A Trip To God’s Country
August 1996
David, Lynda and Julian Thornley
Saturday
After several evenings passage planning, a weekend working
on the boat and numerous calls and trips to chandlers for charts the weekend
finally arrived, work was reluctantly brought to an end and we set off on the
Friday evening for Meltem and the Scheld Delta It took some time to sort the
boat out, it took until Midnight and was marred by the discovery that the
fitters had really “fixed” the fridge, it would only work under engine power. In
the morning after a good breakfast we sorted out the inevitable odds and ends
and were able to leave at 11am, just one hour behind plan but that assumed 5kn.
The weather was sunny and not very windy so motoring at 6kn would still get us
through the Looe channel at slack water.
We
motored down the Solent and were surprised to have a good sail from the forts
until well past the channel. Saw the QE2 close up by the Nab Tower. All in good
humour we followed the coast past Brighton, past muddy Newhaven, had dinner off
Beachy Head and then headed in towards Rye Bay. The light from the lighthouse
made peculiar patterns on the cliff – as if a chid was playing with a torch and
reminiscent of the Fastnet Light. The lights of the promenade at Eastbourne went
on forever and flashed on and off as if they were part of some huge Son et
Lumiere as they dropped below the dipping horizon. The approach to Dungeness
took ages as the tide had turned but there was one thing of interest – the Royal
Sovereign Light platform, quite a structure, which we passed on the seaward side
to avoid the shoals. The plan, initiated by Alistair Davidson (RsrnYC
Commodore), was to follow the slack water up channel and avoid much of the
adverse tide. This worked to a point but not as well as we would have wished
with the result that the skipper only had 2 hours down below that night.
Sunday
Eventually, after a few more watches we plodded our way
towards Dover watching Folkestone creep past. Being behind schedule by then se
decided to cross the Channel earlier, as soon as the Varne lightship was abeam.
The Traffic was really busy and we had to duck under the stern of at least three
ships on the line between Dover and Calais crossing the separation zone at right
angles.
Then,
right in the middle of the separation zone, it happened, the engine stopped just
as if it had seized. I checked it out and was relieved to find that it worked in
neutral, it had to be a fouled propeller. Our situation was not good with a
light southeasterly so the sailing alternatives were tacking to Calais or dead
downwind to Dover though the busiest stretch of water in Europe. The only real
options were to clear the prop or call the coastguard so overboard went the
skipper, bread knife at the ready. A mass of blue polypropylene rope and orange
fishing net was amassed round the prop in a tight ball. No wonder it stopped
with such a jolt, it must have been floating just below the surface. After quite
a few dives there was quite a substantial v shape cut out of the ball but it was
slow work. This was interrupted by cries from above – a big ferry was bearing
down and making no attempt to avoid a collision. We reached off out of harms way
just in time amidst lots of curses, how uncooperative!! The skipper was then
found to be in a mild state of hypothermia and shaking uncontrollably,
fortunately the engine worked and started to drive us forward fitfully as the
cutter chopped through the remaining rope. The crew motored Meltem on towards
the coast aguing about the right way of flying the courtesy flag whilst the
skipper got warmed up again.
Calais is not the most attractive of seascapes, in fact in
the grey weather it was rather depressing but not as bad a Dunkirk where the
blast furnaces are right on the edge of the sea. Amazingly there were some
people playing on what might have been called a beach but looked more like a
mass of discarded ash. We soon passed the port entrance (est) and saw the more
attractive side, a very chic seaside town and a total contrast to the industrial
area.
Continuing onwards we soon found the Pass de Zydecote and
headed offshore to miss the banks that dry out. Time was getting tight and we
cut the corner where we thought it was safe by a green buoy that should have
been well out in deep water. Soon we were close to an unusual yellow and black
buoy with a cross on top and another in view with what seemed like an aerial on
top. A quick look at the chart confirmed the worst – we had missed a mark and
had cut the corner over a wreck in steeply shoaling water. The crew were closely
watching the echo sounder by this time and were urging a move towards deeper
water. Fortunately this was nearby – still a near scrape however!
