Picnicking with Seals 17 May 2014

The cruiser fleet met the seals in Yokesfleet Creek on Saturday – Chris and Chrissie Nolan were first there. We cast off our Sonata, Live Wire, at 10:30 in a flat calm and motored downriver in the shallows cheating the tide, crossing the Crouch after the wetlands project to ride the flood into the River Roach.

Turning the corner into Devil’s Reach, we saw a pair of seal pups waiting to welcome us into Yokesfleet Creek before anchoring opposite four seals basking in the sun.

One by one the rest of the fleet arrived: Star Swan, Quick Reflex, Sprite, Good Hope, Jack, Aquarius and Poppy as well as Team Eagling on the RIB. Five boats rafted up, others came by dinghy, and we met on and around the cockpit of Star Swan to eat our picnic – rolls, sausages and pizza washed down with a couple of Peronis – and had a good old chat.

Shortly before the tide turned, and after a great event, we parted the raft and headed for home – most to meet again in the Club for a meal.

The next event in the Cruiser programmme is the race to Harwich next weekend – Arthur and Anne Heasely hope to see some of you…