Thursday 29 July 2010 Burnham on Crouch N 51 37.50’ E 00 48.23’

The final East Coast River, before pushing on south and westward for home, was the River Crouch.

From the Walton Backwaters, Alcyone sailed to the River Crouch with Force 4 to 5 winds from the north west backing later to west. No sunshine but no rain, although poor visibility. This was our first taste of navigating in the Thames Estuary and picking a passage through the sand banks; after depths in excess of 100 meters in the Clyde and western Isles, it is a little unnerving to be picking a route through depths of 5 or less meters offshore. The huge wind farms make for a further restriction on choice of routes.

As we left the Backwaters, passing another boat – a traditional wooden Dutch looking yacht – the skipper called across to us that out boat was the most beautiful boat ever. I am not sure how he recognised Alcyone particular merits amongst other Contessa 32s, particularly with her present grubby topsides.

The few days in the East Coast Rivers were always part of the plan as an area I wished to explore. But of course four days is only a taster. Nevertheless enjoyable and definitely an area to be returned to again. Before arriving in the area, I read again Maurice Griffith’s wonderful book “Magic of the Swatchways”. It is easy to understand why he formed such an attachment to the area. The changing landscape as the tide ebbs exposing large areas of mud banks. The causal acceptance (so it seems) of very limited water depths. The huge variety of boats with a significant number of older wooden traditional designs. But above all the flatland and huge skies – almost impossible to photograph but so impressive.