The next day a slow start and a departure at 12:15pm to catch high tide. We initially motored down the Thames in sunny weather with memorable views of Canary Wharf, the O2 arena, the Thames Barrier and the QEII Bridge and when the river widened before the River Medway, we put the sails up for the first time and had a tremendous sail in F4 to 5 winds. We moored for the night alongside a concrete barge in Queenborough off the River Medway. The next day we practiced the basic sailing and safety techniques and sailed up to Chatham dock where we stayed for the night. The next day after spending the morning practicing manoeuvering the boat in a marina including bringing it alongside and getting off a pontoon, we sailed back to Queenborough after some "man overboard" practice - hopefully never to be put into practice! That evening we planned our passage to Ramsgate - and I was to navigate!
Up early at 4am to catch the tide we motor sailed and then sailed, avoiding the Margate sandbanks, to Ramsgate and I had to steer the boat up to the pontoon - just about made it although should have gone a little faster! I felt a little sea sick having to spend a significant amount of time below deck checking the charts and our position - but we made it and the boat was still in one piece. We arrived Ramsgate at 9:10am and in the afternoon I went for a cycle with my recent purchase (a folding Brompton bike - wonderful) to Broadstairs in glorious sunny weather. I also phoned my sister Sarah and Rob her husband to ask if they wanted to come and see the boat (they live in Canterbury) and much to my surprise Mum and Dad had just landed in Dover returning from their cruise holiday so all, including Emily and twins William and Edward, came to vist and see the boat and we had a nice meal - a really nice evening.
The next day we set off at 6am for a long passage to Portsmouth - unfortunately the wind was dead against (Force 4 to 6) so unless we wanted to take two uncomfortable days tacking against the wind, we had to motor sail (ie the main sail is up providing some stability and forward motion when off the wind) all the way. The seas were moderate - but believe me it was incredibly uncomfortable, with the boat smashing down on the waves several times a minute. Every time I went below deck I felt sea sick. The journey was expected to take more than 20 hours - and it did - 22 in fact ! We had a watch system where two were on for two hours, then the other two
came on duty. During this time we had to stay on deck checking for obstructions eg lobster pots and other boats (not many!) although the boat was generally on auto pilot. I was in fact mildly sick despite the Sturgeron tablets, but also very tired because of the same tablets. It was not fun being woken up at 11:55am for the 12 midnight to 2am watch slot, and finally we arrived in Porstmouth around 4am - exhausted. I slept until 12noon the next day, despite the 4 to 5 hours I had already slept during the passage. The photo is off the White Cliffs of Dover - after here the sun disappeared, the wind increased and so did the wave size. The next day, Saturday 11th, today when I am writing this blog, was spent sightseeing in Portsmouth.Tomorrow we set off for a short leg to Cowes, then on to Weymouth and then probably Dartmouth. More to follow ...
