North Foreland rain

Ramsgate was dreary and wet at nine am as we slowly motored out of the harbour in lumpy seas. We had decided to take the longer but safer route home north of the Margate sands, rather than the oddly named Overland route which takes you through some very shallow bits closer to the land. 

The wind was as promised. A force 5 south easterly. We started the journey rolling like a pig with only the foresail up, and the wind almost dead behind us. Past North Foreland  and north for a long time before we could turn left. 

At last we raised the main sail and started to sail properly. And from then on,  all the way home to Gillingham, we had a cracking sail. 

Sirena IV lifted her skirts and ran with the fine wind. Yes it was raining and the world was grey but our beloved boat showed her mettle.

With the tide in our favour she was racing along at 6, 7 and even 8 knots,  her sails perfectly balanced. Heeled over and creaming through the dark green seas. 

By five we reached the familiar outline of Gillingham, with the blue gasometer appearing out of the drizzle. We filled up with fuel to keep diesel bug at bay, and slowly made our way into our old berth. 

It had been three months and we had been to France twice, Dorset and the Solent as well as doing important work and family stuff.

More lovely days, and some hard, testing days on our beautiful thoroughbred boat. What an adventure we three have had.

S Foreland sunshine

A very pleasant little leg yesterday from Dover to Ramsgate. Blue sky, warm sun, little wind so motored up with the tide in less than 3hrs. The pic is South Foreland lighthouse. 

Dover Port Control have a tough job with frequent Ferries and lots of small boats commercial and leisure.  They very courteously got us straight out before a large incoming ferry and 2 outgoing ditto.

Ramsgate Port Control on the other hand have very little to do as there are no longer any Ferries, just the Wind Farm work boats and people like us who are few at this time of year. You still have to go through the ritual of asking permission to enter and leave the harbour. We were the only yacht to arrive today ... "tie up where you like, mate".  

At 6pm we went up to the Royal Temple Yacht Club for a get.  In all our visits to Ramsgate we had not been. Very interesting history re royalty and the founding of the America's Cup. Stew on board much enjoyed and fell asleep early. 

Long leg to Dover

This is about yesterday 3 Oct.  Left Gosport at 0615 in what passes for dark in a busy port.  The only difficulty is spotting other boats, especially the yacht who had no navigation lights on - we advised him of this quite firmly. 

Passed through the Looe Channel with hardly a ripple at local slack water and the sky lightening. Sails all up and engine off, we had a lovely sail until the wind dropped as forecast. We were mentally prepared for a motoring delivery trip. 

Halfway across the 34nm straight line to Newhaven Lesley had a bright idea; conditions are benign, the autopilot is steering and we are feeling good so why not just keep going to Dover and save a day? A quick calculation of tide times and flows suggested we could just catch the slack point as it moves east up the channel and only have 4 hours of foul tide at the end maybe getting to Dover by 1am. Good call. Sorry Newhaven maybe another year. 

In the end we were just behind the slack, had more foul tide and got in with no drama at 0230. We did 2hr watches and slept during off watch to stay fresh. The wind never came back so the on watch consisted of keeping an eye on the engine and autopilot and looking for fishing boats and pot buoys (in the dark that's hard and impossible respectively).

It was our longest leg ever so far with just the two of us, 106nm in 20 hrs, 8 of which were in the dark. 

The pic is this morning in Dover Marina with lovely weather for one more day. 

Sent from Samsung Mobile on O2

Down to the sea once more

Back to Gosport where Sirena IV has been safely moored (again) in Royal Clarence Marina. There is a forecast rumour that the strong easterlies will finally abate, so we can get her home via Dover to Gillingham. A delivery trip.

Sometimes you have to claw your way out of London though. Left Greenwich at 0830 heading to Waterloo having checked transport status. At O2 Jubilee line halted due to signal failure. Jumped into only cab with ano  chap to go Canary Wharf for DLR but Blackwall Tunnel jammed so jumped out of cab and walked back to Maze Hill. Due to London Bridge reconstruction cannot get train to Waterloo East, so train other way to Charlton to pick up train via Lewisham. Some delays & cancellations, through our own fault got on wrong train back to Maze Hill. Changed at Greenwich onto DLR to Lewisham where we heard that Bank had been closed, so good job we didn't go that way, and delays due to body on line at Waterloo East earlier. Eventually got to Waterloo 1.5 hours later than expected. Sometimes London seems to conspire against you. Luckily we don't have a tide to catch today, just some shopping, passage planning & pilotage, and a nice meal in the Pump House by the marina.


rgds/Nic
Nic Vine - Sent from my mobile