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.

Sadly, this clashed with Jack and Catherine’s wedding in Galway, Ireland! A plan evolved which became quite complicated in terms of logistics but worked out perfectly for everyone . . . Bev drove the car to Ireland, crossing from Holyhead to Dublin for the wedding while Tim joined Steve as crew for the first part of the week with Bev meeting up with ‘Cachalot’ at Suffolk Yacht Harbour.

Setting a passage from the Deben to the Ore can be challenging, especially when factoring in a departure at neaps from the Tidemill Yacht Harbour. Steve and Tim made a very early start at 0500 on Tuesday 29 July, having waited on the fuel berth to be sure of getting out within the 30 minute ‘window’. After picking up a buoy at Bawdsey to wait for the tide, they managed to get into the Ore just in time to join the race, making a pretty good start before touching the famous Suffolk mud.

After a couple of days exploring Orford, ‘Cachalot’ joined the Seaways Bells Race departing Orford on Thursday 31 July for the self-timed race finishing at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington. Meanwhile, Bev had returned from Ireland, swapped the car for the campervan and driven down to join Steve and Tim for supper and drinks at the Lightship, SYH. Friday dawned and we were all ready for joining the ‘Gafferteering’ only to find that the campervan starter battery was completely dead. We had a most helpful visit from the yard team at SYH, which resulted in the campervan finally starting. We reluctantly decided to miss the ‘Gafferteering’ in favour of some logistics and leisurely sailing in the Orwell. There was some serious vehicle movement to get the campervan to the Royal Harwich ready for Saturday night and Tim’s car to Wrabness (he had to leave on Friday from the excellent evening barbecue on the beach). Steve motored alone up to RHYC to collect Bev and Tim after their long road excursion and we enjoyed the sail down to Wrabness to find a buoy for the night.

As Tim had left for his weekend sailing trip in South Wales, Steve and Bev decided to do the Two Rivers Race together, with Bev declaring as ‘Lady Helm’. We made a very good start on the line off Wrabness beach but mistakenly sailed too far into Harwich Harbour looking for the Harwich Shelf mark for which Bev blames the navigator! We finally finished at the Pin Mill line before berthing at Royal Harwich Yacht Club. We welcomed Carl from Classic Boat who had arrived with Anna for the final night and enjoyed the supper and prizegiving at RHYC.

On Sunday 3 August, Rick arrived to help Steve with the passage back to the Deben while Bev drove the campervan up to Woodbridge. Making good time, ‘Cachalot’ crept over the bar with only an inch or two to spare, having watched the tide gauge creep up from the waiting buoy in the river, safely berthed before the storm. On Monday, Storm Floris forced ‘Jan Blank’ into the Marina and we enjoyed drinks aboard followed by an excellent supper at The Anchor.