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.