Eastbourne to Dover and it’s nearly all over
51:07.064N 1:18.607E
17th July 2015
12,742 Miles Since leaving Ramsgate by log.
Days run 45 miles
Two nights
in Eastbourne and Spectra is beginning to look
more like her old self again. We broke out the stainless steel cleaner, nasty
acidy stuff that it is, and have managed to remove most of the rust spots that
the Atlantic salt scrapped into my rails and fittings. Likewise Adam in a mad
moment of altruism volunteered to give the rails a going over with the varnish
brush while Norma and myself went shopping. Just a quick scrub down and one
coat of cheap varnish but the old girl looks 100% better already. So with the
insides all cleaned and tidied our flags all sewn and the decks scrubbed we are
now ready for Ramsgate on Saturday at about 2pm.
The trip up
to Dover started at 8am as we locked out of Eastbourne and caught the North East going tide which
whisked us along the coast in grand style. We soon passed three Dutch boats
going the same way so it was a bit of a red letter day for Spectra. After a
somewhat boisterous sail we arrived in Dover
after covering 45 miles in 5 ¾ hours of glorious downwind sailing.
As we travelled along this part
of the country I know so well I couldn’t help humming a tune that Andrew
Walkling sent through to me last week. It kind of sums up how Norma and I are
both feeling at the moment so here goes, an extract from the song book of Mr Andy
William’s, Home Loving’ Man…..
The harbour lights were shining,
The moon was at its high.
The captain said, "Thank God we're home!
We've drunk the barrels dry."
The mizzen mast was shaken,
And the lanterns all burned low,
I'd never thought we'd make it
But we've twenty leagues to go
So blow you southern trades
And guide me safely to the shore,
The crowd upon the quayside
Their faces long and drawn
Are suddenly awakened
As we sail in on the dawn
The wives, the sons, the lovers,
Who never gave up hope
All breathe a sigh together
As they reach to catch the rope
This afternoon Andrew B-H popped down to meet us when we came so after a few beers we are back in the fold. Tomorrow I think we have eleven aboard for the final trip up to Ramsgate which is all of the crew that have helped us on the various stages of our journey except for my son Tony. He is meeting us in Ramsgate for the final run up to the Yacht club bar so everyone will be there and all in the team T shirts I hope, see you all in the bar later. That’s it for this one I think, there will be two more
blogs, one to let you know how the Ramsgate return party went, and then a final
one to sum it all up and to say goodbye to you all. So not to much reading left
for you blogateers to get through, keep at it you can go out to play after you
have finished your homework...