From then onwards we had a brilliant sail, just off the
wind all the way to Oostend. By this time the crew were getting a bit grumpy as
the trip was eating into the evening which had been reserved for other things
like meals and drinks. Even the beaches were becoming deserted, it appeared that
the Belgians knew how to live. We counted the towns as we passed resisting the
temptation to put into Niewport, what did they do in these resorts – all densely
packed tower blocks. Maybe it was just to have a sea view, the sands were
wonderful with mile after mile of dunes and beaches. Finally Oostend appeared on
the skyline- or rather another set of tower blocks became visible. Soon we were
at the entrance and glad to be almost there but were greeted with three red
lights and a ferry taking up most of the channel. Entering a little later we
found the Montgomery dock jam full and went onto the Royal Yacht Club of Oostend
where the friendly harbourmaster soon had us securely tied up.
After a shower, a quick drink and a meal in the bar we
slept most soundly. The total distance was 191.3 miles with an elapsed time of
33.5 hours including the drift off Dover, overall a very satisfactory cruise.
Monday
Having
reached our goal of Oostend we decided on a lay day and a visit to Brugge. This
started rather slowly with a trip to the few shops close by for money,
croissants and some cheese. It was a great feeling to have arrived on the
continent in a country other than France. The difference was really noticeable,
the trams, cycle tracks, friendly people who understood English, scruffy bars
and pommes frites.
Eventually we walked down to the station and caught the
train to Brugges which was less than an hour away. Heading for the centre we
bought a guide and had lunch in an open-air café soaking up the atmosphere and
working out what we could see in in a few hours. Brugge is remarkable, full of
wonderful buildings, a really pleasant place to be even if the number of
tourists did take the edge off a bit. They were interesting to see pass by –
from the attractive and the chic to the ugly trippers and too many loud
Americans.
It rained on and off as we made our way to the Belfry where
the view was mainly of the countryside, then the Basilica of the Holy Blood.
This was magnificent, an early stone chapel below a much larger one with a
staircase between them of grand proportions. The main square was reminiscent of
Brussels but the canals were unique. Like Venice but in a central European,
medieval setting not unlike parts of Oxford and Cambridge except that the water
is more intimate and the red bricked buildings are much smaller although more
ornate.
Reluctantly we returned to the station and walked straight
onto a return train. The magic was broken; we were back on the continent.
Returning by tram was a bit of a challenge as we were not sure where to get off
but eventually we got back where we had a relaxing evening at the Yacht club
followed by a meal on board.
Tuesday
The day started with representatives of the General Stores
Company arriving with our duty free spirits and beer. It took five people in
total to deliver it and collect the money, we felt really well looked after and
very important loading ships stores in such a manner. Breakfast was a mighty
plate of mushrooms on toast taken at a leisurely pace, there was no point in
leaving early as it would mean plugging the tide. We finally left just after ten
and found the owners of “Jade” who were also bound for Middlebourg had left much
earlier at about 8 am. After a short wait for the flashing yellow light warning
of shipping activity to finish we were off and cleared the harbour. A veritable
flotilla suddenly emerged from the Montgomery dock as we past who were to
accompany us all the way to Flushing.
The wind was light and directly astern, the crew did not
fancy putting up the spinnaker so it was motoring, slow at first either in a
back eddy or plugging the tide until we past Zeebrugge where our speed increased
from 4 to 7kn over the ground. Before we could finish a cup of coffee we were in
Breskens. Mention must be made here of the poor correlation between the marks on
the new Admiralty charts and those on the water. There were several cardinals
not marked on the chart and the “red” buoys were orange!
Flushing
Roads lived up to its reputation for being busy and having strong tides. There
were countless yachts as well as a constant flow of big ships in and out. The
tide just added a bit of interest at times! After a few tight moments we were
off the lock leading into Flushing which opened in a few minutes – an unusual
stroke of luck. On entering we found “Jade” closely followed by a big motor
cruiser pushing his way in. This boat got its just deserves when they realised
that we couldn’t stop or even go forward for a while as there was still a mass
of rope on the prop! Chaos ensued for a while and with much noise from his bow
thrusters he moved away. Earlier the speed had been suspiciously reduced, we
were only able to make just over 5kn and after a lot of jiggling in forward and
reverse a big mass of net and bright blue rope was thrown off – probably a
danger to others but there was not a lot we could do as we had to follow the
others along.
