Superb first Punt of the year 2023

Perfect sail to start the year.
Met up with a mate on one of the new recharge islands, who was out for a paddle in his canoe.
I wanted to see how far I could get up Tollesbury Creek, but light airs and a foul tide meant that, after about 30 tacks, I only got as far as Great Cob Island. A ketch was washed up there during Storm Eunice in February 2022 and she now seems to be abandoned, so it seemed a good opportunity to launch the drone and take a better look.
Lovely sail back down wind, with a stunning sunset.
Music Chris Haugen - Hulu Ukulele

[@RobbsHomemadeLife]

It doesn't get better than this. Thanks again for making and posting your wonderful duck punt videos. I think I have watched them all. Happy new year😀😀

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Robb, Happy New Year to you too.

[@wayfarerchris.4116]

Lovely film of your stunningly beautiful sailing playground .
Loved it, thanks 👍😊.

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Chris, it is a great place to sail.

[@daleskidmore1685]

Loved the music. Your vids are just about the best chill out around. Happy new year.

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Dale.

[@stirling123]

Fabulous video again. Looked very peaceful from the microlite at 500 foot.

[@lurch1e]

The views I got from the drone were fantastic, you must have had an awesome flight.

[@CheersWarren]

So strange to see the creeks without mooring or yachts!
Lovely day for it😄
Cheers Warren

[@lurch1e]

Thanks warren, I love it when its like this, I think there was only one yacht moored in Salcott channel.

[@CheersWarren]

@@lurch1e We were on a Salcott mooring for years when they were just at the entrance, we only had one S&S34 between our view of the entire creek.
Cheers Warren

[@N7VAN...]

Beautiful sailing area. Reminds of the book Riddle of the Sands.

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Brian

[@andersjohansson3866]

Lovely views! I have to build a punt ! Happy new year ! from Sweden.

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Anders, Happy New Year to you too.

[@RustyKnorr]

Yes, you do! 👍

[@cornishhh]

Great stuff. We had superb weather in Cornwall on the 2nd too. The days either side have been awful.
Happy New Year.

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Cornishhh, It was great weather and what a sunset!

[@seanmccambridge]

Happy new year! Beautiful video. Such moody light. Puts me in the mood to get out punting!

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Sean, Happy New Year to you too.

[@RustyKnorr]

Happy New Year! Hoping for many more sails and videos this year. Cheers, mate! 👍

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Rusty, Happy New Year to you too mate.

[@phillange166]

Beauty, eh??!!

[@lurch1e]

Thanks Phil

[@goodkebo]

Thanks, that was great :). When you fly your drone do you hand catch it, or try to land it in the boat?

[@lurch1e]

At first I would find somewhere on land to take off, so that the home point is recorded somewhere safe for the drone to land. As I have grown more confident I now beach the punt on the mud or in a marsh, so that the boom and sail are clear and catch the drone as there isn't really enough space to land it in the boat. I will normally leave at least 30% charge so that it doesn't automatically try to return home, to the position it took off from.
The other thing I worry about is the seabirds attacking it, so I dont fly when they are nesting as they can be very agressive.

[@seanmccambridge]

@@lurch1e You can cancel that return-to-home functionality by putting both sticks down and inward -- same as starting the motors -- just in case you need to.

[@lurch1e]

@@seanmccambridge You can also normally cancel it from the FPV screen, I'll try that though.
I've had a few scary moments when you seem to be fighting the drone to come back to you and all it wants to do is return to the open weter where it took off from.