Orford & Alderburgh
September 22, 2021
8 to 22 Sep '21. Orford and Aldeburgh. Things move slowly in Suffolk.
When you cross the famous Orford Haven Bar - you enter another world. One of low marshes, long meandering rivers and unusual birds. Subtly different from sailing on the sea, river sailing takes more concentration and there is so much more to see. Bizarrely the beach is never far away as you do not go inland for many miles.
ORFORD
The first settlement you reach is Orford, which in 1200 was right on the sea before the Ness was extended south by longshore drift. Philip Attwood, although a lifelong publican, was always destined to be HM as he ran the local pub in Orford. He just had to wait 40 years for the previous HM to finish!
He is very funny about how people treat him - he says people love saying "Philip - I NEED it" or "I know, I will see if Philip has got it" - that is the way of a Harbour Master - always the "Go To" person. His office (Photo 5) is full of some very unusual flags. When questioned, he quietly told me about the number of people-smuggling boats that choose the Orford area as their destination. A variety of vessels get abandoned on the "ness" many miles from anywhere. The flags are a sad souvenir from each of these boats.
ALDEBURGH
A few miles upstream is Aldeburgh, where Bryan Upson lives and works. Bryan is HM in all but name. Boat builder, fixer of anything nautical and a man of few words. Most of Aldeburgh's sailing community (and their fathers) have been to see Bryan at one time or another.
You can't write about Aldeburgh without mentioning the sailing clubs (Aldeburgh and Slaughden). Good Dog is not a racing boat or even a fast boat, but she was made to feel very welcome at the famous Aldeburgh Yacht Club who ferried us back and forth from our mooring buoy.
Both of these beautiful Suffolk harbours are surrounded by acres of unique bird reserves.... I think I could have hung around here for weeks, listening to the curlews under the moon anchored in the Butley River!
When you cross the famous Orford Haven Bar - you enter another world. One of low marshes, long meandering rivers and unusual birds. Subtly different from sailing on the sea, river sailing takes more concentration and there is so much more to see. Bizarrely the beach is never far away as you do not go inland for many miles.
ORFORD
The first settlement you reach is Orford, which in 1200 was right on the sea before the Ness was extended south by longshore drift. Philip Attwood, although a lifelong publican, was always destined to be HM as he ran the local pub in Orford. He just had to wait 40 years for the previous HM to finish!
He is very funny about how people treat him - he says people love saying "Philip - I NEED it" or "I know, I will see if Philip has got it" - that is the way of a Harbour Master - always the "Go To" person. His office (Photo 5) is full of some very unusual flags. When questioned, he quietly told me about the number of people-smuggling boats that choose the Orford area as their destination. A variety of vessels get abandoned on the "ness" many miles from anywhere. The flags are a sad souvenir from each of these boats.
ALDEBURGH
A few miles upstream is Aldeburgh, where Bryan Upson lives and works. Bryan is HM in all but name. Boat builder, fixer of anything nautical and a man of few words. Most of Aldeburgh's sailing community (and their fathers) have been to see Bryan at one time or another.
You can't write about Aldeburgh without mentioning the sailing clubs (Aldeburgh and Slaughden). Good Dog is not a racing boat or even a fast boat, but she was made to feel very welcome at the famous Aldeburgh Yacht Club who ferried us back and forth from our mooring buoy.
Both of these beautiful Suffolk harbours are surrounded by acres of unique bird reserves.... I think I could have hung around here for weeks, listening to the curlews under the moon anchored in the Butley River!