tillergirl
Well-Known Member
Back from Channel cruising today after being scared-e-cats yesterday and sitting out the wind in Ramsgate. Not sure I am a Channel cruising man. Got down to St Valerie sur Somme (which makes the SW Sunk seem like a kitten) and back but seemed to spend our time bouncing around in brief weather windows or sitting out wind in harbour. With the East Coast so many other possibilities exist rather than just long coastline slogs or crossings.
Good to meet Habety and wife (thanks for the line handling) and Wingdiver and wife (hope the long trip to Ipswich was good).
St Valerie tides are something else. We were sitting in the marina with 2:30 to go to HW and the tide is right down. Then all of a sudden there is 20 minutes of tide rushing through the marina and by -2:00 the tide stops in the marina, the level has risen 2m+ and off you go. But you need 6kts boat speed if you want to hang onto any hope of favourable tide for the majority of the journey back to Boulogne and even then we lost it in the last hour. But its a magical place - loverly people, more restuarants than you can shake a stick at, the steam railway of course and beautiful surroundings. Well worth the hassle of getting there.
Early start this morning from Ramsgate which gave us a flat calm right across the Estuary albeit with some poor vis and drizzle. Came through the SW Sunk dead on the line and saw least water of 9ft 1" under us at pretty much dead low water which means 12ft 10" of water and that only for a short patch on the Black Deep side.
Anyway a bit tired to start reading NtM so I'll do that tomorrow if you will all permit. :encouragement:
Good to meet Habety and wife (thanks for the line handling) and Wingdiver and wife (hope the long trip to Ipswich was good).
St Valerie tides are something else. We were sitting in the marina with 2:30 to go to HW and the tide is right down. Then all of a sudden there is 20 minutes of tide rushing through the marina and by -2:00 the tide stops in the marina, the level has risen 2m+ and off you go. But you need 6kts boat speed if you want to hang onto any hope of favourable tide for the majority of the journey back to Boulogne and even then we lost it in the last hour. But its a magical place - loverly people, more restuarants than you can shake a stick at, the steam railway of course and beautiful surroundings. Well worth the hassle of getting there.
Early start this morning from Ramsgate which gave us a flat calm right across the Estuary albeit with some poor vis and drizzle. Came through the SW Sunk dead on the line and saw least water of 9ft 1" under us at pretty much dead low water which means 12ft 10" of water and that only for a short patch on the Black Deep side.
Anyway a bit tired to start reading NtM so I'll do that tomorrow if you will all permit. :encouragement:
