03/08/2021
Having spent the night at home, I met Alex, who was accompanying me Edinburgh at the railway station and we headed off to the marina. Spent the morning doing last minute jobs on the boat while we waited for the tide.
1200 hrs. Cast off from King Point.
1300 hrs. Passing the eastern entrance to Plymouth Sound.
After leaving Plymouth and heading east the boat settled into a gentle cruise in light winds. Clearly, we were not going to get far at three knots and the decision was taken to turn on the engine, it remained for the next 24 hours. In my stewardship of Aphrodite I think the maximum that I've had it on was about five hours. The days were spent leisurely enjoying watching the coast pass by from quite far offshore as once we left Start Point the next waymark was Beachy Head. It's always good to pass headlands especially ones you hear on the Met Office Shipping Forecast.
2000 hrs. Off Start Point
04/08/2021
During the first night we were visited by dolphins, shadows moving beside the hull. When they broached to breath their bodies could be seen in the glow of the navigation lights. Red on port green on starboard.
Sailing by Night. Credit Alex Bowling
0500 hrs. Portland Light on the port beam. 5 NM offshore.
1410 hrs. St Catherine's Point on the port beam. 3.3 NM offshore.
05/08/2021
0100 hrs. Beach Head
Passing the Straits of Dover we kept well out to sea to avoid the ferries. What struck me was the number of immigrants entering the UK in small craft. Dover Coastguard were busy with the number of pickups as boats were spotted in the straight and reported by merchant vessels. As we headed up to Ramsgate Border Force could be seen in JetSkis patrolling the beaches.
The Skipper and the White Cliffs of Dover. Credit Alex Bowling
Remembering that the 'Reeds' had given strict instructions that Ramsgate Port Control should be contacted prior to entry we called them up on the radio, am I pleased that I fitted the remote radio in the cockpit as it takes all the stress out of using the radio, from the helm either I or a crew member can use the radio and hear the maritime safety broadcasts every four hours.
The entrance to Ramsgate was simple and we quickly found a berth and tied up. The first leg of the adventure was complete.
Entering Ramsgate. Credit Alex Bowling
This was a passage with a lot of firsts. First passage over 200 nautical miles passage over 48 hours.
Crew: Sandy Garrity and Alex Bowling
Trip Stats: Distance: 248 nm, Average speed: 5.00 knots, Maximum speed: 8.00 knots, Under way: 50h 52m
Sunrise: 0452 hrs Sunset: 1951 hrs
Weather: Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore 01:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 5 Aug 2021 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 6 Aug 2021
North Foreland to Selsey Bill
24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly 3 to 5, then veering southwesterly later. Smooth, becoming slight or moderate. Showers later. Mainly good.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time. Moderate, occasionally slight at first in east, then occasionally rough for a time. Showers, perhaps thundery until later. Good, occasionally moderate.
