The last leg, now the circle is complete
Beowulf
Tom Fenton and Faith Ressmeyer
Tue 4 Nov 2014 21:47
Left Dunkerque at 3.30 local time, arrived Wivenhoe 1930 lt, sliding over the mud to the Wivenhoe Sailing Club pontoon with the first of the flood tide. Our passage up the Colne was lit by the light of a waxing gibbous moon.
The morning we had strong winds and thundery, drenching squalls, but good sailing at 7 knots for extended periods, with two reefs in each sail.
The wind began to die as we crossed the shipping lanes, and we had to motor to speed the crossing. By Foulger's Gat we had to roll in the Genoa, with wind light and on the nose. From then on it was motoring, but in the whole passage we only had to fight the tide for one hour and that was because we had made such good progress beforehand.
A huge thank you to Steve Hart, whose experience, good nature, and seamanship made this passage possible.