James and Laura on Nancy Blackett, 16th Sep 2017. Photo: Simon Jackson.

The Nancy Blackett Trust’s Sailing Secretary John Smith tells the story of a very special day out sailing Nancy Blackett for two of the Trust’s members…

I took newly-weds Laura and James for an overdue wedding present sail on Nancy Blackett on Saturday. Setting off from Woolverstone soon after 10am, we managed to slip into a tiny space on the Harwich Halfpenny Pier left by our sailing chairman Ian, who we later found out was having lunch in a Harwich pub with his seaschool crew.

We enjoyed our lunch aboard, which included fresh cheeses from Suffolk Foodhall, cooked meats from Waitrose, and some local apple juice too, all very nice.

Gaff Cutter Lora, 16th Sep 2017. Photo: Simon Jackson.

After a short sail up the Stour, we turned to catch the flood tide back home to Woolverstone, and on the passage we were treated to this splendid view of the Lora, a 1911 gaff cutter flying her white ensign.

Laura and James went on to dine in Pin Mill’s “Butt and Oyster”, before spending a night aboard Nancy Blackett. They had arrived without sleeping bags, but thanks to Mate Simon’s wife, they were picked up at Harwich and whisked along to a local stockist and were soon kitted out for their night aboard.

Thanks to Mate Simon, Laura and James, I too had a great day aboard. Special thanks are due to retired Harwich pilot Simon for all his much appreciated commercial knowledge input, that helped to make it such a great day. Me, I slept over in the camper, but was joined again for breakfast by Laura and James before they set off home to Rochester in Kent. Both said that they had really enjoyed their day and “will be back”.