Our last trip away with Suki

After packing the van in dribs and drabs over the last few days we were finally ready to leave at 11am.  

Our destination was Fen Farm on East Mersea.

  

Paul worried me en route saying that we were on a grass pitch.  With all the rain we had been experiencing I had visions of us getting stuck on the pitch.  The campsite confirmed that the wardens would take care of us if there was a problem and tow us off if necessary.  

We had a good run up to Essex.  Even the Dartford tunnel was kind to us.  We stopped at Thurrock services to let Reggie out for a pee and we had some coffee and cake!  We weren't in  too much of a hurry as we could not cross the causeway until the tide had gone down. 

How exciting!  

So a good run up to Mersea with the satnav taking us through Colchester.  Once on the island we headed for the Company Shed where I had high hopes of getting some nice fish.  

We managed to park Suki in a nearby carpark as the road came to an end.  On arrival at the shop/restaurant I was a little disappointed but was aware this was a rough and ready kind of place where you had to bring your own bread and drink.  There was very little in the display cabinet and after being ignored for 5 minutes or more we were served and I asked if they could prepare a dressed crab for us.  They could, for a price of £16!  I was a little taken aback but hey.... 

We took our crab and went back to the van to find our campsite which was at the other end of the island.  

On arrival we were met by a friendly warden who took us to our placement requesting that we back in to the space in case we needed to be towed off.  Even though it had been raining it did not feel at all boggy.  Parked up we had a lovely view of the grey sea!  

We fed Reg and made a cup of coffee.  After his dinner had gone down we took him out for a walk down to the beach and had a lovely walk over the oyster shells into the wind!  The tide had gone out a long way so there was plenty of beach to walk on.  On our way back we popped into the shop situated on the static caravan site adjoining our site.  We bought some biscuits etc!  

Back in the van we had the crab with some brown bread and a glass of cider.  We had been reading and nibbling on crisps etc so dinner was a small brand on toast affair.

We packed up and went to bed around 11ish after Paul had taken Reg out for his final pee. By this time the wind had got up and the van was really shaking.  I did wonder if we might take off during the night!

Staycation Spring 2023 #2 Fen Farm Day 2 & 3

I guess there's not much to say about Day 2. 

We had an early start to the day as Reggie behaves differently when in the van to when he is at home. He generally has a last pee at about 11pm and then settles in for the night until getting on for 7am.  

In the van?  No. Last pee, then 2am he was up. Another pee. Then he wants to get in the bed with us. Then 5am awake again. More outside activities. So we don't get as much relaxing sleep.  Taking him out on these occasions is a Paul job. At least with the long lead I can stand in the van doorway and let him mooch about outside. I still have to throw some clothes on!

So all we did today was go for walks. Read our Kindles. I read the entire Rebus #22 book in a day. The walks we did were to try the dog walk and into the exercise field. We chatted with a guy that moved to the island a while back. He was walking three dogs. After a coffee we went out again to the beach. This time the tide was in.  

The wind was still blowing the same hooley as the night before and we were surprised how far up onto the land the sea actually comes. 

Our third walk was sans dog to the shop in the neighbouring site for some more snacks. They do sell wines and beer but their licence doesn't allow to sell to anyone not staying on their site!  

So we spent another evening reading and eating snacks!  All not very Slimming World approved of course!

Day 3

Another disturbed night with Reggie up and about and then trying to get into the sleeping bags.  Up at 830am to try and leave by 1030am.  The high tide wasn't due until nearly 2pm so we had plenty of time to get off the Island.

Breakfast out of the way. Screen-cover wrestled into the bathroom as it was too ungainly in the wind to fold into its far too small bag! We chatted to the guy in the Elddis 185 next to us. He had been on the mainland side of the causeway at high tide and had to wait over an hour to come across. It seems we share an interest in motorhome and vanlife vloggers!

We then set off via the water drain where we dumped both the clean and grey water and whilst that was happening I dumped the toilet cassette in the Elsan point.

Then we were off, pretty much retracing our steps Home. An accident on the M20 had us sitting in traffic for over half an hour before we were released.  Arriving home around 2.15pm.

Then we spend a hectic hour unloading Suki ready for her trip to JC in Rye tomorrow. One quick check that we haven't left anything personal in her and then we are off!

So another really nice and for the most part relaxing few days away. Even the Dartford Crossing couldn't cause us any hassles!

Until the next time.....

Staycation Spring 2023 #2 Fen Farm

We were finally packed up and ready to leave just before 11am.

The drive up towards the Dartford Crossing was very odd as the Ohrex Satnav seemed to think we needed to go through London. Even once we ignored it and it kept recalculating it seemed to think we had more than a hundred and thirty miles to go.

A quick cancel and reprogram and it cut that to 36! It still took us through Colchester itself.

Amazingly the Dartford Crossing was flowing traffic. Even though we planned to stop at Thurrock Services I got in the right tunnel. The left one was held at a red light.

Our left turn off the M25 was done easily as there was no traffic in the roadway. What the hold up was I have no idea.

From there it was plain sailing. The satnav reboot had us arriving at the entrance to the site just after 3pm.

By the time we arrived the tide had dropped and the causeway was open. There was plenty of evidence that when high tide the sea covers a large part of the land.  

I had fitted my brother's GoPro Hero and hoped to get some footage. The screen stays on for a few minutes and I have no idea how long it actually records for. If at all.

Our first stop was a a seafood place called The Company Shed.  Luckily it is near the car-park as the road is a dead end.  Although the car-park says that the first hour is free, how you prove this seems impossible as both machines are out of order? We almost fitted in a space.

At West Mersea

I tried not to look too surprised when they charged £16 for a dressed crab!  GULP! You can eat in but it's a BYOB type of place. The latter B could be bottle and it could be bread!

Once we had spoken to the warden and shown to our pitch I hooked up the electric and we had a cuppa before exploring the nearby beach. 

Of course. I took the Sony Cybershot with me. Anyone remember the curse of Sony's MemoryStick?  

Any photos you see in this blog will have been added once I got home!

On the pitch at Fen Farm

We had a walk along as far as we could towards West Mersea and then back. There's another caravan site that stops any further progress. Some of them have a very close view of the sea....

The beach is covered in oyster shells. Some single halfs but many where the shells have stuck to others. All empty of course.

The tide was out by now.  It was getting on for 4pm.

On the way back we stopped at the shop of the next door site. Just for a few "essentials". The Quavers and cheese biscuits were very nice. But expensive!

Once back it was time to eat the dressed crab and bread.. washed down with Thatcher's cider. Very nice.

It turned cold and I turned on the gas. We had a few teething problems with the Whale Space Heater switching off and flashing a red light at us. Solved? Don't know.

It's dark as I write the blog and coming up to 7pm.

Reggie is fast asleep in his bed and we are reading. Or would be had I not been doing this!

We had beans on toast for dinner, after scoffing too many snacks and biscuits during the evening.

Tomorrow, we'll have a whole day to relax and take a few walks.