Within minutes we experienced our first wait for a lifting
bridge, fortunately not long this time. After that the canal was dead straight
and to our eyes really attractive and different –lots of wildlife, people
cycling and green countryside. Soon enough the spires of Middleburge were in
sight and after a short pause before the two final bridges opened we had
arrived. The entrance to the harbour was a zoo but this was soon sorted out and
we ended up alongside a Cromerty 36 owned by a very jolly and helpful chap who
was called skipper by the crew all the time. The harbour was charming – an old
ship building dock with rows of houses either side reminiscent of Bucklers Hard
but much larger. All the houses, bridges and brickwork were really neat. Too
neat it transpired as the whole town had ben rebuilt after being bombed in the
Second World War. We had a quick meal and retired to a very attractive club for
drinks overlooking the harbour before returning to hit the sack.
Wednesday
Our
neighbour wanted to catch the 09:30 bridge opening and the Belgian couple
outside us were fully cooperative. It was us that nearly caused a delay as the
engine was reluctant to start and when the throttle was pushed forward it only
slightly increased the speed. We let them go and got back to the dockside to
clean the fuel lines and filter. The glass filter had very little sediment, the
pump seemed ok but the main filter was only 30% full of fuel – no wonder the
engine had little power! Suspecting the fuel pump we sought a new diaphragm from
the chandlery, they didn’t have one but put us in touch with a mechanic at Veere
who was able to come to see us that evening. We wanted to move across to a box
mooring that the harbourmaster had suggested and had just become available, this
would ensure we could get out easily later – or so we thought! It turned out to
have posts just 11 ft 3ins wide and Meltem was 11ft 7ins so we got firmly stuck
having approached with some momentum. Some helpful Dutch people saved the day by
helping to pull us in, at the same time claiming that Meltem had eaten too many
of the good Dutch potatoes. The crew had had a minor tantrum over this, which
was soon resolved by a bit of retail therapy and a coffee in a rather smart
brassiere. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing various chores whilst
waiting for the mechanic, all very relaxing and not in any way a waste of time.
We spoke at length with a particularly interesting Dutchman on a “Midget 26”
which was a remarkable boat for its size and was regularly cruised in the
Baltic. The mechanic eventually arrived and after an inspection pronounced
everything was ok and wanted to set off to a Nauticat with more serious
problems. He could not have been more helpful and insisted on only charging 25
Guilders (£10!)
The evening turned out to be a real high point – we made a
good choice of going back to the brassiere we had visited earlier and had a
“repas formidable” as a French customer described it. This was an excellent
three course meal with good wine and really friendly service – all for £20 per
person. The waiters were all ex-navy and had a sincere interest in sailing as
well as being very pro British, as most of the Dutch seem to be. The ambiance
was exceptional – out in the open overlooking the market square but protected
from the elements and kept warm by a heater – bliss! No tourists just a
succession of local people such as an elderly couple and their daughter having
an ice cream after a cycle ride, a perfect evening.
Thursday
The day started well and stayed that way, everyone was
happy. Breakfast was delicious fresh bread and a sort of iced current bun called
Koffee Kake bought from a man on his bike who set up shop nearby. Middleburge
was a particularly attractive place with expansive old docks surrounded by town
houses and lots of trees, it was a wonderful place to have breakfast.
The next priority was to visit the market and get
provisions in for the next few days whilst exploring the town. After lots of
discussion it was agreed that we should leave Veere the following Tuesday and
return via Niewport, Bologne and Eastbourne allowing one lay day for bad
weather. This meant that we had only five nights to explore the Schelde delta.
Top of the list in priorities were Goes, Veere, Zirksea then Gravlingmere plus
a night on the Versemeer. Knowing that we would not leave until the afternoon we
settled on the next night on an island then a circular route ending at Goes.
After
all this planning we set out to explore the town going to the top of the church
tower ( Long John!) containing many bells and the source of the musical
accompaniment we had grown accustomed to hearing every hour. Next was the
Stadhus, a rather magnificent town hall. Our guide was a portly woman who, after
a while, apologised profusely for the way she treated us and for everything
being in Dutch – she thought we were German! From the outside it looked like
something out of a fairytale but from the inside it was clear that it was all
newly reconstructed although the immense number of antiques brought it to life.
