50’36.6N 000’04.1W course 080′ speed 6,2kn
For those who have been following our progress, you must have been confused for a few hours now. But due to a near Gale warning with gusts from the North, issued by the French Met office in the early morning hours of Firday, we have had to change our plan. While underway to the narrowest bit of the Channel, the Dover strait, we received an All Stations call with new meteorological warning. Our Grib file said 20 knots, gusting 24 to 26. But the Met office said, force 7 gusting. That was a little bit more then we had bargained for. Also the time of this warning was for last night, exactly the time I had calculated we needed to catch the tide going North.. Wind against tide and a whole North Sea ending in that narrow part, we thought it best, to show good seamanship and head for a windward coast.
Picture this early morning, the white cliffs of the English coast
And so we did. We spend all day getting there, but now we are at the British side of the Channel, somewhat more sheltered from wind and waves. This afternoon we may take an anchorage, just to wait out the weather. Or we keep her going slowly and take the next tide up. Winds are strong and the taste we got from the seastate this afternoon showed we were right not to try and get North.
It was sad to break off such an amazing sail. The wind was still North West in the morning and we were doing 7 knots. So when we decided it was time to turn North, it was sad to have to take down the mainsail and motor sail against wind and waves to get there.
Picture this morning………
But we’ll make the most of our time, maybe even watch some of the last episodes of Terror, which we started on Saint Helena.
Picture of yesterday, what a difference a day makes…….
It s all ready getting light outside. Time for a warm cup of tea. This springtime weather is just very cold!
All is well on board, jet
