Day 3 Monday 5th September
Chichester Harbour to Dover 98 miles
We left our mooring at 5.45am - in the rain - and still dark, and motored out through the Looe Channel, hoisted the white sails and had 3 fantastic hours of sailing until the wind died leaving a horribly confused sea with big swells. We needed to make Dover so spent the next 17 hours on the engine in what felt like a washing machine. Visibility was rubbish and we couldn't see any of the coastline due to very low cloud and mist. I was particularly disappointed as I haven't been further east than Chichester and really wanted to see the south coastline. It was however remarkably warm. Dungeness Power Station loomed in the distance lit up like a Xmas tree . Dover followed and I radioed Port Control for permission to enter the West Entrance . We wanted to anchor as it was by now very late (1.30am) and as we wanted to be away by 8am the following morning, locking in and out of the marina just wasn't worth it. Port Control very kindly sent out their launch and showed us where to safely anchor away from the ferries and cruise ships. We put out 30m of chain - that was a first for me - usually 15/18m is the norm in the Solent. Thank god we now have a windlass to do all the work. It was a very rock n roll night as Dover never sleeps and consequently little sleep for both of us.
Incident of the Day: Tired butterflies and pigeons circling Stiletto wanting to land and rest, got freaked out by the wind socks, so didn't land.
Song for the Day: The Harbour Lights are Shining (Home Lovin Man) Andy Williams