Sailing Lacerta around the UK: Back to the Solent

We have moved pretty rapidly westwards along the South Coast and had some good sailing along the way. As planned we left Ramsgate on the afternoon tide on Saturday for a short passage to Dover. We knew we would have an early start the next morning from Dover so the main criteria was to get there in the light and early enough to get settled down for a reasonable sleep before the alarm went off at 0400!

Approaching Dover

The passage was quiet, a light wind from the East and a fair tide but we still needed a bit of push from the engine. France was clearly in sight as we approached those white cliffs and made contact with Dover Port Control, who were most helpful. They picked us up on their radar so were expecting our first call in and remained in contact until we had crossed the harbour and were making our way into the tidal dock at the marina. We didn't make much use of the facilities, other than the shore power, as we got dinner ready then went to bed.

Dover East entrance and port control.

Dover West entrance from inside.

We left Dover at 0520 on Sunday, not much ferry traffic about so leaving was easy and we had a strong west going tide straight outside the harbour. With the wind in the north we hoisted the cruising spinnaker and were making a fast passage time as daylight came and the sun came out. We carried the fair tide well past Dungeness, which we passed at over 8 knots in hot sunshine! The tide turned part way across Rye Bay so we kept inshore, keeping inshore of the 10m contour to avoid the strongest tide so we were still making good progress. We kept the spinnaker up until we were off Eastbourne and approaching Beachy Head when the wind dropped and we had to drop the spinnaker and revert to the engine for a while. We were close inshore off the cliffs around Beachy Head, which we think are much more spectacular than the cliffs of Dover! Off Newhaven the wind came back from the north west allowing us to sail the last bit to Brighton, arriving at 1600, 2 hours ahead of schedule with warm sunshine all the way. This must rank as one of our best sails yet! Brighton Marina, despite being the biggest in the UK, lacks character. Although the restaurants and bars were all humming on Sunday evening it all seemed very artificial compared to Ramsgate and many of our other stops on our trip.

Dungeness point and nuclear power station.

Beachy Head.

The lighthouse dwarfed by the cliffs.

The next leg, from Brighton to Chichester, revolved around ensuring we had a fair tide through the Looe channel, close south of Selsey Bill, the last major headland before the Solent. We intended another early start to get over the bar at Chichester before the ebb tide got too strong there but a chance chat with another couple of sailors revealed that silting up of the Brighton entrance channel meant that we couldn't get out when we planned. This turned out for the best as at 0700, when we would have been at sea, there was a huge thunderstorm and torrential rain! This passed over by 0945, when we left, giving us a grey, drizzly day with a fresh northerly breeze. Although we were back to full waterproofs with a flat sea we made another fast passage. The Admiral, on the helm while the captain was asleep, blasted through the Looe channel at 8 to 9 knots with the lee rail well underwater needing a reef but not able to manage that on her own!

Evidence! The lee rail well under!

Although we left Brighton 4 hours after we had planned we were only a couple of hours late at Chichester Bar. We had a strong tide against us in the entrance channel but were anchored in one of our favourite spots, Itchenor Reach, with only the noise of the birds for company, by 1645.

Itchenor Reach anchored at low water. Yes that is mud and we are afloat!

We have had a quiet day today with a lie in in the morning and a bit of reading in the sunshine. At lunchtime, approaching high water, we took the dinghy up to Bosham and had a walk to the local Co-op and lunch (seniors special!) at a local pub. As it is spring tides most of the quayside at Bosham was underwater. At least we didn't have to cart the dinghy up any muddy slipways. Back on board for a few chores, dinner and enjoying the spectacular sunset over the still water.

Bosham quay access underwater.