Category Archives: RDA Journal

Where next for Nirvana of Arklow?

Posted on by

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.

Continue reading →

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

Posted on by

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.

Continue reading →

Artist and printmaker Angela Harding finds inspiration on the Deben

Posted on by

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.

Continue reading →

A Walk from Shottisham to Ramsholt (and Back)

Posted on by

by Sue Ryder Richardson

Like the River Deben itself, this walk is one of two parts: from dry pastoral uplands to the salty, tidal marshes and mudflats. Start in the tiny village of Shottisham, a place where time has stood still; a cluster of cottages nestle around the picturesque Sorrel Horse pub, a path leads up to St Margaret’s church, and a playground. There is a white weatherboarded watermill set Constable-like amongst trees, and all this is surrounded by cornfields and pastures. The village captures the essence of Ronald Blythe, as it settles in a landscape that recalls the horse-drawn plough of George Ewart Evans.

Continue reading →

Deben Forum Report July 2024

Posted on by

by Colin Nicholson

24 organisations from across the Deben Estuary were represented with 27 attendees discussing issues and suggesting solutions. On this occasion speed was seen as a major focus. 

Following a Covid-related hiatus, The Deben Forum was again convened by the River Deben Association (RDA).  The Deben Forum took place at The Quay Church, Woodbridge with costs borne by the RDA membership.  With the Deben Forum falling within the busy holiday period, it is hoped that even more organisations can be present next time.

 The Deben Forum acts as a useful body to get all the Estuary’s Fairways Committees (amongst other organisations) together in one place to coordinate policy, share experience, increase awareness of other parts of river and share best practice.  An example would be the co-ordination of views on speed limits and an agreement on a buoy scheme to promote low wash which was achieved in just 20 mins at the Deben Forum after months of inactivity.

Colin and Matt

 Led by Colin Nicholson (RDA Co-Chair) and Matt Lis (RDA Business Interests) representatives introduced themselves, their organisation and items of interest/seen as issues leading to a ranking for the subjects of most interest.  Ben Grundy, Chair of the Kyson Fairways Committee and RDA Committee member would also have led discussions but work commitments forced his absence.

Continue reading →

’Zines in the ’Teens, Part I

Posted on by

by Bertie Wheen

This is one of a series of articles, the previous of which are:

  1. Once Upon a Time…
  2. News from the Noughties, Part I
  3. News from the Noughties, Part II

These are encouragements to go to our magazine page and have a look through our back catalogue. It might not seem like an interesting thing to do, but if you do, and live on (or otherwise have a relationship with) the Deben, I can quite confidently tell you that you will find interest there.

Continue reading →

Churches of the Deben: Part 3B

Posted on by

by Gareth Thomas

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3: From MELTON and from SUTTON to the edge of THE NORTH SEA
*This might be just ten miles of estuary but it is two banks of a wide estuary and includes the ancient maritime town of Woodbridge. Consequently, for the sake of both compilers and readers, Part 3 is presented in two sections: 3A and 3B

Part 3A

Part 3B: From Melton to The North Sea

Back at Melton another St Andrew’s calls. Simon Knott describes it as ‘wayward’. A bit harsh, but I know what he is getting at. So far, we have seen churches struggling, sometimes against the odds, to maintain their medieval fabric on their original sites. In many cases their causes were advanced by Victorian wealth. In Melton, after much debate, that wealth was used to build a mock-up of medieval architecture on a completely new site, with stone not typical of this area, nearer to the developing township. It was completed in 1868. Somehow it lacks that aura of medieval mystery.

The Church of St Andrew, Melton

The interior of St Andrews, Melton. Note the rood screen
 Continue reading →

Delightful Deben Walk

Posted on by

by Jan Harber

My sister Judy and I have been doing walks around the Suffolk coast and rivers for many years. We often remark how, if we do a route at a different time of year or the other way round, it can look so undiscovered.  For this reason we are occasionally convinced that we’d never been that way before. Continue reading →

Churches of the Deben: Part 3A

Posted on by

By Gareth Thomas

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3: From MELTON and from SUTTON to the edge of THE NORTH SEA

*This might be just ten miles of estuary but it is two banks of a wide estuary and includes the ancient maritime town of Woodbridge. Consequently, for the sake of both compilers and readers, Part 3 will be presented in two sections: 3A and 3B

Part 3A: From Sutton to The North Sea

Welcome back to those readers who have survived the first two parts of this three (now four) – part series. As I explained in part one, I had no idea that there would be so many churches in close approximation to the River Deben, either as it is now or as it was, before the building of the river walls. Conversations with others suggest that I have not been alone in my ignorance; ‘forty-odd ! – that surely cannot be’ they say, but forty-odd it will be by the time we have finished – more than one church per sinuous mile of river.  Continue reading →