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1st May sail. This is a Bank Holiday Weekend so we have an extra day!  Normally we would do this...

H.W. Lawling Creek about 1500 Saturday  could be a BBQ on the beach in the evening  if the weather is right or a raft up?

Sunday sail in company to Maldon maybe before dropping back on the tide to anchor.... wherever we fancy, maybe up another creek, down near Mersea Quarters, with a nod to M.G.!

But this year we have a little jaunt planned, with the Lawling Creek event as a backstop if we have to cancel.

Sunday approx 1400 leave Tollesbury on board a 30 ft catamaran, with Brian West our Fund Manager, no we are not running off into the sunset with the cash box!   The idea is to deliver another crew, headed by the Database manager John Stevens, to Kent.  There we will embark John and his crew before sailing back to Essex in company.  We hope to be back  Wednesday or Thursday.  Would anyone like to join us on this, we could end up with a small flotilla!  Collecting members from the Crouch Thames and Medway on the way down and making it the first leg of a trip north for others on our way back

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Sunday 29th May, Southend Air Show. Whit Bank Holiday ??  Checking dates on this one as yet... Sail from the Blackwater/Crouch /Colne or Harwich Saturday (or Sunday)  morn to arrive HW Southend.  LW in the Blackwater about 1400 on the  Saturday.

 Linger for the air show Sunday, then across to the Medway.  We sail then to a new marina in the Swale, built by a couple of ex Eventide owner we mat last year.  they have invited us to have a meeting there. More details later...

If we decide to make a foray round the corner to Ramsgate than I hope to have free copies of the latest Ramsgate guide and tide tables to give away at Danbury.

Dates slightly elastic on this one!  Berths will need to be booked at the marina so I just need to know who wants to come!!  01621 778859 

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June 19th/27th, the summer solstice cruise!  Join us in the Essex/Suffolk Rivers for about a week.

We were going to try to organise a Dutch cruise again, but there were not many takers, so instead a trip into the Essex rivers was suggested.

We intend to sail from The Blackwater, wherever the wind blows!  Could be Pin Mill and Ipswich, or Fambridge and Paglesham, who knows!  Contact me on 01621 778859, or call Fiddler's Green on the VHF ch. 16 or 77 that week to meet up with us!

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Solent Meet.  August Bank holiday Weekend.  

Last two years were a disaster with two of the host boats being laid up, this year we are confident that the boats, crews, weather and venues will all be perfect.  more later!

This is what we hoped to do last year....  maybe......

Newtown Creek, Friday  (ideal for our boats) near Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.  There’s a brilliant little pub which has won I of W  Pub of the year more years than I can count at the bottom of the creek and the views are spectacular. 

Good real ale, and close to Yarmouth as well – yet beautifully quiet and peaceful and the sunsets are something else.   

Thrash across the bay to Studland for Saturday night BBQ  

Sunday Night at Fareham Creek (FMBSC) for another BBQ  or may be a more central location depending on attendees.

Depart for home ports on Monday.

 Dave and Paul are hopefully going to be host boats,

Contact Dave. 'Galatea'   David.Newble at IOW.gov.uk 

or Paul.  'Fram' paul.usher at eds.com   Telephone 07790 492089

Or either boat on VHF 16.

Lets see if the first meet can be a good one!  Paul thinks there will be another Eventide and maybe a GH sailing out from Fareham...

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North West, North East, Scotland and the South West?  Well we have members in all these areas, if one of you would like to tell us where you hope to be one weekend or week, we can circulate it and maybe we might get lucky and another boat will hove to over the horizon.  Two boats you have a meet, several a great one!  Contact us to give us that venue!

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Saturday 28th August, West Mersea Meet.  Bank Holiday Weekend. HW 20.14 approx. Neap tides, so we will stay afloat on the 'borrowed' moorings!

Not sure if it is Regatta week this year, will check and if it is the following will change slightly....

Once again we are guests of Maurice's old club on the Saturday afternoon for a drink on the lawn outside, at about 5pm..  Followed by a walk up the road to one of the eating houses!  HW. Saturday about 1510.  We once again hope to have arranged snug moorings, in the upper Strood channel,  as we have done in previous years courtesy of Tony, one of our members.   Boats on the moorings will dry water at L.W. this year!  There will also be the WMYC boatman, Jeff,  on hand or we can use our dinghies as we have in the past...  Call sign YC1 on channel 37 ('Why Sea One') if you need the taxi, but be warned prices have gone up, £3.00 single late night in 2007! . 

There are rooms to let we have heard at the  Victory Pub, 01206 382907 for Saturday and Sunday if needed, this means those who would like to come by road can meet us at the WMYC on the Saturday, arrange to come for a sail in company with us on Sunday, maybe a short sail to the Bench Head and back,  then later  a drink  at the WMYC again.

Last year we  booked a table  at the Oyster Bar for a meal on the Saturday.  It was a great success and we might like to repeat that!   If anyone   wishes to come and join us please ring on 01621 778859 to add your names to the list.

Monday for returning to base....

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Saturday 11th September, Walton on Naze BBQ. HW Bradwell 1500  LW Harwich 2026

An afternoon start from the Crouch/Blackwater/Colne and  an early start  run back Sunday , arriving mid afternoon, civilised for a change! (weather permitting!)  Anchor off Stone point and BBQ on the sands in the afternoon/evening. 

Meet off the Bradwell Baffle at 1400!!  Sail in company to Stone point, for an afternoon/ evening BBQ.  Leave  before L.W. Sunday, 0845 for the sail back.  Forecast for Saturday, SSW 3 to 4. becoming SE 3 on Sunday, I wish!

 I am hoping Mavis and Brian,   will be  acting as 'host boat' on  01255 679085.

 October 17th, end of season cruise in the Blackwater, Colne area.  

 Neap tides,  HW Bradwell 0740.   So no  island circling,  but plenty of creeks to explore.  Stay  for 3 or 4  days or as long as the weather holds, no intention of going far, or fast!  Wind down with us.

Last Wednesday of almost every month,

at 8 p.m. in The Bell P.H. Main Road, Danbury    

The Essex sailors try to meet here every month for a pub meal and a drink.  Numbers attending each month vary, but we nearly always there! To make sure though, give me a ring, in case we are off sailing!   Record is to date is 18 people and conversation ranges from ancient monuments, (no not me!) to holidays and sometimes even boats!  Great crowd, good atmosphere.

Just some of the owners at the Bell at Danbury!

For further details on  the Danbury meets, call John Williams on 01621 778859 or  Doug Hoadley on 01708 477028. 

You are very welcome to join in on any of the events and cruises and we would welcome those of you that have expressed an interest in meets elsewhere, to come forward with a simple date and venue, we will do the words here and see what transpires.  You might be surprised. Go on contact us! e-mail or phone.