From the wedding room to the banqueting Hall all was solid stone finished
impeccably and built to impress. The market was a true market with haberdashery,
hardware and clothes stalls as well as food. The fish was remarkable – great
piles of smoked mackerel, eels and more usual fresh fish. Laden with food and a
few presents we laboured back to the chandlery to buy a memento for the boat,
one of the brass table lamps that were so popular and would light out dinner
table from then on.
After lunch we set off, getting out of the box mooring was
less traumatic than entering, we sprang one post away using a handy billy tied
to its neighbour, which enabled us to slip out with the minimum of manhandling.
The canal and locks were really busy, a real haven of water sports and
reminiscent of Lake Windermere; we were touched when the Chandler came out of
his shop to wish us well as we passed by. We were soon clear of Veere and not
wanting to go too far we stopped at the first of many attractive islands,
Arneplat. This was very small with a little landing stage and crowded with an
assortment of exclusively Dutch boats. We moored alongside a Feeling 37 owned by
a friendly couple who joined us for a brandy later where we found out that they
had just returned from a three week trip to the Channel Islands. The evening was
blissful – quiet and sunny over golden beaches with a light blue sky gradually
darkening until Venus started to show and then, eventually a host of stars. We
felt very much into the Dutch way of life as we supped our brandy, smoked cigars
and put the world to right.
Friday
At
6:30 am the anchorage was absolutely silent and bathed in a delicate light
making everything a range of misty pastel shades. Later when the sun had risen
and it was getting warmer we had a refreshing swim, partly to check out the prop
but also to experience the clean, clear water. Minimal exercise but a great
start to the day – as good as a shower, the water was that clean. After
breakfast we reluctantly left for Zirksea on the Oosterschelde. The journey
through the Versemeer was interesting enough but it was very flat and after the
islands less interesting. It didn’t take long to arrive a the entrance of the
lock leading out of the fresh water Versemeer into the salt water Oosterschelde
where it was chaos. Everyone was acting like a zoo breakout, no organisation,
just pushing and shoving to make sure they got into the lock without a care for
anyone else. What had happened to Dutch manners or order? Fortunately we got out
without any damage but there had been many close scrapes. Although the wind was
building it was right on the nose so hopes of a sail dropped and we motored on
towards bridge we had to pass before entering Zirksea. This has a minimum hight
of 12.2m – normally 14+ but Meltem needed 15m so we had to wait for a while as
we just missed one of the half hourly openings when we arrived. It was then up
the river with the engine loosing power at critical moments – still fuel
problems! After clearing a bend we could see a wharf and the town. We ended up
rafted four boats out with yet another outside us – very friendly, but not a
problem as there was hardly any wind and no tide.
The wharf was pretty enough with a few cafes and the way to
the town was through an old fortified gate which led to the most magnificent
enclosed pool, the original harbour. Surrounded by a variety of equally
interesting houses and holding and holding a collection of old Dutch sailing
barges it was classic picture postcard stuff. The barges were colourful and a
graphic reminder of the past importance of these once important North Sea Ports.
The rest of the town was interesting enough but could not match the perfect
setting of the harbour and were al rather more commercial.
Saturday
The first chore was re-provisioning, with gas fresh food
and water. Nearby was a traditional chandlery reminiscent of past times where we
were able to obtain some proper, heavy black buckets that could be used to raise
water onto the deck with ease. Needing to move on we reluctantly motored on into
the Gravelingemere and back to the Oosterschelde. This was not difficult as it
was well buoyed and the charts were excellent, straightforward pilotage. The
sluice into the Gravelingemere we took this time was smaller and the waiting
boats much better behaved so it was not an unpleasant experience as the day
before, just took a long time.
It was difficult to see the islands that were such a part
of the Gravelingemere when we first entered it as they are all at the other end.
