We Left the Marina (But Didn’t Anchor… Yet) ⚓
- ericaoliviasilva24
- Apr 26
- 3 min read
We finally left the marina! Not quite into full anchoring freedom just yet — but onto a mooring buoy in Pyefleet, which feels like a pretty big step for us. It’s been a mix of excitement, nerves, and figuring things out as we go.
The First Night (Not Much Sleep 😅)
Uncle Paul helped us get out of the marina and stayed with us for the first night, which we were very grateful for — because it was windy. Really windy.
I don’t think either of the guys got much sleep. There’s something about that first night off the dock where every noise suddenly feels important, and you’re very aware that you’re no longer tied to anything solid.
Doing It Alone (Scary + Exciting)
After a few days, the wind finally calmed down enough for us to take Paul back to Brightlingsea. Then it was just us.
Heading off on our own for the first time felt equal parts scary and exciting. It’s one thing doing it with someone experienced onboard — very different when it’s just you.
Life on the Buoy
Since then, things have actually been… kind of lovely. It’s quiet in a way marinas never are. No clanking halyards, no people walking past, no general marina chaos. Just water, birds, and the occasional splash.
The sunsets have been completely unobstructed, and waking up without boats packed in around us feels like a different world. We’ve even managed a few normal life things:
took Luna out for walks
had my parents come to visit
started getting used to moving around by tender
It’s simple, but it feels like a big shift.
The Things We’re Still Figuring Out
We haven’t actually anchored yet. That’s the next step — and if I’m honest, we’re both a bit terrified. We were planning to practice this week, but I’ve got work for the next few days and the idea of Adrian obsessing over anchor alarms all night while I’m trying to sleep… didn’t feel like the best timing. So for now, we’re staying on the buoy a little longer before heading to Ramsgate.
What’s Been Surprising
A couple of things we didn’t expect:
it’s quieter than we imagined
it feels more peaceful than marina life
it’s also a bit more expensive than our mud berth
We’re paying around £15 a night, which is slightly more — but the trade-off is huge:
we can leave whenever we want
we’re not stuck waiting for tides
it actually feels like we’re starting to use the boat properly
The Bigger Shift
This feels like the in-between stage. Not quite confident anchoring yet… but no longer tied to marina life either.
Every day there’s something new to figure out — whether that’s using the tender, planning movements, or just getting comfortable being a bit more exposed to the elements. It’s definitely pushing us out of our comfort zone. But in a good way.
If You’re Figuring This Out Too
Living like this has made us realise how important a few things are:
staying on top of power
understanding real day-to-day costs
and just knowing how boat life actually works in practice
If you’re still figuring that side of things out, these will help:
Keeping Track of It All
We’ve also started keeping much better track of where we stay, movements, and notes from each place — it’s amazing how quickly things blur otherwise.
That’s actually why we put together a simple onboard logbook to keep everything in one place.
Final Thoughts
We’re not fully there yet. Anchoring is still on the horizon — and definitely something we need to get comfortable with. But this already feels like a big step forward.
From marina life… to something that feels a lot closer to actual boat life.
Next stop: Ramsgate ⚓
Comments