Habebty
Well-Known Member
Just helped a friend deliver his boat from Weymouth to Ipswich. Despite being bloody cold most of the time it was excellent experience and now counts as the longest single trip I've done, as I mostly daysail coast hop on singlehanded passages.
Left Weymouth 0930 Saturday with forecast NE 3-4 and that was pretty much what we got. Despite spring tides, the race off St Albans head was the most benign I have ever seen it albeit producing some menacing looking whirlpools and weird surface popple.
We pressed on towards St Catherines head by now it was dark and very cold and we were going well with the strong easterly flow which created some very uncomfortable bumpy bits to help settle the recently consumed curry! Felt a bit pukey (absolutely nothing to do with my mates curry!!) but that soon passed after 20 minutes or so.
The wind then dropped to almost nothing and we spent the next 4 hours trying to lose sight of the Owers bouy. As we were two up, we decided that 2 hours on 2 hours off would be better in the cold conditions. Heard a pan pan from Swansea Coastguard?? how does that work?? High Pressure??
The most amazing bit of the whole trip for me was being on watch from 0200-0400 counting the increasing number of meteorites with incredibly bright trails streaking down from the most crystal clear star studded sky I have ever seen. Just looked up what meteor showers are about and it looks like it was the Orionides which peak about now.
Dawn on Sunday morning saw a wonderful watery sunrise illuminate the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head.
(Although every time I go past Newhaven I manage to count 8 or nine sisters!!)
Onwards and Eastwards saw a lovely warm day at sea with not much in the way of Wind but a steady sail or motorsail towards Dungeness - god you can it coming for hours and it never seems to get closer. there is a new windfarm there which has appeared since the last time I went by in July 08.
Darkness for the second night at sea descended as we passed Dover and turned north up the Downs inside the Goodwins with a strong tidal set taking us either towards Deal or later towards the sands. By now the lights of Ramsgate were beginning to look very tempting but we pressed on towards Foulgers Gat passing the highest number of anchored ships off North Foreland I've ever seen all lit up like christmas trees with almost invisible anchor lights!!
Now thats a bit of a bugger when they decide to up anchor and slowly move across your track.
By now after 38 hours of sailing 2 up, tiredness was beginning to get the better of me as I had not slept well on my snatch breaks although my mate said he had so he took us up the Gat and Black Deep waking me to enjoy the arrival of the distant lights of Clacton and Felixstowe.
Believe me, the lights of Felixstowe have never looked so good even if they seem to take an age to get closer.
After a brisk sail across the top of the Sunk and Gunfleet sands through the Medusa Channel we arrived at Harwich just before low water and then after a mirror calm Orwell glided beneath us we locked into the Wet Dock at 0730 Monday after 45 hours.
Knackered!!!!
Top tips for this sort of Autumn trip.
1. Don't leave your bleeding thermals on your boat before legging it for the train.
2. Don't leave your sleeping bag on your boat before legging it for the train.
3. Don't leave your gloves on the boat before legging it for the train.
4. There are no penguins living in the sea off Dover
4a. I cannot believe I saw a Sunfish off Folkstone
5. Trees do not grow out of Long Sand
6. Get more sleep on passage to avoid seeing penguins, sunfish, and trees.
Actually, Weymouth Asda sells brilliantly warm double duvets for £7.99 yeeeeesss!!
But wearing two two pairs of jeans at once is no substitute for a good base layer!!
With the apparent downturn in the hospitalty of the Nelson in Ipswich, I can report the Steamboat Tavern sells a fine steak and ale pie.
Left Weymouth 0930 Saturday with forecast NE 3-4 and that was pretty much what we got. Despite spring tides, the race off St Albans head was the most benign I have ever seen it albeit producing some menacing looking whirlpools and weird surface popple.
We pressed on towards St Catherines head by now it was dark and very cold and we were going well with the strong easterly flow which created some very uncomfortable bumpy bits to help settle the recently consumed curry! Felt a bit pukey (absolutely nothing to do with my mates curry!!) but that soon passed after 20 minutes or so.
The wind then dropped to almost nothing and we spent the next 4 hours trying to lose sight of the Owers bouy. As we were two up, we decided that 2 hours on 2 hours off would be better in the cold conditions. Heard a pan pan from Swansea Coastguard?? how does that work?? High Pressure??
The most amazing bit of the whole trip for me was being on watch from 0200-0400 counting the increasing number of meteorites with incredibly bright trails streaking down from the most crystal clear star studded sky I have ever seen. Just looked up what meteor showers are about and it looks like it was the Orionides which peak about now.
Dawn on Sunday morning saw a wonderful watery sunrise illuminate the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head.
(Although every time I go past Newhaven I manage to count 8 or nine sisters!!)
Onwards and Eastwards saw a lovely warm day at sea with not much in the way of Wind but a steady sail or motorsail towards Dungeness - god you can it coming for hours and it never seems to get closer. there is a new windfarm there which has appeared since the last time I went by in July 08.
Darkness for the second night at sea descended as we passed Dover and turned north up the Downs inside the Goodwins with a strong tidal set taking us either towards Deal or later towards the sands. By now the lights of Ramsgate were beginning to look very tempting but we pressed on towards Foulgers Gat passing the highest number of anchored ships off North Foreland I've ever seen all lit up like christmas trees with almost invisible anchor lights!!
Now thats a bit of a bugger when they decide to up anchor and slowly move across your track.
By now after 38 hours of sailing 2 up, tiredness was beginning to get the better of me as I had not slept well on my snatch breaks although my mate said he had so he took us up the Gat and Black Deep waking me to enjoy the arrival of the distant lights of Clacton and Felixstowe.
Believe me, the lights of Felixstowe have never looked so good even if they seem to take an age to get closer.
After a brisk sail across the top of the Sunk and Gunfleet sands through the Medusa Channel we arrived at Harwich just before low water and then after a mirror calm Orwell glided beneath us we locked into the Wet Dock at 0730 Monday after 45 hours.
Knackered!!!!
Top tips for this sort of Autumn trip.
1. Don't leave your bleeding thermals on your boat before legging it for the train.
2. Don't leave your sleeping bag on your boat before legging it for the train.
3. Don't leave your gloves on the boat before legging it for the train.
4. There are no penguins living in the sea off Dover
4a. I cannot believe I saw a Sunfish off Folkstone
5. Trees do not grow out of Long Sand
6. Get more sleep on passage to avoid seeing penguins, sunfish, and trees.
Actually, Weymouth Asda sells brilliantly warm double duvets for £7.99 yeeeeesss!!
But wearing two two pairs of jeans at once is no substitute for a good base layer!!
With the apparent downturn in the hospitalty of the Nelson in Ipswich, I can report the Steamboat Tavern sells a fine steak and ale pie.
