Colin.
I saw your post on my travels, in fact just as I was settling into one of my favourite watering holes in the Leeward Isles.. Isn't t'internet a wondrous thing,
As Peter points out Gib Point is in fact my home club for past 20 odd years and I'm therefore in a position to help you out with your adventure - and I thoroughly recommend it. Brancaster, Blakeney, Burnham, Thornham and Wells are all favourite weekend sails for us - as is Fosdyke Yacht Harbour. Kings Lynn now has visitor moorings which is quite an 'interesting' trip so I am told - not done it myself yet.
I'd be very happy to sail with you if I am free and you don't mind being seen with a girly Baycruiser!
You may have seen my previous posts, but I am actually moving into Grimsby and Cleethorpes Yacht Club on a pontoon next year - mainly as I just couldn't bear to see my shiny new BC23 covered in mud! But I will be sailing around as and when.
To help with your planning and info re our channel have a look at
www.skegnessyachtclub.co.uk it's full of useful info to allay your fears, it is quite easy to get into especially for a BR.
There is a very useful Dylan Winter video of the creek on You Tube (keep turning left channel). For your info the late great Frank Dye would often sail from Wells to Gib in his Wayfarer.
Plan the trip over springs, as you know you will then get HW in early morning (to get out) and HW early evening (to get in). I'd think about mid June to Mid July to get max day light hours - I can help you/advise of the route if you would like - but you should aim for the Parlour Channel and go up to Gib Point from there, unhelpfully Boston Port Authority has removed the chain of buoys marking the north channel but it is a very easy (straight line) sail north east to find our entrance buoys (lit at night), the DZ marker on the old bombing range is a good marker to aim for - in any case I can give you the waypoints.
The Parlour Channel is 'sort of' marked and is quite an interesting sail, there will be plenty of water even at LW for a BR.
You may prefer the northern route in which would be to head for Skegness and take the channel south. This would mean a longer sail for you but is the route most members use to get in and out.
Visitors mooring are available, and you can often raft up to some of the members boats (I can organise this for you).
Re admins, we have a small but functional club house with loo and shower. There are ample watering holes within a couple of miles (at Skeggy). I can probably arrange some transport to take you (us) if you don't want to walk - but it is a nice walk through the nature reserve (or cycle?!) or walk along the beach. Local pizza/chinese takeaway/chips etc are all used to delivering to boats as well.
There is hotel, BandB or camping available, or it may be possible for you and your crew to 'doss down' in the club house.
If you get weather bound - or for any reason you don't want to sail back, there is a reasonable slip you can use to recover if necessary.
Hope this is some food for thought for you.. You can email me on ketchpsalter at gmail dot com for further info. I am sure you already have charts but I have ample (paper) charts of the area that I will happily lend you.
Michael. I'm led to believe you would have to go inland as far as the Spalding area to find the much sought after treasure.. thanks to those Dutch drainage engineers and a few thousand fenland peasants with shovels!
There you go.. and thanks for putting this onto the map, so to speak, a really interesting and lovely area to sail. Often neglected by the AWB crowd, most just go straight from Yarmouth to Grimsby. And if it was good enough for Nelson ... 'nuff said!
Andy
Baycruiser 23 No.25 'Equinox'
Just had a thought - we have an annual 'event' day with bbq, cheap real ale, food, shanty songs, musicians etc with visiting boats from all over The Wash and Humber always held mid summer on springs so that would be a good time to do the trip - I am sure other boats from Burnham will be coming..?