It was emotional leaving Gillingham. The marina is a very special environment – insulated from real life by the security barrier is a tranquil oasis. It has its oddities but you can live with them once you understand them. The staff are fabulous and the whole site feels cared for; it has become home from home.
Day 1: 32 miles sailed. We are moored at Harty Ferry, tucked behind the Isle of Sheppey (which is about as close as you would want to get to it), en route to Ramsgate. Ramsgate is do-able in a long day but with a late start favourable due to the tide, and strong winds forecast, we figured that a gentle start would be good.
Not really that gentle when it came to it. A steady 28-33kt northerly all day – Force 7. There are 2 reefing lines available to pull the end of a smaller sail down to the boom. Every year we mess up rigging them in one way or another and this was no exception: instead of rigging reef 1 and 2, we accidentally rigged reef 2 and 3. Fortuitous as it turned out: we have had 2 reefs in all day and that was quite enough sail. Had the conditions become any stronger would have been looking at reef 3, which would have been a first for us. As it was we had an exciting but rather wet beat to windward to get clear of the Medway and then were blown up the Swale at 6kn under a double reefed jib and no main.
So quite a test for our first day out! So far, so good. The rigging looks OK, Alex’s new engine temperature gauge works, the diesel cabin heater started (always a worry) so we can dry out and warm up. Just as we arrived the sun came out and we have been treated to a fine sunset and a dozen seals sitting on the mud. If we thought sailing round the UK would be tough, the chap on the mooring next to us seems to be doing a round Britain row. Unlike us, he has got his live position working on his website!
Alex is looking at the plan for the rest of the way to Ramsgate tomorrow and is trying to convince me there is no benefit in starting early…
Ventata 