The effect of the earths curvature was very evident as yachts in the middle
distance seemed to be well up the trees on the far side and it was not possible
to see the beaches. Approaching the islands it soon became clear that there were
going to be few opportunities to moor a 1.7m draft yacht and if we took them we
would be locked in by late arrivals so we decide to go into Bruishaven. There is
a big harbour office overlooking the marina and harbour where we found we could
use a fine box mooring, complete with power. Not as good as an island but more
convenient and easier to move onwards the next day.
The town encompasses the harbour as is typical here and was
really pretty although very quiet for a Saturday, everyone appeared to be out on
the water somewhere else. It was a good place to have some specialities,
herrings and ice cream to go with dinner.
Sunday
We
had planned to leave early but the best we could achieve was 10am after bacon
sandwiches and a chat over coffee. Motoring down to the lock again was a bit of
a chore, ot was a shame there was not time to sail. We saw Flying Scotsman (
another Storm ) now flying a Belgian Flag so we assumed it had been sold by its
former owner who had moved to Holland. Eventually the wind picked up and we
could sail for some of the time as we retraced our steps all very frustrating,
as soon as we got going under sail the wind would drop. Motoring through the
channel between the banks of the Oosterscheld was interesting – they were dried
out at that time, definitely something to be avoided.
There was little delay in negotiating the lock leading to
the short canal leading to Goes which was as straight as a roman road and lined
with trees, all very scenic and a contrast to the modern windmills we had seen
earlier. As it was Sunday it was full of people picnicking, sunbathing and
messing about in the water, many waved as we passed. The bridge entering Goes
was very different from the lock, Sunday hours meant a wait of one and a half
hours, and lots of reading time in the hot sun. We chose not to enter the neat
little marina which was very picturesque, lots of well tended lawn, marine
artefacts all in a seemingly jumbled to together in a haphazard but very pretty
manner. We later found that the main landmark, an imitation lighthouse was
built to hide the harbourmasters loo!
The main quay in the town was a stunning place to moor, we
were able to have a berth right in front of some of the best restaurants and
very impressive buildings, including the “sanitary” which was a fine example of
traditional architecture. Sitting in the middle of this vista was a real
privilege, which we enjoyed, accompanied by a few kirs before moving on to
dining in style at the restaurant nearby. We felt the subject of the many
diner’s views and rather superior stepping ashore to eat rather than driving.
Monday
It
was prudent to wait for the 11am lock opening so there was no rush in the
morning so there was plenty of time to enjoy the situation and the perfect
weather. The bright sunlight from the opposite direction gave the harbour a
totally different feel with the restaurants in shadow and the hotel at the end,
which we had missed in the shadows lit brilliantly in the sunlight. Breakfasting
on fresh croissants we could hardly believe where we were.
Passing through the bridges and the lock ant the end of the
short canal was not difficult and it was then only a short distance to the big
sea lock back into the Versemeer. This time it was a long wait as there were
problems with the bridge mechanism but the operators were very helpful and kept
us informed on the VHF. When we eventually negotiated the lock it was still not
too crowded and civilised by comparison to the former transit.
Heading out into the Versemere we put the sails up and had
a fine sail in a favourable force 3-4 breeze, one of the few times there was
enough wind to make satisfactory progress.
The
islands opposite Veere were quite crowded and the North Bank packed with holiday
homes. It became obvious that this wonderful area for water sports was enjoyed
by a great many people – all very friendly but had make a delightful, natural
area into a highly developed almost urban coastline. Such a contrast to the
Gravelingemere which was much more open and less crowded.
We entered Veere Harbour and tied up alongside a Dutch boat
at the end of the quay. Looking up through the main hatch we could see the bell
tower and some of the wonderful old buildings of Veere. It’s a lovely place,
perhaps a bit touristy but still attractive. The Stadhus is magnificent,
especially the interior where the ground floor is like a wooden court room where
the parliament was held, it was easy to imagine what debates were like in past
times. Immediately outside in the main high street there was an oval garden,
which, with the lack of traffic, had a natural, open feeling. A great advantage
of the town is that it fronts the Versemere and has fine quay with many
traditional boats providing lots of interest Again it was easy to imagine what
it was like as a trading and fishing port open to the North Sea. A relic of this
time is the Scotch house, a fine old building, now a museum overlooking the
harbour. Having just about run out of Dutch money we returned to eat on board
and retire early which was just as well as sleep was not easy with the bells
sounding every half hour throughout the night.
