We had planned to meet at Lowestoft on Sunday 10th April and leave on Monday morning. The weather had different ideas with great conditions for Sunday but not Monday. Happily all the crews were able to lock & bridge through Mutford & Lowestoft on Sunday morning so we left on Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed a very pleasant passage arriving at Ipswich lock late afternoon. We stayed for 3 nights in Ipswich and the crews socialised & relaxed in the very pleasant setting of the Ipswich Haven Marina.
We departed on Wednesday morning and made our way down river and out into the Thames Estuary for the short run to Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze. It is always a pleasant run up the Walton back waters and we were all quite amazed at the pleasant warm weather we were being blessed with.
The following morning we departed at 0800 hrs for the short passage back across the Estuary to Woodbridge & the Tidemill Yacht Harbour. This is always a popular destination both for the pretty marina and for what the town has to offer. The unseasonably warm sunny weather continued for both days in Woodbridge. We set off on Saturday morning and headed back up to Lowestoft. The Easterly F3-4 breeze was throwing up a bit of a chop as we headed up to Orfordness but it did not cause any problems for the fleet at around 20 knots. Conditions flattened off as we turned North and made our way in to Lowestoft and the Broads.
Without doubt, the best weather we have experienced for an Easter Cruise.
