UK Sailing Holiday – Suffolk to Sussex

UK Sailing Holiday to Littlehampton

Sailing Holiday Type

Coastal With Day and Overnight Sailing

This sailing holiday will probably involve standing a night watch.

You will be part of a watch system for any overnight passages on this voyage.  For more information about what to expect read
Offshore Sailing
Standing The Night Watch – an account written by one of the crew.

The skies were mesmeric when the sun shone, azure blue backed by ranks of serried clouds.
As for the good ship Trinovante, she thrust on through the seas; comfortable, solid, robust and of pleasing lines; she is a pleasure to sail on.

Sarah

Beginners are welcome on any voyage. If you have never sailed before, more information about what to expect from this UK sailing holiday is here.
Learn To Sail  
About Life Onboard
Saiing Videos

The port Of Ipswich And The Rivers Orwell and Stour

Trinovante will aim to cast off from Ipswich Haven marina as soon as everyone is onboard to catch the ebb down the River Orwell. once we have locked out and left the Orwell Bridge behind the wooded banks part to reveal the old traditional sailing barge centre of Pin Mill and historic house boats before the scenery becomes more open.
Now ahead is one of the largest container ports in the country, Felixstowe. The river gets busy here as Trinovante turns to starboard into the river Stour and heads for Harwich we will hopefully spend the night alongside Halfpenny Pier.

Setting the Course according to the wind

There are two possible routes for this voyage. One would take us to anchor in the River Colne on night two, then sailing over the Wallet Spitway to take the inshore passage south through the gaps between the Thames Estuary sand banks. Here we might get a close look at the offshore Second World War Red Sands Fort as we sail past.

If the wind is fair Trinovante might sail straight for Ramsgate.  This is around 40 nautical miles which is a longish day’s run.

North Foreland marks where sailors leave the Thames Estuary and enter the English Channel. Tides run hard round this exposed headland so timing is key. Just round the corner is the historic port of Ramsgate where we might spend the night and have a run ashore.

 Sailing Ship Anchorages And Notorious Sands

Just off the Port of Ramsgate the notorious Goodwin Sands begin. The scene of many historical wrecks from the days of steam and sail, the sands are known to shift and literally swallow ships whole. Our schooner will be taking the inshore route inside the sands.

Half way between between North and South Foreland lies the Downs, a crucial sailing ship anchorage. Here the famous Deal luggers were launched off the steep shingle beach to serve the hundreds of anchored sailing ships just offshore where they waited for a favourable wind or rode out gales.

The White Cliffs Of Dover, Dungeness And Beachy Head

Here is your chance to see the White Cliffs of Dover from the Sea. This is the narrowest point of the channel and we’ll probably be able to see France from the deck of Trinovante.  To port will be one the busiest shipping lanes in the world as massive container ships head for the big Northern European ports.

Heading south west our schooner now has to round two headlands, Dungeness and Beachy head. The photo here is of Beachy Head lighthouse, taken on a previous sailing holiday.