Just the Sea and the Sky

Earlier this year, I left Bradwell on Sea, at the mouth of the Blackwater Estuary, to go to the River Colne entrance. But it was getting cold and dark and I returned early. Yesterday, I had another go.

Outer Blackwater Estuary. The PicoMicroYacht route is shown in black and the return route in red

By starting 3.5 hours after Dover High Tide, I knew I would have about 2.5 hours of fair tide to row the 7.5 miles.  I could then return with a reversed flooding tide.

The flatlands of Essex made the sky more prominent and very quickly I felt enveloped between the sea and the sky.

Powered by a light easterly wind, a superyacht ghosted past me. 

PicoMicoYacht arrived at the River Colne entrance on time, at 5.00 pm. 

I then paused, drifting very slowly, with a slack tide and very little wind. It took ten minutes to make a quick meal using my Jetboil.

It was time to return.  The setting sun lit up the clouds in the distance as I closed in on Bradwell on Sea.

I arrived just after 7.30 pm, the sun appearing over the marshes.