I had decided to take a couple of days off work deliver Caressa to Cowes for the British Classic Yacht Club Regatta. I had to twist Jonjos arm to join me because he was extremely busy working on Hampshire Maid for her film debut in August. Jonjos girl friend Ali had just returned from the Caribbean so she was press-ganged too. Last but not least was member Brian Gascoigne.
On Friday morning with a fresh North Easterly, we pushed off around 0800, hoping to make low water at Harwich ready for the ride south on the flood.
Sail set with the no.2 Genoa and one reef in the main we pushed out of Harwich harbour and headed up the shipping channel to find our route around the swatchways and across the Thames Estuary. After about an hour or so, I gave the crew the option to abandon the trip and turn back to Pin Mill. The wind had freshened up considerably and was approaching a force 6 with 7s in the offing. The consensus was that we were enjoying the sail and that should things deteriorate further we would call into Ramsgate. Decision made, we put in another reef and continued running with the wind over increasingly lumpy waves.
By 1900 the wind had increased to a force 7/8 and the sea state was rough. With the main deep reefed, a smidgen of Genoa showing we were surfing over the crests of the waves which now were close together and high enough to give an interesting ride at 8 knots We kept on a run and set a course for Ramsgate, hoping we would make it with some daylight in hand and enough water in the harbour to get Caressa in.
We sailed into the shipping channel in Ramsgate and made a beeline for the entrance. Harbour control had given us permission to enter and we were looking forward to our safe haven when, our permission was withdrawn due to an approaching passenger ferry. Some half a mile off, it took nearly ten minutes to make to the harbour as we were thrown around in the surf. I was a little unhappy about this as we turned and followed the ferry into the harbour. By this time it was 21.15 and the daylight had all but gone. Low water in Ramsgate was 21.30 and I could see that that there was very little water to the marina entrance. Our first attempt to get in put Caressa in the soft mud next to the West Pier. We pulled ourselves out and had another go on a slightly different line, pointing up more toward the East Pier and straight for the sandy beach around its base. We slid through with about 6 under the keel into the inner marina. The wind, crossing east to west across the harbour, was blowing with as much force inside as it was out. We found a pontoon birth to the west side that would be reasonably protected but would require us berthing beam on to the wind. We all agreed that this was going to be difficult. Passing up the narrow water between the pontoons, Caressa was gripped by the wind on her beam and was pushed with some ferocity away from the pontoon. This took us slightly up water and again into the soft mud. We came to a gentle halt as I helmed Caressa safely against a berthed Beneteau, fenders ready, no problem. Within five minutes we had got the attention of several of the inhabitants of the harbour, Dutch, German all ready and willing to lend a hand. We negotiated Caressa off the mud and back into the mooring with lines taken from her bow and stern. It was textbook stuff and very impressive. We set springs and doubled all her lines as she lent on the pontoon, the wind caught on her beam, pressing her down.
The next day, bright sunshine, the wind had only lessened slightly. We made a passage plan leaving at 1500 to give us maximum tide and, plenty of daylight to sail in. We could see that beyond the harbour wall there was a considerable swell over the shallows but beyond that the sea state looked better. We cast off, made our exit, roller coasted through the first half mile and then got ourselves on to a broad reach pointing towards Dungeness. As night came on we were in slight water with a good northerly force five steaming along at 8 knots. The stars were out and the evening was warm and dry. This was sailing at its best, a crew bedded in with a decent plan and all in order. Through the evening we gradually shook out all the reefs and by midday on the Saturday we had changed the Genoa for the No.1. Cowes was around the corner, round one was almost over. |
