Karen Hodges diary

An unsuccessful week for Karen as she battles to leave Harwich opn her round Britain tour

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, well actually it's been a pretty horrendous start. It's mostly down to the lack of experience I have in sailing my little boat. My brain does the nav as if I'm sailing a 38 footer which can be sailed 30 degrees to the wind. I can't do that I have found out!!

On Saturday 8th June I was due to leave, mid-day so that family and friends could see me off. I was just going to pop round the corner to the Walton backwaters to properly sort my self out.

The knot in my stomach had grown to epic proportions and my legs and arms were shaking. As everyone stood on the pontoon ready to wave me off after a
year of planning and dreaming of this adventure I just wanted to run for the hills. I went though the motions sorting Loon out ready to go, plugged in the auto pilot - nothing? In the 48 hours before the off my battery had decided better of the adventure and had died. A reading of 7v, dead and not coming back I'm told.

I'm not sure I was very good at hiding the relief. I had timed my departure leaving it to the last minute before the tide would turn and I would struggle out of Harwich. By the time I have found a replacement battery it will be to late to try and make the Backwaters so I should just go with my family to pizza hut!!! Crippling knot in stomach abated.

Next day up to listen to the forecast - SW 4-5. It took 4 hours of serious beating to clear Harwich, I knew I wouldn't make Brightlingsea before dark to I tried to tack in to the backwaters. I wasn't going to get there either, get blown back in to Harwich and anchor in the Stour.

10th June, I can't even get out of the ancourage as the wind and waves are so strong. Very frustrated and depressed I phone all in sundry to let them know.

11th June, forecast as before SSW 4-5 occasionally 6. Am I completely stupid? I try again for Brightlingsea, the thought of meeting my sister in Brighton for ice-cream spurring me on. Battling and battling as Loon fills with water. I tack and tack using the Naze tower and Medusa to confirm that I'm not making any progress south. I tack 10 miles out, I leave Medusa, she turns in to a dot on the horizon and then disappears. I tack back. Surely with such a long tack I will be making some progress - my heart sinks, the one time friend Medusa (SHM) is back and I hate her, I even pass her to the north!!!! I return to the Club.

New plan needed. I have learnt my lessons, its not all been bad, I've lost a bit of weight and my bum's firmer.

I'm going to head north, go where I'm blown. The tide, time and weather will predict where I go I don't actually have much say.

Thursday 13th of June.
Bound for Southwold I leave at 2000 with no wind, I motor to the end of the river Orwell passing our good friend 'Lucifer II' and her rowdy crew on route. I borrow a mooring at the end of the river to wait for the wind. 0600 on the 14th I drift across the Harwich shipping lanes with 1 knot of tide.

My mum had told me that I had been mentioned in the prayers at church. I have therefore now come to the conclusion that the God of all things and the God of the winds are in different departments and are not in communication.

I float out to sea to find the wind, slowly it picks up and as the tide turns I have near 3 knots in my favor the GPS reading 7mph.

I'm now in Lowestoft having arrived at Southwold three hours earlier than expected. I'm using the computer at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht club
so I'm sorry but I can't show you any pics yet.

The wind today Sat 15th is a NE!! whatever. Anyone knowing nice stops on the north east coast can e-mail me karenehodges@hotmail.com

Love to all the landlubbers.

Come on you ENGGERRLANNDDDDDD.

Karen.