SOUTHERN RIVERS CRUISE
Saturday 29th June to Saturday 6th July 2024
Cruise Leaders: Jamie and Phill Bennet-Martin
The (almost) Summer Solstice Cruise
If a relaxed cruise heading to a number of the popular overnight stops on the southern waters, with pub options most nights, sounds like fun, then the Southern Rivers Cruise is for you!
This year the route will again give participants a choice of two mooring locations most nights within the same area to choose from – this gives everyone a choice in case they have a favoured mooring spot in the area that the cruise has stopped and would prefer that location, but still keeps the crews included within the cruise planning without feeling isolated from the rest of the fleet.
In addition, following the tales from the adventurous crews who visited the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club following the SRC 2023, Jimmy James has kindly arranged to repeat this incredible experience for 2024! Therefore, for any crews that wish to experience this adventure you are welcome to join Jimmy at the end of the cruise and head through Mutford Locks and onto Lake Lothing heading out to sea, before turning into the RN&S Marina. Jimmy will be organising this additional leg of the cruise, so please contact him if you have any questions about the route - Contact Jimmy. The remainder of the fleet that isn’t heading to RN&S will return across Breydon on Saturday 6th July.
The route for 2024 is shown below, and you will see each night (except Wednesday) there are two mooring location choices (Option A & Option B) highlighted in different colours just for ease of reading the itinerary (the colours don’t mean anything). This means you just choose where you would like to moor from the two options each night and this gives you the freedom and flexibility to make a decision based on your own personal preference and any previous experiences down south.
I have already block booked some moorings for the club so you do not need to contact the moorings to book your space – this is shown below for Langley Dyke and Beccles Yacht Station. Mooring fee’s for Langley Dyke will be £7.50/boat (subject to minimum 10 boats) as I have already pre-paid for all the moorings and so any surplus moorings fee’s paid will be donated to our charity. If there are less than 10 boats the fee will be slightly higher.
For any other pre-bookable moorings you will need to book your own mooring, and I have identified if there are any amenities available at the mooring location. In addition, where possible I have recommended a pub as an option for dinner, along with the contact details for you to book your own table at a time that suits you.
I have also shown the Low Tide times for each day based on the starting location for that day (taken from the overnight mooring location the night before) for the more discerning and intrepid sailing crews amongst us!
I would strongly recommend booking tables and moorings as soon as possible, as experience from previous years is that venue space can be limited and therefore book well in advance to ensure you have a mooring and/or a table reserved.
Similar to last year, we will have an informal gathering on Sunday afternoon/evening on the bank at Rockland Short Dyke for us all to have a couple of drinks together. My surplus of flavoured gin has nearly gone now after 2 years of SRC G&T gatherings, so this year I will be hosting a Pimms party on the bank, in addition to a limited choice of G&T’s for anyone that doesn’t drink Pimms, in exchange for a small donation with the proceeds being donated to the club’s chosen charity. Crews mooring in Rockland St Mary Staithe are able walk around to Rockland Short Dyke, so everyone on the cruise should be able attend if they would like to participate.
On Wednesday night there will be a group meal night in Bear & Bells in Beccles for anyone that would like to join us – the venue has hosted us for the last two years and we have had a fantastic experience both times, so I recommend this for all.
Please feel free to make contact with the other members as you plan your route, especially if you are considering a BBQ by your boat or booking tables in pubs so that crews can eat at the same time. I will create a WhatsApp group so that we can keep each other updated on plans for meals and moorings, and in addition if you need the contact details of a boat give me a shout and I will pass your details over.
Please let me know if you would like to attend (
The itinerary for 2024 is as below:
*Disclaimer: All of the above is correct to the best of my knowledge, please let me know if I have made an error and I will update the details.
Tide times above taken from www.norfolk-broads.org/tides/tide_report.asp and adjusted for BST
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Jamie (
Boats Currently Participating:
|
1. Ranger 3 |
5. Moss Rose |
9. Windrift | 13. Sun Glory II* | 17. Bewitched* | 21. |
|
2. Pippinjack |
6. Moondream* | 10. Evergreen* | 14. Snowbird | 18. Mischief | 22. |
|
3. Lily* |
7. Moon Daisy* | 11. May | 15. Starshell | 19. Elizabeth* | 23. |
|
4. Cara |
8. Rosie | 12. Ceres* | 16. Sandpiper | 20. | 24. |
* Those signed up to the additional excursion to the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club on Saturday 6th July.