This east coast is full of shifting sandbanks with many shallows. Javelin with her deep keel finds this a challenge. We left Lowestoft yesterday morning and picked up strong tides which swept up south at 9 knots entering the river Deben close to high water. Rigged up the spinnaker but the wind died before we could hoist! We managed to find a mooring buoy on which we spent the night, much better than anchoring with 5 knot currents. For the first time on the trip we used the dinghy to go ashore to explore the interesting little village of Felixstowe Ferry. Tim has also been fishing and when I got back to the boat the barbecue was on with fish ready to cook. Unfortunately he had bought rather than caught the fish! We had a tasty dinner and then enjoyed a wonderful sunset. Today we do a very short hop to the river Orwell (Harwich) and then on Friday sail to Ramsgate. I bought a detailed chart of the Thames estuary in Lowestoft which shows it is shorter to Ramsgate from Harwich than Burnham because of the sandbanks which are like your left hand and extend up to 30 miles out to sea.