51:19.7N 01:25.3E
Whisper
Noel Dilly
Mon 2 Jul 2012 08:23
|
Here we are in the safety of Ramsgate
Marina. As predicted I received that early morning cup of tea
and by 7:30 we were on our way down the Colne. Unfortunately the
wind, which was predicted to die down during the course of the day, just blew
on. We both were happy to be on our way, but it has been tough day.
The first five minutes after hoisting up the main provoked a couple of those
sailing snags which are inevitable when conditions are not ideal. String
gets everywhere in a blow, our starboard signal halyard decided to untie itself
and sweep behind the mast and creep up the port shroud, flowing merrily along
side the foresail and just ready to wrap itself around anything else that it
could find. I crabbed the boat hook, either I wasn't tall enough or the
boot hook was too short, but either way it fluttered just beyond my reach.
After requesting the skipper to go head to wind to stop the air flow
on which the halyard was riding, it dropped sufficiently for me to
grab it with the boat hook. Then came the fun of only two hands, having to hang
on myself, put the boat hook down safely, whilst still keeping hold of a what
had become a rather short halyard as it it was from the other side of the
mast. I am sure it must have looked very amusing. I was amazed at
how rusty I was when it came to tacking, especially in a blow, but by the
time we reached Colne Bar we were back in the routine. We both got the
inevitable goffer, before we had even left the Colne, neither of us had jackets
on as it was quite mild although the sea was choppy there was no apparent
danger of getting wet. Then it came out of the blue, just the one wave, we
were both soaked.
Jackets and boots on we made our way through the
Wallet Spitway, freed off a little for a splendid sail past Barrow No 3 and
across the Sunk Sand near the Little Sunk Beacon. Flogged up the Black
Deep across the Long Sand via Fishermans Gat and pounded across the
estuary to arrive at Ramsgate at 8:30pm. There is no doubt we will
sleep well tonight! |