Tuesday
With
some real sadness we left promptly at 7:30, the Dutch people rafted alongside us
being very cooperative and available on the dot as agreed the night before. We
called the lock keeper on the radio and were able to go straight through as he
opened the gates just for us. The next stretch of canal is dead straight and
ideal for a compass check, the port was 2 degrees out and the starboard over
read by 6 degrees. All had gone well until we reached Middleburg which was a
pain, it should have opened on the hour, we were then told 22mins past, it
finally opened at 0935 after an hour wait. The locks at Vlissingen were not a
problem this time but it had started to rain so we all went rather quiet
watching a country we had enjoyed so much slip behind us as we returned home all
too early. We tried to think that this was the start of the French leg but we
were really sorry to leave such a wonderful place with so much unvisited, lots
of islands and places like the ship at Middleburg we wanted to see but didn’t
have the time.
We crossed the Westerscheld directly heading for Breskens
and cutting the TSS at right angles, once in Flushing Roads we could head
directly for Zeebrugge along the coast. Not many ships this time just a small
flotilla of boats heading the same way to keep us company. Not enough wind to
maintain passage speed so we motored all the way past the huge harbour of
Zeebrugge, Blankenburge, finally Oostende and then on to Niewport.
Soon after passing Oostende the wind got up to a solid
force 5 on the nose as forecast. This made it all rather unpleasant for the last
hour or two, the crew made their feelings known! Eventually we arrived off the
pier and got the sails down but we not able to enter as some ribs were rescuing
dinghies in trouble. The channel was a welcome change as it was relatively calm
after the lumpy sea outside and it didn’t take long to get up to the western
marina were we refuelled then berthed.
The forecast was a Force 6+ from the south west which would
be very unpleasant so we eat on board anticipating a lay day before going to the
fine yacht club adjacent to us, KYCN. First we sat with a really charming Dutch
family who formally shook hands when they left. We then got into the company of
three English people who were on the “Elizabeth Keel”, one of the boats that
accompanied us from Middleburg. They came from Queensborough on the Island of
Sheppy and had a refreshing down to earth attitude, which led to the downing of
many of the excellent Trappist beers; those monks know how to make strong beer!!
Wednesday
We
had to resolve to get up in the morning and walk into the town for some money
and croissants. Lots of wonderful fish shops close by, piled high with every
type of fish imaginable all looking very fresh. It seemed that everyone in
Niewport must eat fish there was so much.
Returning to Meltem we found a policeman in the cockpit
trying to fill out forms with Lynda frantically trying to find passports. He was
very emphatic about the importance of the Schengen agreement and how essential
it was to complete all the bureaucratic necessities then added that most people
didn’t in practice but they couldn’t do anything about it. He chatted for ages
before going off for his lunch at his favourite bar that he tried to persuade us
to use. Having got rid of him we were able to get off and explore the pier then
a tram ride. They were excellent, running along special tracks leaving the
traffic standing; what a way to travel - fast, convenient and environmentally
friendly!
In Oosend we found more than a bank – the Mercator, a
1930’s sail training ship in great shape. It had a very full rig, an iron hull
and was locked in a time warp of 1960 when it was last in commission. Wonderful
interior, lots of mahogany and brass and a complete complement of original
fittings – a real high point. Life on board would have been one of extremes, the
officers had a wonderful lifestyle but the cadets would have had a very tough
time.
Thursday
Fired up after our lay day we were raring to go, hoping
the sea had moderated. Fortunately conditions were much better and we had a very
comfortable sail down as far as Dunkerque back through the pass de Zydecote and
passing all the “villages”. Dunkerque was as grim as ever but we were soon
clear and on our way to Calais intending to go round to Boulogne. Suddenly the
wind got up and the sea state rapidly deteriorated; we struggled up to the
outskirts of Calais in quite difficult seas, close hauled. Boulogne lost its
attractiveness and we chose to crack off towards Dover which was a much more
favourable point of sailing and avoided the worst of the winds along the coast.
We also were rather concerned about the unsettled nature of the weather and
would prefer to be on the English side of the channel were we always had an easy
option of returning home.
