Tuesday 3rd July Jean Says: We weren't the only ones slipping off mooring buoys in Pin Mill at 6.30 this morning. There were seven other yachts setting off. We were worried for a while that they were all going to Orford as well, and wondered if we ought to speed up in case they got to all the buoys before us. Once out of the estuary though, they all scattered, and we were thankfully on our own heading back up North. It wasn't the first time we've backtracked on this trip. The previous time was when we were heading South for the Caledonian Canal from the Outer Hebrides, did a three point turn in the middle of The Sound of Mull and went up to Cape Wrath instead. No such momentous decisions this time, Orford is only 15 miles North of Harwich and is a little tricky as opposed to downright scary. After visiting Orford, we will point Bella Rosa in the right direction again (which in this case is South), and have a look at West Mersea, and I don't mean the one that Gerry and The Pacemakers did a song about.
We had to go by dinghy to get to Orford village, but the outboard was sounding like a sheep with a sore throat. It's conked out before as previously mentioned, so we're constantly suspicious of it, but went anyway. It's just one thrill seeking adventure after another for us now. We got there and back, but decided against a return trip for dinner later in the evening, just in case our luck ran out. It's not that we can even row properly because one of the rollocks has sheered off. Who knows where we might have ended up without the motor. Neither of us fancied spending a night on the nature reserve despite the rich variety of birds and wildlife.
Orford is yet another quaint place stuffed to the gunnels with quintessentially English cottages adorned with roses. This is the right time of year to visit Suffolk because the flowers are at their best and frame every doorway. There's a castle, three pubs, a general store and a smart deli in Orford. The general store was also a post office and a cafe, so we stopped for a cup of tea and sat outside until the smoke from someone's bonfire completely obscured the view. Either they don't have rules about acceptable times to have bonfires in Orford, or it's full of ageing anti establishment rebels. Back in the safety and fresh air of our seaside home, we settled down for a quiet rest of the day and reviewed what was in the fridge.

These lemons will help with the scurvy




How quintessentially quintessential can you get? Oh - I've just noticed that they aren't thatched. Does that make them less quintessential, which would be quintelessessential.