Hi Katie-Ellen and all KTLN readers.

Sorry for the delay in updating the blog but it is hard to find an internet cafe in the middle of the North Sea and English Channel.

The first hour or so at sea, last Saturday, had caused Andrew and I to feel a little nauseous, but thankfully no actual sea sickness.  We soon got our sea legs and the first part of our great big adventure had started.

The planned route to The Solent, via Ramsgate:

Google Maps copyright acknowledged.

Biesbosh estuary - 15th May

We left Drimmelen at 10 am, sailing up the Biesbosh Estuary towards the coastal port of Stellendam. 

Andrew on Intention in Stellendam lock

After negotiating three bridges, which had to be raised to allow our 36ft mast to pass, we arrived at 18.00 that night.

The lighthouse, seen as we approched Stellendam lock, leading out into the North Sea. [Editor: note how white it is.]

The weather forecast was predicting high Force 6 winds in the Channel, so we berthed up and got a good night’s sleep.  With the winds lightning, the next afternoon we set sail for Ramsgate, sailing overnight and arriving about 8.30 the next morning, where we got some much needed sleep. 

Nearing Ramsgate after crossing the channel overnight from Holland.

For lunch, as planned, we eat cod and chips with mushy peas, all washed down with a pint of Ramsgate’s best bitter.

We re-fuelled the boat and visited Sainsbury’s to stock up on pot noodles and Jaffa cakes, and then set off again in the evening with a blue sky above, and our first real sight of the sun since we had arrived two weeks earlier in Holland.

Beachy Head and light house passed as we made our way down the Channel.

We sailed down the south coast of England for the marina at Port Hamble on the Solent, an overnight sail of 32 hours, during which we had a delay as we picked up an old bag. (Read on and all will become clear).

The thought of sailing at night, which had kept me awake a fair few nights, I must admit had seemed more daunting that it actually turned out to be, as the large ships and trawlers we passed on our passage across the Channel were all well lit, and had two white lights on their masts and port and starboard lights for identification.

But the wind farm, which is currently under construction just off the coast at Ramsgate did frighten us, as the wind generator towers were not shown on any of our plotter or paper charts. 

We watched at what appeared from about a mile off, to be a large ship lying across our bow, but then they suddenly appeared out of the dark, like ghostly statues with only 4 warning lights on their starboard side showing their position.

Wind farm at sunrise.

As the sun came up on our stern we saw the wind farm - a hundred or so towers sticking up from the sea floor, and realised just how close we had come to sailing amongst them, and the newly submerged bases yet to have their towers fitted.  This could have spelled the end for our great big adventure and our yacht Intention.

Reasonably Able Seaman Varney.

Andrew - "I see no ships".  Behind you!  Turn round quick!

We sailed that night changing watch every three hours, so arrived in Port Hamble very tired but chuffed at completing our first two night sails, one of 24 hours and the other 36 hours.

Passing Portsmouth with new tower on the sea front.  [Editor: A sight that will no doubt delight visiting football fans, in next season's Coca Cola Championship league.]

An old Napolionic gun enplacement in the Solent.

We arrived at Port Hamble despite encountering a slight delay, whilst a diver (who we called on our mobile phone) came out by boat, to retrieve a plastic string bag that had wrapped itself around our propeller. 

Divers - photo taken after they had dived under the boat to get 'the old bag' wrapped around the prop.

This had caused a loss of power to the engine, which we were using as we were sailing directly into the wind, and could not use our sails.

Having sailed and got to know how the boat handled, Andrew realised that the auto helm and the rigging needed modifying; so our yacht Intention is berthed at Port Hamble until at least this Sunday the 23rd of May, whilst the necessary modifications are carried out.

But no time to relax, we need to clean the boat, get our washing and ironing done and plan the next leg of the journey to Port of Camaret, on the French coast.

Speak to you again when we reach Camerat.

Andrew & Barry