Back on the nose

This blog relates to Wed 31 Jul.  The forecast is SSW 4-5 occasionally 6 - that's fine for us to return to Gillingham, might even be able to sail most of the way.  The tide times are such that we leave at 1230, push against the last of the ebb up to N Foreland, then take the flood into the Thames Estuary - that's the Reeds Almanac advice anyway.

beach huts at Broadstairs

After a morning of engine checks and various jobs around the boat we set off with a pretty brisk wind already.  With just 2/3 of the genoa up we roared along in 24-28kn of wind - F6+.  Our genoa looks awful because when we furled it in the gale coming in 2 days ago, the UV protection strip shredded into tatters - it had done it's job, over unknown years, and now gave up the ghost.

North Foreland

Once again we eschewed the coastal or 'overground' route via Copperas because we'd be there at low tide and with this much wind it's too risky to do a narrow shallow channel for the first time - we'll keep it for a calmer day.  

So it was further north and then a port turn, back down the Queens Channel, and we have learned about how deceptive the wind strength is when running before compared to beating into it; we furled the foresail and hoisted a 2-reefed main, and then set off down Queens in a WSW direction.  Guess what, the wind is not SSW, but more like SW to WSW - yep, on the nose.  

We didn't fancy short-tacking all the way back, so it was more motor-sailing - just like old times (see May & Jun).  The wind and seas gradually calmed down a little as we closed with the land along the Isle of Sheppey and into the Medway, where the foul tide against us started an hour earlier than the predicted HW.  We arrived home into Gillingham Marina at 2130 - a 9 hour trip back, compared to the 7 hour trip out.