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. 

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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

Southampton boat show

Today,  a day off in Gosport,  we trogged all the way to the Southampton boat show in what was a round trip of 4 hours by ferry train and foot. Was it worth it?  Yes because we love seeing masses of boats on the water, though most of them are too modern or ritzy or just big plastic motor boats. 

The Rustler yachts were our favourites. They are solid, beautifully  built boats with a pedigree, that cost an arm and several legs.

We walked miles. Lesley bought a couple of bargains in the sailing clothes line (not a clothes line).

Nic bought a £1 emergency hat as the sun was strong. A little later we were greeted with free prosecco, canapés and - a free peaked cap at the Swallow  yacht stand. It was their press launch and they were being generous... No he didn't take the emergency hat back. 

It's fascinating to see the types of show goer. Many grey bearded chaps haggling over buying ropes, smooth guys with immaculately coiffed wives looking at motor boats costing half a mill and scruffs like us coasting around for fun.

Back at the boat. Having supper at the Pump House nearby and can't wait. 

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Fair wind, foul tide

Another early start,  another glorious dawn. We left Yarmouth at 6.30 with Nic at the helm as a giant Wight ferry and a small Scoot ferry threatened to make us into a yacht sandwich. We escaped unhurt. 

The winds were forecast to be force 4 to 6 from dead ahead. We had all our wet weather gear on. What happened was a beautiful Solent sailing breeze of 10 to 15 knots. Rather than plug through with the motor on,  we took the slow road by tacking, zig zagging under sail across the waters which are busy with tankers, hovercraft, yachts and yes, ferries. The photo shows Nic avoiding a large container ship.

It was a fine sail. By twelve, we arrived back at Royal Clarence  marina in Gosport and slid into a berth to stay here for the next few weeks. 

After hosing down our gear,  the boat and our boots to wash off the salt, it was down to the charming Pump House cafe for tea and cake. More jobs and then a meal cobbled  together of odd leftovers. And dark. And bed. 

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Yarmouth 9 Sep

Rest day in pretty Yarmouth. First shower since France. The showers are really good in Yarmouth. The Army provided much entertainment by loading various vehicles onto a landing craft without sides. They did this very slowly with much signalling. Finally they set off into the tide and wind - the helmsman at the back could not see past the vehicles so another Marine stood on top of a truck and gave yet more hand signals. We had a great view from the pier which is small and v old fashioned. 

Some mooching in shops, a sortie into the hinterland which showed that 50yds from the Square is as far as you need to go. Impulse purchase of hand thrown pork pie and back to the boat to pig out  (pun intended). Yachts come and go in Yarmouth almost continuously, no wonder they have berthing masters in dinghies (who are reliably cheery and helpful). Always something to watch. 

We decided next stop is back to Royal Clarence Marina in Gosport which is only 20 miles down the Solent yet needs passage planning due to strong tides.  Decided an early start with a fair tide is better than a late start with a foul one, plus the forecast F4-6 probably won't have built by then with attendant short chop. So a stir fry on board and early to bed.