Whitby Here We Come

It is the final day of work, for me anyway. Liam has to work tomorrow unfortunately but it will give me time to make sure that Naughty-Cal is as ready for the off as she can be.

Tonight we are heading to the boat to fill her with diesel and load the majority of our gear, food and drink onboard. Then I have the day off tomorrow to finish off inputting the waypoints into the chart plotter, refill the water tank, wash her off and generally make sure everything is neat and tidy and ready for the adventure ahead. Once Liam is back from work we will then just turn the key and go. Heading for Torksey Lock, where the lock keepers will be waiting to let us through onto the moorings on the tidal side of the lock for the evening.

Saturday should be an interesting day with a good mix of cruising. We will have an early start to ensure that we get the boats to Trent End as close as is practically possible to high water. This will mean that once we clear Gainsborough road bridge we will be planning all the way to Trent End to then make the most of the tide to Grimsby.  Once under the Humber Bridge we can slow down and enjoy the trip down to Spurn Point where we will have to anchor or pick up a mooring buoy to wait for the free flow into Grimsby Marina. Once in Grimsby we will refuel and then settle in for the afternoon, preparing for the big sea leg of the trip the following day.

Sunday will be another early start to make the most of the tide to Whitby. Weather dependant we should be in the harbour in plenty of time for fish and chips for lunch. The trip up the Yorkshire Coast should be a stark contrast to the flat Norfolk coastline that we have previously traversed and if the weather is fine we should be treated to fine views of the rugged rocky shoreline.

The rest of the week will be mainly dictated by the weather. If it is fine and dry with light winds we will plan to spend a few days in Whitby and a couple in Scarborough. If it is forecast to rough up a little we will pick a suitable window and head back for the relative shelter of the Humber and spend a couple of days in Hull Marina before heading back onto the tranquil Trent for the last leg of the journey home.

All being well this should be a great start to our coastal cruising for 2012. It will be yet another cruise this year into the unknown for both us and Naughty-Cal.