This time last week, the Nancy Blackett and her crew were on their way home across the Channel earlier than originally planned, to avoid the worst of the forecast weather.
They left Middelburg last Friday afternoon at 1pm, with perfect timing in passing all five bridges on the way to Flushing without waiting, arriving at the smaller lock at Flushing as it was just opening, and then out into the North Sea by 3pm.
The wind was as foul as it gets, a north-easterly F3. The forecast was for a F4 south-westerly, declining to F2-3, which it soon did, making the first ten miles was lumpy. For a short period a little sailing was achieved, but they were soon under motor in the north of the main channel, well out of the way of commercial traffic.
After dark there was rain, heavy rain, and then a cloudburst. The watches were 4 on and 2 off, while Skipper Bryan Bonser did the navigation, hitting all the buoys spot on. They arrived in Harwich at midday on Saturday, having sailed the last ten miles, the tide then taking them up to Woolverstone. The crew finally managed to catch up with some sleep, which was only briefly interrupted for an essential beer in the Royal Harwich Yacht Club and a meal aboard.