51:19.69N 01:25.24E Wednesday – the plan is to leave Dover at 1300 and make our way up to Ramsgate.  We cast off, back out of our berth and find we have no forward propulsion.  Gordon manages to put the engine into neutral but then has neither forward nor astern motion.  Luckily there’s little wind in the marina and we manage to drift into a vacant berth.  Something was obviously stuck (my verdict) but, after a bit of revving, also manages to unstick itself and we set off once more.  Out in the harbour awaiting instructions from Port Control we notice we have no GPS, the chart plotter is showing the chart and the route but no boat position.  Earlier in the day I was fiddling with the plotter, trying to put the time from French time back to BST without resorting to the instruction book so I have to assume I’ve meddled.  So, it’s back into the marina again and time to accept we’re not meant to leave Dover just yet.  After lunch it’s out with the instruction book to get both time and boat position fully functioning again.

Thursday – it’s another beautiful day and we leave Dover smoothly, following the Pride of Kent out through the eastern entrance.  I have so much admiration for the people in Port Control.  It’s really busy with one ferry leaving, 2 more ferries waiting to come in as well as a dozen or so small craft waiting to go in or out, one of which has lost the use of their engine through something round the prop, and yet the man in charge directs us all so calmly and patiently, having as much time for the small boats as the large ferries.  As directed we exit the harbour entrance with all speed and clear north, making way for the next ferry already bearing down on the entrance.  It’s a slight sea with increasing wind on the nose so it’s a motor sail all the way with a reefed mainsail, but we’re just happy to be on the move again and the tide is with us – 18 miles up past the Goodwin Sands and then join the yacht track into Ramsgate.  We spent 10 days here when we were going round GB so it feels quite odd yet familiar to be back.  The photos show the Pride of Kent making her exit ahead of us and the white cliffs of you know where.