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| RYA Coastal Skipper course - run by Ken Walker of
Heave2 Sailing School ( www.heave2.co.uk). He's an excellent instructor - mob: 07787 568871 |
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| Course organised by www.multihullworld.com on their Broadblue 385 Catamaran - a brilliant boat |
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| This part was Leg 2 - Brighton to Dover. I was too busy skippering Leg 1 from Chichester to Brighton to take any photos! |
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| Unfortunately no time to take pictures of the interesting parts of the voyage - too many things keeping us busy! |
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| Coming up to Beachy Head |
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| Coming up to Dungeness Power Station at the tip of Romney Marsh |
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| The gennaker is too big to get into one shot |
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| South Cardinal marking the Outfalls - should have given it a wide berth! |
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| This is Darwin Star, a 37ft Bavaria, also on the course. Much more exposed against the weather we were to experience than our Cat. |
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| This was Leg 3 coming out of Dover. The swells around the Western entrance were much bigger and interesting. We had a great sail up to Ramsgate (13.2 kts) ... |
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| ... but as the weather forecast was for Severe Gale Force 9 we decided to continue the leg onto Queenborough opposite the Isle of Grain. This was one of the wind turbine farms in the shallows oif the Thames estuary. |
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| John planning his next day's skippering into London |
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| Ken and Rhondie Evans (www.brilliantgems.co.uk) |
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| Moored alongside Darwin Star after hours against a headwind gusting more than 40kts and against the tide. Not ideal but the forecast the next day was worse. |
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| Leaving the next morning - unfortunately Darwin Star's crew found out that lose warps and propellors don't mix ... |
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| Instructor Phil with wet suit about to have a look ... |
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| ... eventually freed by pulling the warp from alternae sides of the boat and applying some pressure with the winches. |
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| 'Sea Reach' red and white Safe Water Mark - usually placed at the approach to a channel showing safe water all around (lights - one of: Isophase, occulting, 1 long flash every 10 secs or Morse A (. -) |
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| Southend on Sea on the otherside of the estuary |
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| 'West Leigh Middle' starboard hand lateral buoy |
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| Another South Cardinal |
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| We were ordered onto the 'wrong' side of the river by this police launch because ... |
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| ... HMS Exeter fancied a burn-up - it came steaming up behine us ... |
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| ... heeling over round this bend. |
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| Approaching the Queen Elizabeth II M25 Dartford Crossing |
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| Darwin Star - happy to be in calmer waters. |
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| Lining up for ... |
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| ... Gallions Point Marina ... |
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| ... at the end of ... |
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| ... the City of London Airport runway! |
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| I enjoyed the buzz, but I was the only one. |
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| Nice one, Ken - and so slim! |
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| Not a very good shot of the runway which seems to go right up to the skyscrapper around Canary Wharf |
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| John, Rhondie and Ken |
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| Ken, Rhondie and yours truly. |
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| As we got in a day early, we spent the last day going to Tower Bridge to do fuel up and to do some ferry gliding - controlling the boat against the current to get lateral control for approaching pontoons, etc |
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| Green arrows pointing to 'F' span |
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| Where's the fire brigade? |
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| Royal Naval College. |
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| Karl and Phil on Darwin Star |
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| This fuel depot isn't maned by Catalans. The flag is International Code Flag Y-Yankee.
It's below the flag for R-Romeo. 'R' over 'Y' means reduce speed
and wash |
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| Note for a pub crawl - "Town of Ramsgate" |
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| Captain Kidd |
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| The Prospect of Whitby |
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| pub near Limehouse Marina, and |
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| The Grapes - sorry about grotty picture |
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