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| Bill on the helm |
With my good friend Bill, who kindly volunteered to help get ER around to the Solent we said our farewells to West Mersea with an enjoyable meal at West Mersea Yacht Club on Saturday evening. After a not so enjoyable breakfast we let go the mooring strop at 08.00, waved West Mersea goodbye and set of down the River Blackwater with a favorable tide towards Ramsgate. Weather good but cold. With the help of a northerly wind we had a great journey under sail via The Spitway and Fisherman's Gat (thanks to crossingthethamesestuary.com for the navigation notes) arriving at Ramsgate at 16.30. Meeting up with Bill's partner Lesley, the three of us tucked into a great meal with drinks at the Belgium Bar, again excellent food. ER and crew left Ramsgate after a late breakfast around 14.00 on Monday arriving in the industrial hub of Dover at 16.30.
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| Approaching Dover from the north |
Then it stops going to plan. We wait two days in Dover for strong winds to blow over before attempting the long haul to Eastbourne. Departing Dover at 08.00 Thursday, and motoring against both tide and wind. Blowing an average above 20 knots with steep seas we arrived off Folkstone harbour at 12.30, that's 5nm in 4 1/2 hours! At that rate it would take us days to reach Eastbourne. So, unable to stay in Folkstone, because it dries out, we headed back to Dover, getting back in 1 hour.
With the knowledge that these winds were not going to change over the next few days we secured ER in Dover marina and jumped on the train home to await more favourable weather before returning to complete the next leg.
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ER snug in Dover marina,
without bowline! |
To continue. I hope.
