the place some justice. If you like quiet out of the way places, this is one for you.






Cassandra and Katy at anchor



drinking tea in Katy's cockpit

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While we were there, I went on a jaunt in the dinghy to see what the river Brue was like. This is where the Burnham club is. We were anchored just opposite. There are some triangular leading marks on the way in, but the entrance dries completely, so you need, I assume, to be pretty near HW if you've got much of a draft.



the entrance to the river Brue with the rear most leading mark barely visable on the horizon. Once in you turn sharply to port and make for the nearest end of the pontoon.






the visitor pontoon high and dry. You'd definitely dry at quite an angle ..and anybody alongside you might end up at 45degrees!



most of the locals stay relitively level.



..or are on moorings further up the river

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incidently, if you want to visit the club, you'd definitely need to contact them. There is a locked gate with plenty of barbed wire around it preventing you from getting off the pontoon / anybody undesirable from getting on.

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Having spent too long sitting in the sun chatting with Julian on Katy, Karen and me then headed for Watchet somewhat later than planned!

Once out the channel, we had a good sail in F4 - 5 along the coast past Hinkley but were against the tide, so progress was slow.

Having plotted our position as 5.5miles from Watchet an hour before the gate closed, on went the engine and we motored hard! We got in with no more than 5mins to spare - phew! I had been worried about cross currents, but didn't notice anything much. It was neaps though.

The marina staff were friendly and helpful and importantly gave us a run down of all the pubs in town.

We met John and Phil on Alegria, also from CYC a few spaces up the pontoon and joined them in the Star and then somewhere else on the esplanade with some good live music later.

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I know loads of people have been to Watchet, but for those who haven't, some photos of entrance and outer harbour etc.


entrance to the marina at low water. The gate rises up from under the water and remains at water level when 'shut'. Apparently if you miss it, you can moor in the refuge where the sluices are to the left. I don't fancy that at all! I'd opt for the outer harbour (below). It dries completely, to gently sloping mud. Just go in as far as you can and anchor. The outer harbour is controlled by the council and not the Marina - who said you might be charged a fee but it would be a whole lot cheaper than the marina. You could also go against the wall if you fancy playing with your ropes all night?






entrance to the drying outer harbour

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The trip back was hampered by lack of wind. Had to do quite a bit of motoring.

Eventually made it back to the club by 2000 just as it was getting dark ..and just before the rain started - lucky!

A great weekend. Thanks Karen.

[Matt]

Nice pictures, looks really peaceful.

Matt

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My goodness........I wasn't told there would be photos posted!!!! I should have sat up properly with a straight back - my physio colleague will never approve.
A lovely adventure with great weather......shame Elaine couldn't make it. Great company with Peter, Julian and getting to meet the guys from Alegria. Burnham was quiet and peaceful - with my only worry being the potential for a slipped anchor, but no need Peter had it sorted!
Watchet was a great place to stay - a 'tidy'Marina with toilets!!, CAMRA (?) pub, tasty food, live-band, town-crier and steam engine trains. Must go again for a long weekend..................many thanks to Peter for his continuing mentorship!
k