The Places We Have Been - Part 2 2010

With a full season under our belts it was time to get more adventurous with our cruising grounds and test our nerve and Naughty-Cal’s abilities. 2010 promised to be a year packed with new and exciting cruising opportunities.

Our first trip of 2010 was an early season, March, trip down the Humber to Hull Marina. Not the most exciting of locations at first glance, it has to be admitted, but it was to be our first trip onto the estuary. A truly memorable trip amongst the big shipping and a surprisingly good location to spend a few days exploring the city. The marina is very nice with friendly and helpful staff and the city centre is great with loads to see and do, far more than we could do justice in a few short days. More importantly though was the confidence this trip gave us in Naughty-Cal, a first time and firsthand experience of her true spirit and what she was originally designed for.

Naughty-Cal on the Humber, just downstream of the Humber Bridge

With our first trip on the big waters of the Humber a success, our next holiday was another step further forward again. Our first trip on the sea, to the Norfolk fishing town of Wells next the Sea, just a short hop across the wash and onto the Norfolk coast. Even though we had building confidence in our boat and her ability, we were still very nervous about this our first trip into the wide blue yonder and Naughty-Cal’s first experience of the salty stuff. We needn’t have worried however, after a perfect trip across the Wash we were grinning from ear to ear as we entered the shelter of the harbour. Naughty-Cal handled the sea beautifully and Wells next the Sea was the real jewel in the crown. A perfect start to our coastal cruising chapter and the start of the longing for more time on the coast.

Naughty-Cal rafted up on the pontoons at Wells next the Sea. Cal is the furthest boat out

Our final holiday for 2010 was another trip to York, this time in the company of our good friends onboard Wish You Were Here. The trip went without a hitch, despite some adverse weather and we had another very enjoyable week onboard, York yet again proving to be a great holiday destination to visit by boat. With a year’s more experience under our belts, the extra trip planning certainly paid off and it showed with the ease with which this trip flew by with no problems to report.

Naughty-Cal moored on Kings Staithe in the centre of York

With our final holiday for 2010 under our belts and another year of successful cruising completed, it was time to get our heads together to start planning for 2011. We knew we would be cruising in company for the majority of the year and we knew where we planned to go. Would we make it?