Nancy is now in Dover and may be here until Thursday waiting for the low pressure to move on. Today the forecast is Force 6/7, possibly with gusts to Force 8 later, and it is not greatly better for tomorrow. Needless to say we are remaining in port and plan to visit the Castle when the driving rain stops!
Yesterday we departed at noon from Ramsgate for the 18 mile run via the outer route, but the Force 2/3 southerly soon became a Force 3/4 south-westerly headwind with occasional gusts to Force 5, and built up very short steep seas (wind over tide) by the end of our first hour. It was touch and go as to whether or not we ran back to Ramsgate but after the shoals we moved inshore from the Gull Channel. The seas became longer and Nancy swooped along beautifully. This helped considerably and reduced the water coming aboard so we completed the passage arriving in declining visibility at 16:15. We refuelled and berthed at 16:45.
Over 19.5 engine hours we used 22.5 litres since refuelling at Woolverstone. This is an average of 1.15 litres per hour. We ran at varying revs to continue running in the new engine, but believe the average revs would be around 2,800.
In Dover we met 4 very enthusiastic Ransome readers from Holland on a nearby boat. Nancy was much admired and photographed, and we returned to their boat to enjoy hospitality in the form of a large bottle of malt. We return the compliment this evening.
Posted aboard Nancy on B pontoon, Dover, by BLB, RS and FM.
