Wells-quite-long-way-from-the-Sea-really

We are now at Wells-next-the-Sea.   A rather lovely place but one I haven't been to for many years.   It is accessed by a longish approach channel and only accessible near the top of the tide.

We left Lowestoft at 9:30 pm yesterday and headed out into a choppy and windy North Sea just as it was getting dark.  It didn't look like it was going to be a pleasant night at sea, and so it proved.   We had a headwind virtually all the way and this meant motoring.  The swell produced a corkscrew motion which wasn't nice, but we settled down for the long haul, each of us taking breaks for catnaps occasionally. 

Because we had motored, we found ourselves arriving off Wells at about 8 am and much too early to get in.  In fact we could see the approach channel buoys lying flat on the sand!   This meant that we had to circle around outside for a couple of hours until the tide was high enough to get in. Everyone was extremely tired at this point. 

Around 10 am the Harbour Master came out in a launch to guide us though the tricky approach channel, and what a rollercoaster ride it was!  There were quite sizeable rollers breaking all around us as we twisted and turned our way in with seemingly only inches to spare at times.  Scary stuff!

Some time later we were able to tie up at a visitors pontoon right in the heart of this beautiful old town.  A short sleep, a good hot shower and some excellent fish & chips, and all is well with the world again.

A day off is scheduled for tomorrow.

Wells Quay