The Voyages of SV Passat II: September, 2015

We had a great overday sail from Grimsby to Harwich on the Orwell River. We left in the late pm and arrived in the dark, taking a mooring in the river for the first night. Next day we tied up to the small public dock fronting the town of Harwich. Maximum stay 3 nights, no power or water on the dock. Three nights for 30 GBP.

Harwich has a rich marine history, including the port where the Pilgrim ship the Mayflower was built. Also, it was where King Henry VIII started Trinity House, the agency that maintains navigation aids and provides services for mariners. Their head office dominates the waterfront.

The town features many museums and a fort and has a great waterfront walkway. Not much non-tourist commerce in the area. We had to walk a fair distance to find a bank and groceries.

The town has a cruise ship terminal and across the river is the UKs largest container fort at Felixstowe. Lots of shipping action to avoid in the river and lots of wake to rock you at the dock.

Ferry passes us at sea.

We approach Felixstowe as the sun sets.

Felixstowe docks from Harwich sea walk.

Restored fort/museum.

Early dock crane, operated by human power.

Short lighthouse.

Tall lighthouse.

The lighthouses were set one behind the other to provide a range light to guide ships through the sand bars. The bars moved and the lighthouses were retired.

A society is rebuilding the Mayflower to sail across the Atlantic in 2020 to commemorate the original passage in 1620. Their web site is: www.harwichmayflower.com

The keel is laid.

A retired lightship is a floating museum. Not only does it show how the lighthouse operated, it also records how it was re-purposed as a floating radio station. BBC had a monopoly on broadcasting after the war and refused to play rock music. Pirate radio stations were set up on boats outside of British waters to get around this regulation.