Our next trip to Suffolk was for the Classic Regatta and Tim had agreed to be crew for the weekend with his friend Richard helping for the passage down from the Deben.
Read more “Suffolk Yacht Harbour Regatta, 2026”
Before the trip to Dunkirk this year, there was quite a bit of thought about replacing the rather elderly rubber dinghy on ‘Cachalot’. We also needed a new outboard . . .
Read more “Outboard, dinghies and paddling”
This year, ‘Cachalot’ joined more than 30 boats and over 55 people for the East Coast OGA Summer Cruise with the planned start for the Cruise in the River Ore being Sunday 27 July, 2025.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2025”
It became clear during Thursday that the fleet may be delayed on their return to Ramsgate. Perusing all the forecasts and taking advice from the Royal Navy it seemed possible there was a brief weather window on Friday, 23 May. 21 boats including ‘Cachalot’, decided to go.
Read more “Stormbound & departure for Ramsgate, May 2025”
“Good morning everyone and I hope you slept well. Dunkirk Little Ships we are a green for go this morning.” The fleet had been preparing yesterday evening and since dawn on Wednesday 21 May, 2025, waiting for the official ‘go, no go’ order which arrived at 0600.
Read more “85th Anniversary Return to Dunkirk, 2025”
On Sunday 18 May, ‘Cachalot’ arrived in Ramsgate to join the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships as they gather for the 85th Anniversary Return to Dunkirk this week.
Read more “ADLS fleet gathers in Ramsgate”
Steve spent a final week making sure ‘Cachalot’ was ready for her passage to Dunkirk with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships before setting off from the Tidemill Yacht Harbour on Friday 16 May, 2025.
Read more “Depart Woodbridge for ADLS Return”
Catch up with what we did on the OGA Summer Cruise, 2024. There are also two posts telling the whole story in words and pictures.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: the movie”
The second part of the Summer Cruise involved a couple of days exploring Walton-on-the Naze followed by a night at Stone Point, the Pennyhole Bay Race and a couple of days in the River Orwell. Find out what we did in the first part of the week here.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: Walton to Woodbridge”
Given our late start to the sailing season, it was good news that the Cruise started later this year. We met the Gaffers for a couple of days in the Deben and sailed down to Walton for gin-tasting at the Sailing Club.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: Woodbridge to Walton”
Once back in her berth, it was time to bend on the sails and the sun had started to shine at last! With help from Rick, Steve got the mainsail on, checked out the reefing lines and we consulted the weather forecasts and tide tables.
Read more “Out of the Marina at last!”
Once again, we were thwarted in attempts to take part in the whole East Coast Cruise!
Read more “OGA60: Jubilee Cruise”
Ben had agreed to crew with us again for the Jubilee Race but we were quite anxious about the weather.
Read more “OGA60: Jubilee Race”
On Friday morning, bright and early, BBC Radio Suffolk arrived to record the first of three interviews broadcast throughout the morning.
Read more “OGA60: Parade of Sail”
The weather doesn’t look promising for the OGA60 Jubilee Party and we have no crew for the trip to Ipswich.
Read more “OGA60 Jubilee: arriving in Ipswich”
‘Cachalot’ is 125 years old this year and we’ve invested in some crew kit: t-shirts and caps made by Nathan at ‘Quiller’ in Matlock Bath.
Read more “Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classics, 2023”
On Good Friday, 2023 we were all ready to depart the Tidemill once there was enough water over the sill.
Read more “Easter weekend, 2023: out in the Deben”
June 2022 found Steve with Ben and PJ as crew at the Classics Regatta.
Read more “Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classics, 2022”
Steve and Ben sail ‘Cachalot’ down to the River Blackwater to watch the Barge and Smack Race, 6 August, 2022.
Read more “To the River Blackwater and back, 2022”
Back to the Tidemill after the Classic Yacht Regatta, it was time to get ready for the OGA East Coast Cruise, July 2022.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2022”