END OF VOYAGE BENFLEET CREEK

LOG BENFLEET OCT 09
WE SAILED OUT OF CAMERET INTO THICK FOG AGAIN AND GROPPED OUR WAY THROUGH THE CHANNEL DU’FOUR AND INTO ABER-WRAC’H. AS THE NORTH EAST WIND WAS FORCAST TO REMAIN FOR THE NEXT WEEK WE OPTED TO SAIL UP THE RIVER TO PLUDEN AND MOOR ON THE VISITERS MOORINGS, BUT WHEN WE ARRIVED THERE WE FOUNED THAT THEY HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR THE WINTER, SO, WITH A LOCAL SHOUTING FROM THE WHARF“,NON NON “WE ANCHORED AND SPENT THE NEXT 10 DAYS SHELTERING FROM THE CONSTANT N.E GALES.
FINALY WE SET SAIL FOR GURNSEY ON THE 19TH SEPTEMBER AND HAD A GOOD OVERNIGHT PASSAGE, ANCHORING IN HAVELET BAY IN THE EARLY MORNING. THE NEXT DAY WE HAD A QUICK PASSAGE TO THE ISLAND OF ALDERNEY,AND ALTHOUGH OUR FAVORITE CHANNEL ISLAND WE FOUND THE ANCHORAGE VERY ROLLY SO THE NEXT DAY WE SAILED ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO THE NEDDLES TO ANCHOR BEHIND HURST CASTLE FOR THE NIGHT. THE WEATHER BEING GREAT, WE DECIDED TO MOTOR UP TO LYMINGTON TO VISIT OLD FRIENDS JUST AS I WAS APPROACHING THE CAR FERRY DOCK THE FERRY” LET GO”AND GAVE ME A BLAST,HAVING NOWHERE TO GO I HELD MY COURSE AND GAVE HIM THE AGINCORT SALUTE! TO THE GREAT AMUSEMENT OF HIS PASSENGERS.
WE HAD BEEN PUT OFF LYMINGTON YEARS AGO BY SOMEONE SAYING, “IT’S FAR TO POSH FOR YOU UP THERE! BUT WE FOUND IT A DELIGHTFUL PLACE WITH VERY HELPFUL HARBOUR STAFF AND SHALL CERTAINLY VISIT AGAIN. AFTER A FEW DAYS WE SAILED TO CHICHESTER ANCHORING AT EAST HEAD FOR THE NIGHT. WE SAILED ON TH 28TH SEP FOR DOVER, BUT AS THE WEATHER WAS SO GOOD WE ANCHORED OFF EASTBORNE PIER FOR THE NIGHT AND ARRIVING TO SAIL INTO DOVER HARBOUR THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON ANCHORING IN THE OUTER HARBOUR
ALTHOUGH OUT OF OUR WAY WE RE CROSSED THE CHANNEL TO FRANCE, FIRST CALAIS THEN UP THE COAST TO GRAVELINES TO REPLENISH THE BOOZE LOCKER FROM THE WELL SITUATED (AND CHEAP) LIDEL SUPERMARKET ALSO VISITING OUR OLD FRIEND THE HARBOURMASTER THERE BEFORE SAILING BACK ACROSS TO THE THAMES ESTUARY WHERE WE RAN AGROUND IN THE GORE CHANNEL EVENTUALY GETTING OFF 3 HOURS LATER, WE MOTORED UP TO ANCHOR AT HARTY FERRY AND AROUND THE BACK OF THE ISLE OF SHEPPY TO QUEENBROUGH THE NEXT DAY.
SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER WE HAD A CRACKING SAIL ACROSS THE THAMES ANCHORING IN THE RAY GUT AT 1200 WE DRESSED BARBAROSSA OVERALL FOR OUR RETURN TO OUR HOMEPORT OF BENFLEET CREEK, MOTORING UP THE CREEK ON THE AFTERNOON TIDE TO THE DAUNTLESS BOATYARD TO A WONDERFUL WELCOME OF FIREWORKS AND HOOTERS FROM ALL OUR FRIENDS AND RELITIVES THAT HAD GATHERED ON THE QUAY. WHEN WE HAD MADE FAST WE BROKE OPEN THE CHAMPANE AND CELEBRATED OUR SUCESSFUL VOYAGE OF 4 YEARS 3 MONTHS AND 1800 MILES. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE FOLLOWED US ON THIS VOYAGE.FROM ROB $ SUE