Across the Thames
Beowulf
Tom Fenton and Faith Ressmeyer
Sun 27 May 2012 21:54
A perfect day for crossing the Thames estuary. Glorious sunshine throughout. Wind NE f3. As we sashayed down the East and West Swins, genoa poled out and gybe preventer rigged, we met Edme, Andy Harman's beautiful sailing barge, driving ahead against wind and tide. At 1310 a familiar voice on the VHF, loud and clear, "Thames Coastguard, Tambaroo, Tambaroo, over". "Bangalore this is Thames Coastguard. Go channel 67 please. Over" "Bangalore, this is Thames Coastguard, over.... Bangalore, Thames Coastguard, over." "Thames Coastguard, it isn't Bangalore, it's Tambaroo." "Thank you Kangaroo. What can we do for you." At that point our friend Ray Hall gave up trying and carried on with his message. Thank you for lending us your liferaft, Ray. You have a powerful VHF.
We had made good speed in the morning and crossed to The Kentish flats sooner than we expected, but the wind died as we reached the Gore Channel, and shifted East, on the nose. We motored for a couple of tedious hours.
We were berthed at Ramsgate by 2100. Fog tomorrow, so unlikely to move.