August Bank Holiday Cruise – Clacton Airshow & Woodbridge
Thursday 27 August – Monday 31 August 2026
Clacton Airshow, River Deben & Woodbridge
Join us for five days of sailing, aviation, riverside exploration, and East Coast hospitality!
Overview
This year's August Bank Holiday Cruise combines two East Coast highlights: the spectacular Clacton Airshow and the beautiful River Deben.
We'll watch the air displays from our yachts off Clacton seafront before making our way north to explore one of Britain's most scenic rivers. With a couple of nights in historic Woodbridge, there will be plenty of opportunity to visit Sutton Hoo, enjoy riverside walks, and experience one of Suffolk's most attractive market towns.
The cruise is suitable for yachts from Essex, Suffolk and Kent, although all passages remain weather dependent.
Clacton Airshow takes place on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August 2026, with the famous Red Arrows already confirmed for the event.
Proposed Itinerary
Thursday 27 August – Clacton Airshow
- Morning: Depart home ports and make passage towards Clacton.
HW W Mersea 12:49pm 4.76m
- Afternoon: Anchor offshore to enjoy the Clacton Airshow displays from the water.
- Evening: Short sail to Titchmarsh Marina in the Walton Backwaters.
- Group dinner at the marina restaurant or local pub.
- Overnight: Titchmarsh Marina.
Friday 28 August – Walton Backwaters to the River Deben
- Morning: Leisurely departure from Titchmarsh.
- Passage: Northbound via Felixstowe Ferry towards the Deben entrance.
- Important: The Deben Bar can only be crossed safely with suitable weather and tide conditions. We will aim to arrive around high water (HW W Mersea 13:26pm 4.97m) using the latest harbour guidance and buoy positions.
- Afternoon: Cruise upriver past Bawdsey, Ramsholt and Waldringfield.
- Evening: Arrive Woodbridge (subject to Tide Mill Yacht Harbour sill access).
- Group dinner in Woodbridge.
- Overnight: Woodbridge.
Saturday 29 August – Exploring Woodbridge
- Options include:
- Visit Sutton Hoo
- Explore Woodbridge town centre.
- Walk along the River Deben.
- Visit local galleries, cafés and pubs.
- Relax and enjoy a non-sailing day.
- Evening meal.
Overnight: Woodbridge.
Sunday August – leave Woodbridge for Walton Yacht Basin
Overnight: Walton Yacht Basin
Monday 31 August – Return Passage
- A day on the beach at Walton before making our way back to our home ports.
(HW W Mersea 15:03pm 5.29m)
Additional Notes
- Safety: Ensure VHF communication and tide planning for Deben and Orwell.
- Land Options: Non-sailing members can join at Titchmarsh, Woodbridge or Walton for social events.
- Weather Contingency: Alternative land-based activities if conditions prevent sailing.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Notes for Skippers
Your host will be Jonathan Harbourne
Any questions, please email eastcoast@gaysailing.org.uk
Itinerary is flexible—members will have time to make suggestions and changes.
Voyage Briefing
Monday 24 August, 7–8 PM
Get all your questions answered before we set sail.
Notes for Skippers
Your host: Jonathan Harbourne
Questions? Email: eastcoast@gaysailing.org.uk
This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow sailors, share stories, and make lasting memories. Don’t miss it!
===========================================================
GETTING HELP TO JOIN US
Skippers seeking crew, and crew seeking boats/berths are initially advised to use our WhatsApp channels. If you are unsuccessful contact the event host eastcoast@gaysailing.org.uk.
Land based participants are as always welcome to join for the evening meals.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
- Register your attendance via the S&CA website by 1 March 2026.
- We have at least a couple of boats already that will require crew – please register or email us, or use the WhatsApp channels so we allocate space.
- Upon approach, skippers will be required to contact the harbour/marina by VHF for specific berthing instructions (please state you are part of the Sailing & Cruising Association (S&CA) Rally.
- You can bring along friends, but remember to ‘add guest’ at the point of your registration. Guests can only be added at the time of registration. If you later want to add a guest and the event did not require payment please cancel your registration and re-register adding your guest. If your registration did require payment please contact the event host.
EVENT SAFETY AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
We are very much a social club, but participants must please be mindful of the inherent dangers of alcohol consumption and proximity to water. There have been incidents in past events of participants consuming excessive alcohol and falling from pontoons into the water. Each of these events could, but for luck, have resulted in tragic consequences. Please be mindful of your alcohol consumption on club events, and take particular care to ensure that you can get yourself safely back on board at the end of a social evening. We need to look after each other, so if you notice that another participant is showing effects of intoxication, please make other members of their crew aware, and ensure that they are not returning to the boats or pontoons alone.
Please also be aware of the additional risks when using dinghies/tenders, which has also resulted in event participants being unintentionally in the water.
Please use the links below for safety advice from the RYA and RNLI.
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
The club will endeavour to provide full refunds for event charges when cancellations are made by you through the Website and made in good time. Normally, a week before the event is due to take place will be sufficient.
If the club has made third party bookings, paid deposits or made other commitments, it may be that only a partial refund or no refund is offered.
Where a refund is requested due to dissatisfaction with third party goods or services, a refund will only be offered if such refund is also made to the club by the third-party.
Sailing & Cruising Association
