Heybridge Basin

The promised strong winds had arrived by 09:00, so when Julian hauled up the anchor he needed the engine on to bring Robinetta up to it. We were heading up river on the flood tide with the wind behind us, so the engine soon went off, and we sailed at 3 knots on the stay sail alone. This was plenty fast enough as the first lock in to Heybridge was not until 10:15 and we only had a mile to go.

The first lock in was for the smaller boats (as they drew less water), so we were part of a small flotilla heading up river and milling about waiting for the lock to open. Julian put the engine on again to help him tack after I got the staysail down but he otherwise used the wind on the cabin sides to maintain steerage way while I got the bowsprit in.

When the lock opened the lights stayed red for a few minutes as a couple of boats headed out, then the gaffers were called in. Snoopy was closest so went in first, but Robinetta was close behind and the two boats took the port and starboard berths. We had expected a boat to come and raft between us, but that did not happen, despite there being about 10 boats in the lock. Once we got out into the basin I noticed that Rely and Ellen, the two largest boats on the cruise, were already there. They had locked in the previous evening which made today's lock management much easier.

Snoopy moored right up in the corner of the lock, when we brought Robinetta in behind her. Within minutes both boats had another three rafted up outside them. The second lock brought in the larger OGA boats, and the "fun" was over by high water at noon.