Tuesday 9th October.
Lovely Day.
I left Ramsgate later than usual at 09.20 in order to be on a rising tide when we cross the sand bank just North of Fishermans Gat.
The tides are neaps now but I wanted as much water as possible.
Sunny with force 4 from NE was great - all sail up plus engine gave us 7 knots past all the wind farms.
I was contacted by guard vessel Marianne - no problem he just wanted to know if I was using Fishermans Gat.
We crossed the sandbank with 2.5 metres under the keel - spot on.
Nigel met me in the Whitaker channel and we sailed then motored to North Fambridge - lovely day.
That completes this trip - three months - 550 miles - enjoyed all of it.
Wednesday was spent cleaning and tidying Blazer - ready for a visit in three weeks time with my new friend - Jackie.
Now you see why Blazer is back in Fambridge.
Thanks to all who have followed me through this trip.
Mike.
Thursday 11 October 2012
Monday 8 October 2012
Calm weather at last.
Monday 8th October.
Eastbourne to Ramsgate.
Up at 04.00 yesterday off at 05.30 - locked out into a pitch dark and cold night.
Little or no wind so motored and saw a lovely sun rise - wonderful.
I took a route about 5 miles off shore to minimise the headland effect but keeping well outside the South going shipping lane in the Channel.
The wind picked up - almost on the nose but I put all sail up and it helped a bit.
The head sail started flogging so away it went - not another boat anywhere to be seen - or so I thought.
Ahead - I saw a Navy type boat approaching head on - I steered 10 degrees to starboard - so did he!
He approached at a good speed - went down my port side 2 cables off and did a sharp U turn behind me.
He took up station about 4 cables behind followed me.
Then he came forward and took station on my port side - very close - then a crew member held up a sign -
VHF CHANNEL 06
I used my hand held and made contact - This Vigilant - where are you heading for ( Ramsgate )
Where have you come from ( Eastbourne ) - And before that ( Alderney ) - STAND BY.
I continued under mainsail and engine at about 6 knots with the tiller pilot steering.
5 minutes later a black rib shot out from behind Vigilant with 3 crew all dressed in black with black crash helmets on.
They pulled alongside and asked permission to come aboard - I didn't argue - they had guns!!
One asked if he could search Blazer - no problem.
The other explained that they were the border protection agency looking for illegal immigrants and smuggling - drugs and Alcohol etc.
He made a thorough search then radioed in - all OK and the other guy took three pages of notes about my summer trip and studied my passport and ships registration.
Then they left - WOW!!
I didn't mind - they have a job to do.
The wind died and it was routine motoring against a bit of tide until about 13.30 when it turned in our favour.
About 12.00 a Dutch yacht came the other way - close by - with two dolphins playing in their bow wave - Amazing to see - WOW.
We negotiated Dover and it's numerous ferries without any bother then on to the Gull channel to Ramsgate
We were tucked up in Ramsgate at 18.00 12.5 hours - 65 miles - not bad.
Fish and chips and crashed out again.
One more leg on Tuesday - over the Thames Estuary to the Crouch and North Fambridge.
Mike.
Eastbourne to Ramsgate.
Up at 04.00 yesterday off at 05.30 - locked out into a pitch dark and cold night.
Little or no wind so motored and saw a lovely sun rise - wonderful.
I took a route about 5 miles off shore to minimise the headland effect but keeping well outside the South going shipping lane in the Channel.
The wind picked up - almost on the nose but I put all sail up and it helped a bit.
The head sail started flogging so away it went - not another boat anywhere to be seen - or so I thought.
Ahead - I saw a Navy type boat approaching head on - I steered 10 degrees to starboard - so did he!
He approached at a good speed - went down my port side 2 cables off and did a sharp U turn behind me.
He took up station about 4 cables behind followed me.
Then he came forward and took station on my port side - very close - then a crew member held up a sign -
VHF CHANNEL 06
I used my hand held and made contact - This Vigilant - where are you heading for ( Ramsgate )
Where have you come from ( Eastbourne ) - And before that ( Alderney ) - STAND BY.
I continued under mainsail and engine at about 6 knots with the tiller pilot steering.
5 minutes later a black rib shot out from behind Vigilant with 3 crew all dressed in black with black crash helmets on.
They pulled alongside and asked permission to come aboard - I didn't argue - they had guns!!
One asked if he could search Blazer - no problem.
