Lowestoft to Wells via Sea Palling
Finally, the winds moved round to the South and I was able to plan our next step. The Norfolk coast is very limited for places to break the journey for a deep and long keeled boat, so not many options.
I noticed an anchorage marked off Cromer, but was put off by the response I got online. There’s no protection at all from the swell. Sea Palling, however, seemed a better option.
Sea Palling is a long stretch of beach with 9 huge break waters. According to various online sailor chats, you can anchor between the break-waters and beach. The chart sort of suggests this might be possible…
Katie and I set off from Lowestoft with the winds directly behind us. I was keen to sail just on the genoa to keep it as stress-free as possible. Although actually it was still very rolly. Interestingly, when Stan, Frank and I poled out the genoa on the way to Scarborough, and had the main on a preventer, the boat felt much more set.
Pretty soon we were pelting up past Caister Beach at over 7 knots.
At one point we were dangerously close to Scroby Sands on the ebb tide which wouldn’t have been good… once past Winterton Ness, we hoisted the spinnaker and had a lovely sail up to Sea Palling. We’d made such good time that we nearly overshot the low level breakwaters.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with the breakwaters – we decided to nose our way between the first gaps and have a look. We motored in to the first ‘bay’ and immediately spun round and exited. Unlike what the chart suggests, there was no water between each breakwater and the shore. Google Earth gives a much better indication – although the sand now seems to reach all the breakwaters.
The beach was also packed on the Southern most bays. So we motored up the line having a wee look inside at each option. Finally about three breakwaters from the end, we found a bay with a reasonable amount of water and cover. We anchored. The beach here was much emptier although a few swimmers came out and circled Bob inquisitively.
Katie and I swam ashore and had a walk along the beach, before settling down for a rather bouncy night. I rigged an anchor bridle which brought us more nose-to-swell.
After a slightly uneasy night, we awoke in glorious sunshine to a deserted beach. We breakfasted and swam ashore again before weighing anchor and leaving our little bay.
There was a little wind from the South West so we upped the spinnaker again and, with the tide behind, started to make good progress up the coast to Wells.
This was one of the best sails of the trip. Bob loves the spinnaker and with calm seas, glorious sunshine and a strong tide, we barely dropped below 6 knots.
It was a lovely sail, putting the terrors of the Ore engine failure miles behind us.
Soon we were motoring into Wells Next the Sea for a few days rest and recuperation.
