Summer suns’ have finally arrived and amidst a few rainy days the yard is basked is warm sunshine. This combination of sunshine and rain has led to some spectacular rainbows. The Deben looks lovely, although a few freaky squalls can make sailing a challenge but that’s why we love this river, every day is different and even sage old river folk can be caught unawares; she keeps you on your toes.  If you are not dealing with the ebbs and flows of the tides, leaving the unwary high and dry for eight to ten hours, the wind direction seems to change around each bend or the river narrows and there is little time before your next tack.

But we love her tidal idiosyncrasies and enjoy the quiet privacy of being ‘at the top end’.  Only an origami yacht can pass us at low water and, although at high tide yachts with a 6′ draft easily make their way to us following the well-marked buoyage, not much can get under Wilford Bridge. It’s makes for a special atmosphere and an unrivaled affinity with nature, which many comment on and yet find hard to put into words.

It’s been busy on the yard with two local barges coming out for their annual checks, repairs and licks of paint. They sat patiently on the quay while their bottoms we scrubbed and blackened before heading back to their usual moorings. ‘Clio’ has finished her osmosis treatment and has now left our workshop and we have completed an engine replacement on ‘Gemma’ who has now gone back afloat.

One of the most exciting long awaited events happened this month and that was the launching of ‘Northumbria’ an ex-police launch that has received a major re-fit.  Her huge throaty engines roared into life while still in the strops and not a drop entered her hull.  A complete success – she was everything her owner, ‘Steve’ hoped she would be and after a few test runs she has now taken up her place in our marina alongside ‘Blackthorn’ a beautiful Thames Barge which resides with us.