This
decision was a popular one – very soon the sea flattened out and we were tearing
across the shipping lanes at high speed. Dover soon came up and was quite a
challenge to enter as it was a time of peak activity. When we arrived the
airwaves were full of calls to ferries either leaving or arriving. We waited
patiently for a hovercraft to leave and before we could call Port Control the
harbour launch came out to escort us in telling control they “had a Yacht that
was not a problem”. They took us up to the lock, which opened after a short
wait, and we were soon berthed very efficiently in the main marina. This was
excellent as there were a number of new berths with splendid facilities.
After a shower and meal on board we visited the Cinque
Ports Yacht Club – a delightful Edwardian building largely filled with Dutch
visitors – very enjoyable.
Friday
Catching the 0830 lock opening we got permission to leave
by the west entrance from Port Control and cleared the harbour. We went on past
Folkstone then headed into Rye bay to cheat the tide. Here we were met by the
range safety launch who instructed us to call on channel 74 where they suggested
we did not continue but stayed out in the tide as it was highly dangerous. We
cooperated! The direct route to Dungness to ages to pass – there was a “double
spit” and very unfavourable tides. Once clear we could head inshore towards
Eastbourne in the distance, a slog and no sign of the marina until we were right
on top of it. The lock was very new and efficient as was the rest of the marina.
We were soon moored up in a good berth and surrounded by Dutch and Belgians –
this was obviously the place to stop off on the UK trail. At that time it was
very undeveloped but when complete it will probably end up like Port Solent
being on the fringes of some major developments out of town. The only facilities
for eating and drinking were clearly aimed at local needs – that evening it was
a karaoke session in the disco down below at the only place, a lighthip. There
was a “pub” between decks and a “brasserie” on top. What our continental
visitors thought of this heaven only knows.
Saturday
We woke to an iffy forecast – force 5-6 south then veering
SW and lots of rain, not encouraging. We decided to make for Brighton come what
may as that would be our only chance of getting back to the Hamble by the end of
the weekend. Leaving the dock we saw several Dutch boats that had left earlier
returning – not a good sign! Being made of sterner stuff we motored out into
the bay in poor visibility due to the rain. It took an age but we did clear
Beachy Head having motor sailed into the wind and were hoping for a fast reach
along the coast to Selsey. No chance! – The wind was already in the SW so hard
on the wind we could only make Brighton, Selsey required many tacks.
Crossing this bay was yet another slog without any other
yachts for company, they new better. We passed the various resorts one by one,
first Newhaven, then Brighton, Shoreham, Worthing, Littlehampton and finally a
crawl past Bognor Regis. Entering the Looe channel was a bit fraught but the sea
had flattened and there were a few sails around to show the way. We crawled up
to the beacon marking the start of the channel but the tide was against us and
progress was slow. We put the engine on to motor sail but at full revs it
started to falter – still fuel problems!! After making it through we were
rewarded with a fine reach across the wind to Chichester Spit. If only it had
stayed in the south – the whole trip would have been like that!
Unfortunately Sparkes Marina was full so we had to make our
way up to Northney, which was not well marked, and in our tired state we went
aground before checking the charts more carefully. This time there wsa plenty of
room and so the wishes of the crew were fulfilled – a hot shower. Even better
the “Harbour Bar” proved to have splendid food, fresh fish at very reasonable
prices. The swordfish and chips was just what was called for and after a few
drinks the worst aspects of the trip were behind us. The journey had taken
nearly 12 hours, and we had logged 75 miles. All this for a journey that was
only 55 miles by the direct route.
Sunday
All good things must come to an end and this was the last
day of the holiday and the end of quite an adventure. We set off in the now
familiar iffy weather motoring out to the end of the channel where we could
crack off and have a fast sail westwards in the southerly wind. The sea was
lumpy and it was raining but a favourable wind for days made all the difference.
We raced along at over 6 knots through the dolphins and past Gilkicker where we
had lunch and back to Hamble.
It had been a great holiday, 575 miles in total and all
objectives met. Definitely quite ambitious for a two week holiday but we did it
and felt a solid sense of achievement having really made the most of our two
weeks.
