Image: The River Roach at high water

25th September
Our batteries gave us cause for concern Sunday morning when the engine failed to start due to lack of juice in the house bank. Colin switched to the dedicated engine battery and after another worrying cough the engine fired into life. Due to this we decided to keep the engine on whilst we sailed but out of gear and in low revs to charge the batteries rather than risk the engine not starting if we needed it.

Sails up and with the light breeze we bimbled slowly up the River Blackwater, joining the many other boats enjoying a sail in the morning sun, the wind increasing to a F5 at times. Closer to the mouth of the Blackwater our course put us more close hauled and as we turned to starboard to cross the Spitway we were too close to the wind to sail across. Victor took over until the other side when we could sail again into the entrance of the river Crouch.

The tide was now flowing out of the Crouch and close hauled we were making only 2.5kts. We stuck with this for an hour or so before giving up. A few yachts around us carried on sailing tacking backwards and forwards across and beyond the edges of the Ron Channel and across the Buxey, some of them flying along on the fine edge of broaching, which looked fun but given we didn’t know the area well we decided discretion was the better part of getting stuck on a sand bank on a falling tide so close to the end of our trip!

Even motoring we were only making 3.5kts against tide and the wind which picked up to a F7 almost on the nose – which is typical for us as we reach our destination. We upped the revs to avoid low water at the entrance to the River Roach where the channel narrows significantly. With the wind howling out of the Roach entrance and with 1 meter of spare water below the keel we pushed our way in. Reassuringly there were 2 other yachts anchored where we’d planned. The hook went in, the wind caught the bow and spun us around until the chain became taught and with what should have been a loud twang the bow came back round to the wind and we were in. There was a fair chop on the river and we skewed around a bit in the opposing tide and wind but we were well held.


The entrance to the River Roach at high water - I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles..........