Day 6: Monday, August 27th: Ramsholt to Tidemill by way of the shallows in Troublesome Reach

Wind over tide at Ramsholt. The waves were shorter than at sea. A contrast to the calm conditions earlier.

Considering that today is a bank holiday, there was very little river traffic. I was told later that the conditions at the entrance to the Deben were rough - so I was glad to be on a mooring.

The idea was to wait out on the mooring until the tide turned and then sail up with the flood to arrive at the Tidemill with enough water to get over the sill.

It did not quite work out like that because I got tired and bored waiting for the tide, so set off a bit early. I also went faster than expected due to strong winds.

The narrow channel and mud banks extending out from the banks at low water.

The channel is quite deep most of the way upriver, so I followed the bouys and kept out of trouble.
But - - with increasing wind and the tide speeding upstream I arrived early at the shallows appropriately names Troublesome Reach downstream of Woodbridge. So did a few other boats and we all went aground on mud banks.

Moored boats almost afloat along the channel at the appropriately named  Troublesome Reach

I went aground in the channel itself in 0.7 M. As the tide rose, the wind pushed me off - but towards the shore and a moored boat (also aground). I dropped the anchor and sat it out for a couple of hours.
But
when I got the anchor up - the wind was so strong (gusts over 25 kn) that the boat was blown sideways towards the bank and I had little steerage - I got off in the end with a bit of reversing and a lot of revs.
Then
I went aground again in the channel but got off easily with the rising tide.
So
I picked up a mooring, planning to stay until I could get into Tidemill at (as I calculated it) 18-00 hrs.
But
I still had to wait outside Tidemill, although I left the mooring at 18-00 - so some miscalculation there. I sat it out - had something to eat and got in eventually without hassle - I even got onto the pontoon without drama. All the messing on with anchor and mooring was quite fun and useful practice - and note that there were 3 other boats aground in Troublesome - one right over on its side.