Small Boat to Chichester - Day 12

Today was always going to be a short hop to Ramsgate given that we were moored in the semi-tidal Granville Dock. The gates close about 2 hours after high water and don't open again until 3 hours before the next high tide

Today, that meant well nigh midday before we could leave unless we made yet another very early start and the forecast didn't fill us with any great enthusiasm for a long day anyway.

Port Control offered us the use of the Eastern entrance given that we were heading that way along the coast which was handy although we had to circle around just inside the entrance whilst a ferry went out.

Control called us up and told us to follow him out at our best speed and then immediately clear three channel to the North. As we came out through the pier heads we could see why, there was an inbound ferry bearing down on us at a rate of knots! We did not, as you may well imagine, hang about!

Once out of the way, we got the sails up and the engine off. The rain was a pain (see what I did there? Good eh?) but the breeze suited well enough and we made good time.

I'd deliberately planned an inshore route to give us a view of the coast - when we came down this way last week we were well out and three vis was poor so we didn't see much at all

As we made our way across Pegwell Bay, the wind headed us and we had to put a couple odd tacks in to clear the shoals. By now is was getting a bit brisk out there so a reef went in on the genoa to calm things down.

This being the first time we've reefed down the new sail, I was delighted to find that with the foam luff it sets very well. Money well spent.

Had we not been so close to Ramsgate, we'd have been looking at reefing the main too but we would be dropping it before long so we eased the kicker and the sheet too take the sting out of it and luffed if necessary to keep her on her feet

Soon enough, we were off the Southern breakwater of the port and on went the engine and away went the sails. Twenty minutes later we were alongside and putting the kettle on

It had been a chilly, wet and rather tricky but quite satisfying day although nobody was complaining that it was also mercifully short!

Dinner on board was followed by a swift pint and a planning session. The weather for the next few days isn't great and whilst we'd like to take two days overt the run back home it may be a case of get the hammer down and get back tomorrow.