The other explained that they were the border protection agency looking for illegal immigrants and smuggling - drugs and Alcohol etc.
He made a thorough search then radioed in - all OK and the other guy took three pages of notes about my summer trip and studied my passport and ships registration.
Then they left - WOW!!
I didn't mind - they have a job to do.
The wind died and it was routine motoring against a bit of tide until about 13.30 when it turned in our favour.
About 12.00 a Dutch yacht came the other way - close by - with two dolphins playing in their bow wave - Amazing to see - WOW.
We negotiated Dover and it's numerous ferries without any bother then on to the Gull channel to Ramsgate
We were tucked up in Ramsgate at 18.00 12.5 hours - 65 miles - not bad.
Fish and chips and crashed out again.
One more leg on Tuesday - over the Thames Estuary to the Crouch and North Fambridge.
Mike.
Saturday 6 October 2012
Still in Eastbourne.
Saturday 6th October.
The plan, made yesterday, was to leave today for Ramsgate - all set - route in the plotter - 65 miles -
13 hours - a bit windy and rain showers.
Fuelled up - engine checks done - tried to fix no.1 tiller pilot - no good - circuit board damaged - general maintenance - sorted.
I double checked the weather last night - Northerly gusts to 28 mph - that means wind against tide - no thanks - Wednesday was bad enough.
Another night here then - the weather looks better for Sunday and next week.
I walked the three miles into Eastbourne town centre last night - in the drizzle - OK - lots of big hotels.
A cab ride back and early night.
So it might be just two legs back to North Fambridge and with luck we will be there maybe on Tuesday.
Mike.
Thursday 4 October 2012
Yarmouth to Eastbourne
Windy Days.
We stayed in Yarmouth for two nights to rest and restock the galley.
Yarmouth is only small but I had a nice wander around - shame the only seafood shops were closed on Monday.
I toyed with the idea of leaving Blazer here for a month because they offered me a great deal £90!!
In the end I decided to press on to Chichester on Tuesday.
My plotter gave the best time to leave - 08.00 - so we left.
I was all set up to use springs to leave the berth due being hemmed in back and front - never used them on my own before.
In the event the wind died - I pushed the bow out and it stayed out - just motored off - good.
The tide carried us ( plus engine) to Portsmouth then foresail only - no engine - sailed to the West Pole beacon marking the entrance to Chichester Harbour - cracking!!
I anchored in 4 metres in the shelter, from the 30 knot wind , behind the sand dunes and when the anchor bit I gave the engine full astern - solid as a rock!
I cooked chicken with new potatoes and green beans - lovely.
Planning for the trip on to Eastbourne looked dodgy with high winds for Wednesday but the winds were highest in the afternoon and there was nothing above 25 knots - we went for it.
Chichester to Eastbourne.
Up at 04.00 off at 05.00 - pitch dark but the channel to the entrance has buoys that are lit plus the plotter.
Now I new we were in trouble as soon as we motored out over the bar in the last of the ebb tide - we were crashing through bigish waves then - OK it was wind over a bit of tide but it should have warned me.
We had the headlands of Selsey Bill and Beachy Head to deal with and Tom Cunliffe said in the channel pilot stay well off Selsey bill in windy weather so I did ( Selsey bill claimed Edward Heath's boat - Morning Cloud)
The wind was stronger than my phone forecast with gusts up to 29 knots but it was the waves - HUGE.
They were more like swells - not so steep as the ones in the Needles channel and Blazer seemed to cope even with tiller pilot steering but then about 3/4 of the way there a rogue wave from a different direction hit us broadside - WALLOP!!
It must have hit the rudder hard because the tiller pilot packed up - we were knocked well over - stuff all over the place in the cockpit then I looked below!!
Shelves emptied cupboards emptied - all on the floor - no time to worry about that lot - I grabbed the spare tiller pilot, plugged it in and we were off again.
The waves were never ending - so tiring - having to move with the movement of Blazer.
Eventually we turned the corner round Beachy Head and headed for the entrance channel into Eastbourne.
I called the marina and a very calm and welcome voice said that marina staff would help me to a berth - wonderful.
All tied up by 15.00 - asleep by 16.30!!
What a day - cream crackered again!!!
Three nights rest here - the winds for Friday are 50 knots! but for the weekend are light - Nigel might be able to join me for the last three legs back to North Fambridge where an annual berth waits for Blazer - She will like that.
