Well, having written my previous post to help test the blog and with all good intentions of keeping the blog updated for the trip, it didn’t happen, the blog that is. A month later and the blogs are now live, I thought I had better finish my blog of the trip.
After a day sitting on the boat trying to find small jobs and trying to get in to a book that has been on the boat for some time. Later on Monday the wind and rain eased a bit and as the tide was returning to the Creek the other two boats appeared around the corner from Halstow Creek.
It was decided that as I already had my anchor and 35m of chain out and the wind was reducing they would raft up alongside.
A short discussion and a settled forecast for the rest of the week, we were heading for Gravelines, leaving at 05.00 in the morning…..
After a disturbed sleep the night before and a couple of drinks I slept like a log. The 04.30 alarm woke me with a start wondering where I was and why was my phone making such a noise.
I soon realised where and why the alarm had gone off and the kettle was on.
05.00 on the dot, Ken and Mike cast off, but I still had 35m of chain to winch in. By the time it was in the other two boats had disappeared up Stangate Creek (I probably should have said down) and their lights had merged with the lights of Thamesport.
I caught the other two up by the time we reached the river. Fortunately no commercial traffic to avoid, so the shortest straight line course out of the river past the bright lights of Sheerness. Sheerness docks, there’s not many bright lights in Sheerness.

Our route took us up the outside of the Medway Channel and daylight started to appear. First thing I noticed was loads of pot markers with black flags. I wonder how many there were when we couldn’t see them.
We continued out under motor as there was now no wind, along the Princess Channel heading for North Foreland, when Mike came on the radio to tell us that he had messed up with his tablets. Mike is a diabetic with it controlled by tablets, but somehow had managed to take Tuesday morning and evenings dose at once. The possible consequence, he could black out. He didn’t want to turn back, but could we keep an eye on him. With the fastest boat I was hanging back a bit, so caught up and kept close for the next couple of hours. All being single handed, I’m not sure what we could have done if he didn’t manage to stop the boat first. However, after a while he was feeling a lot better, so on we went, passing the large colony of seals on Pan Sands, with some surfacing near the boats to have a look at us.

As we approached the NE-SW TSS there was an almost continuous line of ships. Although we were the stand on vessels we decided that with the number of them and the fact we were crossing at the narrowest point, it would be prudent to hold back and make a dash after the first 6 had gone past. The other lane was easy.

We arrived at the entrance to Gravelines, just as the sun was getting close to the horizon and reached the marina with just enough light to see where we were going. With the office closed we found 3 vacant berths and got tied up.


First thing Wednesday morning we were greeted by the lady from the office most concerned that we didn’t have key fobs to get into the facilities.
Mike had been looking at the weather and the settled week had now changed to a forecast of 38-42kts of wind on Friday. Gravelines is tidal, so our departure was governed by the tide. We either had to make a dash for it Thursday morning or hope the wind had died down by Saturday or Sunday. The decision was made to depart Thursday morning and hope we were home before the blow arrived.
We went off to the office to discover that it was now off-peak and we were charged 9.40 Euros a night for each boat. The day was spent walking down to the harbour entrance and then back to the town via the supermarket, with a few beers on route.

As already mentioned Gravelines is tidal and most boats “float” in mud when the tide goes out. By 07.30 Thursday morning we were all afloat and the gate was open, so off we went. Once clear of the canal, up went the sails but the engine was needed to maintain a reasonable cruising speed. About halfway across the breeze came up to about 12 nots so off went the engine and I was starting to run away from the other two who were still motor sailing, so initially one reef, then with the breeze about 18kts, two reefs to stay with them. On a broad reach the boat wanted to get up and go.
The closer we got to the English Coast the darker the sky got. Just off Ramsgate the rain arrived and the wind was up to about 25kts. Rather stupidly, I left putting on my waterproof trousers on until it started raining. The wind got stronger and peaking around 30kts. I was struggling to get my salopetes on when a gust was too much for the autopilot and the boat rounded up heeling quite violently with sea water running inside the spray dodger. I quickly regained control and with the autopilot turned off sat in the rain hand steering the boat. Staying with the other two boats wasn’t really an option, I guess I could have put a third reef in, but left it with two and a tiny bit of Genoa. We were originally planning to cross the estuary via the Princess Channel, but in the conditions, felt that the more sheltered inshore, but shallow in places route would be a bit more comfortable. Within minutes of turning the corner at North Foreland the sea calmed down and the autopilot went back on. Fairly soon the other two rounded the corner. Heading along the North Kent Coast, the SW wind went more Westerly right on the nose. Plodding along inside Margate Sands we reached the Copperas Channel, the narrowest, shallowest section, just at low water. We got across the shallowest section with just under a metre under the keel, a little concerning in the lumpy conditions.
From Copperas it’s pretty much a straight line back to the Medway. The wind had eased a bit and rain had more or less stopped with the odd spot or two now and again. We even saw a bit of sun briefly over Sheppey and then a bit later quite a spectacular sunset.

Approaching the Medway we discussed whether to spend the night at anchor, which could have been a bit dodgy with the forecast gales for Friday or wait for the tide and pick up our moorings? We arrived back in the creek just as the tide had made enough to carry on straight down to the moorings. With the dinghies having quite a lot of water in them, following the days rain and the prospect of a late arrival home, we all stayed on our boats for another night. We awoke on Friday morning to quite a pleasant day, very little wind, where were these gales? The Coastguard MSI broadcast was predicting Severe Gale 9 later. We packed up our boats bailed out the dinghies and got ashore in very calm conditions. Just as I was leaving the club the rain started and by the time I had got home the wind was starting to blow. Sitting at home that evening listening to the wind howling outside made me glad we got back when we did.
The following Tuesday the boat came out of the water for the winter, so it was good to get a cross channel trip in, so late in the season.