Netherlands Trip - Shotley      9th June:

    Our plan was to depart to Holland on the 7th June, and aim for Ijmuiden. However, the plan was being constantly eroded from late May due to a constant stream of weather systems rolling in from the Atlantic. Large storm eddies from these were in turn causing high winds, seemingly changing complete direction on an hourly basis; not the best of conditions to plan for a 27-hour North Sea crossing.
    And to make matters worse, Rex had managed to injure his back during the lead up to our departure, a touch of Deja Vue.
    On top of these calamities, Rex had gone down to Duonita to check her over, and start the engine just to ensure she was in prime condition before we did sail away. He was alarmed that when the engine was running, the alternator did not appear to be charging the batteries, despite the alarm lamp giving no indication that a problem existed. He immediately informed me, and then I spent hours on the internet hoovering up all the information I could on the alternator on the Volvo Penta 2003 model deployed on the vessel, in particular the control electronics that directed its operation. Once armed with pages of documentation, I derived a couple of tests for Rex to conduct on the starter. He duly carried out the instructions and informed me of the results. I deduced there were at least two faults within the control electronics. Strangely, the alternator was now charging the batteries. I swamped Rex with details of the operation of the alternator and its associated electronics, and what needed to be rectified within the electronics. I would check it all out when next on board, but felt comfortable enough to give the go ahead with the trip, knowing what I could do to work a way around the problem.
    With that background, and a possible short window of opportunity in the weather cropping up, we decided to sail up to Shotley on the 9th June, and use that as a launching point across the North Sea to Ijmuiden on 10th - 11th June.
    Thus, at midday on the 9th, we said our farewells to Meryl at Duonita's berth, shared some banter with Mick, a fellow sailor, and cast off our lines under a cool, cloud-speckled sky.
    Our trip to Shotley over the well-trodden Wallet was painless, and only took 5.5 hrs with the tide behind us. Points of interest were a solitary porpoise, a seal, a Trinity House vessel maintaining a buoy, and a Thames barge.

Farewell Tollesbury

    We were given the usual hearty welcome by the marina staff, and an evening was spent eating and drinking at the Bristol Arms, serenaded in one direction by three folk quietly practicing sea shanties, and international football matches on a large screen by the bar. The food: bangers, mash and gravy, was as stated on the tin, with no hint of vegetables. The rhubarb and custard defeated Rex; most unusual. Young lads, who had gathered around the sea wall with their mopeds, dined like kings on cheesy chips. Such is the high life of Shotley.