Last Post Harwich N51 57 E1 17
Gryphon II
Chris and Lorraine Marchant
Fri 24 Oct 2008 19:49
|
We have now arrived back o the East Coast so this
will be my last diary entry until we begin again in the spring. We had a good
sail back from the South Coast stopping at Eastbourne to dodge a gale and again
at Ramsgate. Unlike our progress westwards we have had some excellent sails with
no beating ...and often doing 7 knots with another 1 or 2 from the tide. We had
the quickest crossing of the Thames estuary that I have ever experienced dodging
the sandbanks. At one point we thought we were being chased by a customs launch
...but it turned out to be a fisheries protection vessel. Sadly we have failed
to catch a single fish whilst away, so we, and they, need not have
worried. I blame the high boatspeeds we have been achieving, The fish have
not been able to keep up!
Currently we are lying on the public quay at
Harwich which at his time of year has the advantage of being available and free!
I have never stopped here before and we were both impressed by the old town, but
saddened by all the closed down shops, It still seems to have an exceptional
number of pubs and still a lot of historical interest inclding many beautiful
old buildings. These include the oldest "picture palace" in the country which we
might have visited if it had had a better film on. In our enforced stay in
Eastbourne we went to a very up-to-date cinema and saw "Burn after
Reading"...wll recommended to anyone who has not seen it.
Here's to the New Year!
Chris and Lorraine
|