Ostend 22nd May 2013 There was a decision to be made Wednesday morning, the sky had a lot of clear blue showing through the high cloud and the forecast until Monday looked dire - there was an opportunity for sailing which Shakespeare would have made great play of - take it now and go or be stuck for days. Our course to Ostend was 26 miles close to shore, along the channels between the many sand banks running parallel along the coast here where on shore winds f...

Dunkirk 19-21 May 2013 The weather pattern had been changing for the worse going grey and damp but it seemed to be quiet enough in Boulogne harbour - a light breeze albeit "on the nose" which meant we were going to fight it all the way to Dunkirk. After an early lunch we motored the mile or so towards the outer harbour - these French harbours are generally vast - putting one reef in the main with a rising wind. By the time we reached the outer breakwater the w...

Eastbourne to Boulogne 17/18 May 2013 I should apologise immediately. There are some words or phrases which automatically trigger a response from me, I can't help it - it seems hard wired. The name "Eastbourne" has that effect and links with a "boat train" poster of the 50's offering trips to the continent...and here stated with my auto response: "Harwich for the Continent" ...and "Eastbourne for the Incontinent." Well it continues to amuse my simple hu...

Beaulieu to Eastbourne 15th - 16th May 2013 "look here now while the wind sweeps the slipper limpet foreshore where pebbles lie like plovers eggs and scrunch up to the dunes" Above A Sussex Beach. Clive Williams Allow me to claim my mind occupied with too many thoughts contemplating the journey ahead, this would soften the culpability of a near grounding in the river, not more than 15 minutes after starting - a depth alarm shattered my thoug...

Beaulieu River 11th May 2013 "Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going." At the River Clarion by Mary Oliver You know how it is when you've been thinking about doing something for a long time, and thinking how great it was going to be and all the new places and things you were going to see, then when it gets near, something makes you look back and all the ordinary things you have take on a treasured quality and want to pull y...