How not to cross the Estuary

johnalison

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Leaving Ramsgate for Walton should be easy enough and Charlie Stock would have viewed our passage on Saturday with utter contempt. I was a bit unwell on Thursday night and during Friday, so didn't feel like an early start on Saturday, and a late start would have put us in the Backwaters near low water. The wind on Friday was almost northerly anyway and Sunday and thereafter didn't look good, so off we went, starting at just before eight.

Nearly close hauled to Fisherman's gat was against the last of the ebb, as was broad reaching down to the Little Sunk crossing and the reach to the Naze. We had the pleasure of motoring into Walton with the last of the tide, having had to sail over 50 miles to get there. Thank goodness there was enough wind as we were only sogging at around four knots much of the time, even with neapish tides, and my speed under power would have been well down since my prop is now pretty foul.

One day I will learn to do things properly.
 
I retired two years ago after years of getting up at 05.20. I vowed to never again get up before 07.30 or in the winter until it is light. Sounds like a perfect passage to me :encouragement:
 
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