Today we were heading for Hartlepool. The problem with this coast for us is because our draught is 1.9 m , we are very constrained by tidal heights st both ends of a journey. You have to get out when there’s enough water under you, and you have to get in at the other end. This means not only careful maths, but also a need to control your boat speed. All very tricky on a sailing vessel. We left Amble at 0800 and couldn’t get into Hartlepool until 1730. There’s no shelter in the water outside the harbour so you don’t want to get there too quickly. The wind was NorthEasterly so creating a lumpy and uncomfortable sea state . We put both main and headsail out to start with but a few hours into the passage, we were getting there too fast so decided to take the main down and just sail on the headsail. Not easy in big grey waves☹️ . We were trying to maintain 4 knots average but with some tide against us our speed was dropping so…………. an hour or so later we put it up again 😩 . Then reduced the headsail bit by bit until we furled it altogether and just continued with the main till we got there. Hartlepool bay was still very roly and we still had to hang around a while with a couple of other boats until we were let into the lock gates. It’s just like a canal lock. It had been a pretty uncomfortable and challenging day. Everything was grey and I apologise for the grey pictures! The highlights were listening to jubilee bbc radio 2 which we got very good reception, and having a wonderful meal in the evening at a little Italian bistro on the marina side.
What I learned today……to have just enough throttle ( not too much or too little) whilst trying to keep the boat head to wind in horrid waves!
Sue x
Leaving Amble 
Life boat going into the Tyne 
Mouth of the Tyne 
Grey 
In the lock Hartlepool 
Yay!
Angelique 