Across the Thames Estuary

July 10, 2021

After a great trip across the Thames Estuary, we are finally moored up in Shotley Marina, near Harwich. (Arrived 20.30)

We had non-stop, heavy rain all day untill around 1hr from Harwhich, with poor visibility, and no wind at all. This meant that we had to motor almost the whole way across (around 50miles), which is incredibly frustating, and slow progress!

This morning, before we left Ramsgate, dad discovered his chartplotter doesnt cover the east coast of England. I don't know why he didn't look at it untill half an hour before we left, but I guess that's just David Mccabe for you. We ended up installing Navionics on the tablet, which he can use as a chartplotter- its all up to date, you can plot routes on it, and it even shows your SOG (speed over ground).

Dad, however, doesnt trust all this modern technology, so instead had it turned off almost the entire way, and insisted on being less than 1 mile away - it can be difficult following someone in the fog.

As well as manual steering all day, and keeping a sharp eye out for ships, buoys, and sand banks, my entertainment for the day mostly consisted of changing over the bowls and cups below, which were catching all the leaks. By the time we reached the lock, fresh water was everywhere inside anyway. Although its a nice change from sticky salt water, and my decks are now washed nicely, everything below is wet!

Although it was a great crossing, and I enjoyed (most of) it, the rain spoiled it for dad, and he was not a particularly happy sailor, as we motored into the lock. Some people who had watched us in the lock, kindly walked over and helped us with ropes on the main pontoon.