Overall, this trip will show that the Channel islands are doable in two weeks without killing yourself.
So we can pick up the trip in the future and carry on - Nice Thought.
Planning now for the next leg - maybe Dover?
Mike
Monday 1 October 2012
Rough Seas.
A close shave.
Sunday 30th September.
Planning for this trip gave winds for today at 15 to 20 knots in the morning and 15 to 30 knots in the afternoon. I know 30 knots is a lot - force 7 - but with is being SW it would be friendly - so I thought.
A 05.30 start - not good - a soon as I dropped the mooring rope and motored in the dark into the middle of the harbour I saw that the plotter screen was frozen.
This first part of the navigation is crucial - between rocks on either side of the fairway out to sea.
I reverted to plan B and used the leading lights to line up the track out to sea - then the plotter started to work a bit to confirm we were ok.
Once about half a mile out, I put the tiller pilot on - went below and rebooted the PC - success!!
The rest of the morning was wonderful - warm - light wind - smooth passage through both shipping lanes.
Then at half way the wind slowly picked up - I was motor sailing with full genoa and making 7 knots over the ground.
Then the waves that were overtaking me from behind started to build - 2 metres - then 3 metres.
By the time we were 8 miles off the Needles they were 4 metres!
We were tending to start broaching a bit so I put away the sail - put the engine to full.
The wind picked up to 28 to 30 knots and the tiller pilot could not cope - I hand steered.
Blazer rode the big waves as they came from behind but when on top the rudder lost it's grip and we turned sharply and slid down the back at an angle with full opposite rudder!
She sorted herself out - lined up again and same again.
As she slipped down the back of the wave she went over to an alarming angle and it took a lot to hold on and steer.
Then it got much worse - as we approached the Needles the seas built to about 5 metres and I could barely hang on! - On one broach I flew from the port coaming across the cockpit and thought - this is going to hurt.
But somehow\the deck came up to meet me and I was shaken but not hurt!!
It took every ounce of strength and skill to pass the buoys that show the Needles channel and then slowly it calmed down for the run up to Yarmouth.
In to Yarmouth at 18.00 - 12.5 hours! - Shattered.
After a good sleep and plenty of good food I'm now OK.
It looks like we might be here for a while because the wind is even stronger for the rest of this week.
We will plan more carefully this time.
Mike.
Sunday 30th September.
Planning for this trip gave winds for today at 15 to 20 knots in the morning and 15 to 30 knots in the afternoon. I know 30 knots is a lot - force 7 - but with is being SW it would be friendly - so I thought.
A 05.30 start - not good - a soon as I dropped the mooring rope and motored in the dark into the middle of the harbour I saw that the plotter screen was frozen.
This first part of the navigation is crucial - between rocks on either side of the fairway out to sea.
I reverted to plan B and used the leading lights to line up the track out to sea - then the plotter started to work a bit to confirm we were ok.
Once about half a mile out, I put the tiller pilot on - went below and rebooted the PC - success!!
The rest of the morning was wonderful - warm - light wind - smooth passage through both shipping lanes.
Then at half way the wind slowly picked up - I was motor sailing with full genoa and making 7 knots over the ground.
Then the waves that were overtaking me from behind started to build - 2 metres - then 3 metres.
By the time we were 8 miles off the Needles they were 4 metres!
We were tending to start broaching a bit so I put away the sail - put the engine to full.
The wind picked up to 28 to 30 knots and the tiller pilot could not cope - I hand steered.
Blazer rode the big waves as they came from behind but when on top the rudder lost it's grip and we turned sharply and slid down the back at an angle with full opposite rudder!
She sorted herself out - lined up again and same again.
As she slipped down the back of the wave she went over to an alarming angle and it took a lot to hold on and steer.
Then it got much worse - as we approached the Needles the seas built to about 5 metres and I could barely hang on! - On one broach I flew from the port coaming across the cockpit and thought - this is going to hurt.
But somehow\the deck came up to meet me and I was shaken but not hurt!!
It took every ounce of strength and skill to pass the buoys that show the Needles channel and then slowly it calmed down for the run up to Yarmouth.
In to Yarmouth at 18.00 - 12.5 hours! - Shattered.
After a good sleep and plenty of good food I'm now OK.
It looks like we might be here for a while because the wind is even stronger for the rest of this week.
We will plan more carefully this time.
Mike.
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