SOA East Coast

East Coast                                                            **** News - see below the intro ****

 

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Shrimpers are supreme here where there are shifting bars to cross and muddy shallows inside, with creeks to explore.

 

 

Each river is very different in character, from the wide open, commercial Orwell to the prettier, much smaller, Deben. From the messy but delightful Mersea island and its magic fish cafe to Arthur Ransome’s much loved Walton Backwaters with major seal population and dead easy access; from the shingle banks of the Ore and its castle, becoming the Alde, and leading to smartish Aldeburgh, it’s a great area.

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

   The Deben  

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The Deben starts with the regulation Martello towers and carries on up river getting shallower and muddier until for most boats it gets difficult at lovely Woodbridge. But if you’re a Shrimper, there’s another 2 miles to go.

 

The Deben has, and we hope, will again be the hotbed of Shrimper racing in the area. It is a superb area with quite perfect sea sailing in the bay outside, and gentler but tricky conditions in the winding shallows to the north.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   The Ore and Alde

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Orford and Aldeburgh have the highest number of Shrimpers on the East coast rivers, and hold Aldeburgh weeks for both juniors and a motley selection of keelboats and dinghies including Shrimpers. Aldeburgh week has a real buzz because of the number of competitors in a hair-raisingly small space. Past Aldeburgh, in the shallows again, Shrimpers have sailed to Snape for concerts and slithered around in the mud on their return with equanimity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The Orwell

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The Orwell is wonderfully accessible whatever the weather and tide, with five marinas at various points as you go up to Ipswich, stopping off points like Pin Mill with the excellent Butt and Oyster pub and spritty barges on the mud.

 

 

 


 

 

 

 News  


Robin Whittle's super description of the Blackwater event and he and Gillie's later navigation of the Chelmer river can be reached by clicking Blackwater and Chelmer


2011 programme ...

27 March:Start of Season Lunch, Waldringfield Sailing Club

Tina FitzGerald 01394 383656

 

22 - 24 April:  *OGA Easter Egg Rally, Shotley Marina

Melvyn Fox 0776311 58999

 

30 April/1May:  *FFSC visit Ipswich Haven Marina, Titchmarsh Marina and Walton & Frinton Yacht Club  

Paul Gallacher 01394 278646

 

28 - 30 May: Rivers Blackwater and Colne

Robin Whittle 01394 382930

 

11 - 25 June: Shrimper Week  - Holland  

Adri de Muynck   muynck2@zeelandnet.nl

 

8 - 10 July: Waldringfield Regatta (8-10 July) plus Rally to Rivers Ore & Alde (11–17 July) 

Margaret Lake (Sec) 01394 283347  Robin Whittle 01394 382930 

 

24 July: Adnams Trophy, Waldringfield  

Margaret Lake (Sec) 01394 283347  Robin Whittle 01394 38293

 

30 July - 5 August:  Pyfleet Week

John Bines  01206 303921

 

14-19 August:  Aldeburgh Week

David Keates (Sec.)  01728 452562

 

21–30 August:  *OGA Classics Cruise -  Stour/Orwell/Deben 

Peter Thomas  01473 832808

 

3 September:  Pin Mill Regatta  

Val Stone  e-mail: sailing_secretary@pmsc.org.uk

 

Start of Autumn Series, Waldringfield

 

10 September:  *FFSC:  Walton Backwaters, Titchmarsh Marina

Dinner at Walton & Frinton Yacht Club

Paul Gallacher 01394 278646

 

17 September:  Maldon Town Regatta  

Peter Maynard   01621 852808

 

22 October:  

Start of Freezer Series, Waldringfield

 

November (late) Laying–up Lunch at FFSC

 

 *  Joint Meeting

 

Thanks to Robin Whittle for the programme


In general ...

Please let us know if you're thinking of even a day trip and would like to let others know on this site.

Tony Coles and Cathy colest@hotmail.co.uk are the people to speak to if you are in the southern part of the area

Please have a look at our new shop via the SOA website - Sales & Wants - Shrimper Shop 

Please click on the links below 

2010 programme

East coast report 2009 here

 

A collection of cruises - almost all by Redoubtable Robin and Genial Gillie

Creek crawling in Suffolk  - Bumbling up the Butley Creek

A Medway Cruise