Water Quality Update

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By Colin Nicholson

Swimmers enjoying the water at Waldringfield January 2025

There continues to be much local and national interest and activity about the water quality of the River Deben.  This interest has led to a huge increase in knowledge of what is going on where, but there remains much to learn.  Below is a personal perspective of where we are now and further activity.

Introduction  – “What is the Water Quality of The Deben?” and “Can I swim in the Deben?”

“What is the Water Quality of The Deben?” and “Can I swim in the Deben?” are questions that are often asked.

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Pre-1950 Boats Still Floating, 2025

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By Julia Jones

How many boats on the Deben are more than 75 years old?

The RDA Journal is beginning a year-long project to identify our oldest boats of any type and size. The only criterion is that they must still be floating for at least part of the time — either with the tide, if they live on a beach or are in use as a houseboat, or seasonally if they are laid up ashore for part of the year. Venerable wrecks like the Lady Alice Kenlis (1867) who no longer rises with the flood, or the longer term inhabitants of the Woodbridge Boatyard’s ‘rehoming shed’, can’t qualify – unless their fortunes change.

The Dragonfly class was created for members of the Waldringfield Sailing Club and turned 75 years old last year. [Photo: Alexis Smith]

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The Last Wooden Kestrel on the Deben?

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By Ned Jones, Julia Jones and Bertie Wheen

and with acknowledgement to the book Waldringfield: A Suffolk Village beside the River Deben (Golden Duck 2020).

Kestrel Sail Emblem

Box containing the designers name (J Fancis Jones)

The birth of the Kestrel in Waldringfield  (Julia and Bertie)

The Kestrel class of small, wooden cruiser-racer yachts was conceived in Waldringfield in the mid-1950s, then spread across the country during the 1960s and 70s. 150 were built in wood, 250 in GRP. Their story began when local sailor Paul King, who had owned a Waldringfield Dragonfly, wanted a small yacht with similar characteristics. He and Harry Nunn – of Waldringfield Boatyard – built a model to embody their ideas, then took it to Jack Jones at the Old Maltings to finalise the design and provide the necessary technical details.

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Confessions of a Serial Litter-Picker: The RDA Autumn Talk, Nov 5th 2024

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By Julia Jones

I’ll be honest – I had no idea that a talk about litter was going to be so interesting and emotive. Not only the emotions of disgust, incredulity and anger — which thinking about litter evokes all too easily – but engagement, humour, surprise, compassion, admiration. Yet that’s how I felt listening to Jason Alexander’s presentation to the RDA on Bonfire Night. A good moment to be sweeping up some old preconceptions and seeing them burn away cold night air, giving out warmth and inspiration as they go.

This is the story of a one-man campaign and a movement we can all join, on our own or working with others.

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Where next for Nirvana of Arklow?

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By Julia Jones, Jamie Clay, Carolyn Gibbins, Samantha Simpson, Russell Read, Hugh Browton, Nancy Clay

Julia Jones – tribute to a soon-to-be centenarian

Nirvana – (courtesy Gill Moon)

The loveliest boat on the Deben – or one of the prettiest yachts ever built anywhere? Nirvana will reach her 100th birthday next year but needs a new home and owner. When I used her as the model for Snow Goose in my ‘Strong Winds’ series of adventure stories, her fictional owner described her as having been designed ‘by the hand of God’. In fact, her lines were drawn in 1915 by the artist Albert Strange (1855-1917). Strange sailed from the Humber, so was comfortable with the idea of mud flats and shallow waters, but Nirvana herself was built in Ireland and cruised extensively on the west coasts of both Ireland and Scotland. Then, for many years she was based in Holyhead, Wales. In her most recent ownership (from 1989) she has also made extensive trips to Scandinavian waters with owners Peter and Nancy Clay and their friends. It’s here, in Suffolk, however, that so many of us, who have never sailed Nirvana, have come to love her and have felt our spirits lift when we have seen her beating easily down river or lying serenely on her mooring.

Since Peter died in 2023, Nirvana has been carefully laid up, looking for a new owner to bring her back to life and activity. Now, on the eve of her 100th year, some of her East Coast friends have produced this tribute.

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Best Wishes to Deben sailor Pip Hare as she tackles her second Vendee Globe race

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By Julia Jones and Nick Cottam

The Vendée Globe is a single-handed, non-stop, non-assisted round-the-world sailing race that takes place every four years. It is contested on IMOCA monohulls, which are 18 metres long. The skippers set off from Les Sables-d’Olonne in Vendée and sail around 45,000 kilometres around the globe, rounding the three legendary capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and finally Cape Horn) before returning to Les Sables d’Olonne. The race has acquired an international reputation, attracting skippers from all over the world. Beyond the competition, it is above all an incredible human adventure.

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Lord Deben – Patron of the River Deben Association

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The River Deben Association (RDA) is delighted to announce that Lord Deben to become its patron from October 2024, supporting the association in its efforts to understand and protect the River Deben and conserve it for all users.

The RDA invited Lord Deben to support the association as patron following a very successful talk last autumn titled ‘Net Zero – where are we now?’ on climate change and why it matters, and we are honoured that he has accepted the invitation. Many of our more than 900 members attended Lord Deben’s thought-provoking talk and for those who missed it a report is available on the RDA website.

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Artist and printmaker Angela Harding finds inspiration on the Deben

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By Catherine Larner

The intricate, stylised linocut designs of wildlife, rivers and landscapes created by the artist and printmaker Angela Harding are instantly recognisable.

First used widely in greetings cards and magazine illustrations, the images have also featured as distinctive book covers. There was the iconic image for ‘The Salt Path’ by Raynor Winn, the series of PD James crime novels and recently the cover for ‘Blossomise, the new book by poet laureate Simon Armitage, and the illustrated version of ‘Wilding’ by Isabella Tree.

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