SOA East Coast
East Coast **** News - see below the intro ****
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
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
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
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
A collection of cruises - almost all by Redoubtable Robin and Genial Gillie
Creek crawling in Suffolk - Bumbling up the Butley Creek