The plan for the next few days was to make for Grimsby. It was simply a matter of how many days “time and tide” would allow us to do the trip in. Hartlepool was not a great start, as with the tides approaching springs we could not leave the lock until after lunch (we did not get out of bed in time for an early start!).

We made the decision to make a quick afternoon passage twenty miles down the coast to Whitby. This got a few miles under our belt, while increasing our options for Monday.

As we left the harbour shortly after 1pm there was little wind, forcing us to motor out of the bay. We followed a forty-foot yacht, which was out for an end of season jolly. The wind was looking disappointing until it started to increase from the southwest with the tide starting to push us at a pace down the coast.

We soon left the industrialized shore behind and after a slow start we were moving at up to seven knots towards our destination. The wind was being funnelled down the valleys that sit in between the towering cliffs that dominate this coast. The wind was going from force four up to force six and then back again. As the wind gusted we were consistently making nine knots over the ground and topped out at just short of our ten-knot goal.

Over the last five miles we average nine knots with the harbour mouth coming just in time. As we dropped the sails and motored in through the now rough sea it was just starting to get dark.

Inside the harbour walls the water was calm, the condition sheltered and you had little idea of the wind or sea that had built up outside. We had planned our arrival to coincide with high water so the entrance channel was a non-issue. We made our way slowly up the river and moored on the waiting pontoon just below the road bridge.

The bridge operates two hours either side of high water opening every half hour on the half hour. Well that’s what it says in the book anyway. Having fifteen minutes to wait until the next bridge swing, we started sorting Silverwind out. It was at this point the bridge staff started shouting for us to approach – they promptly swung the bridge and we motored through.

Apparently you just need to radio and they will open on request at any time! We quickly made our way to the visitor’s pontoon three hundred metres up river from the bridge. There was a clear sign indicating the visitor berth and we were soon tied up alongside. The visitor’s notice board was covered in signs and random announcements. Most of the notices contradicted each other and threatened fines for non-payment of harbour dues! One notice requested we stay on the pontoon until the marina office opened, in order that we could collect the marina key. Another notice announced that the office was now on winter hours and would be open in three days time! The issues were soon sorted as we retrieved a key from the bridge staff half a mile away and after a quick tea set the alarm for an early start in the morning.