The day started at 7.30 when we got up and cast off from the pile mooring on a crisp,cold morning. Eddie took the helm and waited patiently for his bacon & egg butty. After breakfast, Karen did some washing and hung it out on the life lines to dry. By this time,Tim was on the helm and wrapped up in hat and gloves against the cold. It was great to be on flat water and catch up with the blog and photo gallery. Skipper was a bit anxious when I uploaded 27 photos but all in a good cause. Lunch was tuna mayo sandwiches eaten in the cockpit at the new cockpit table, washed down with coffee, tango drink and biscuits
At 15.00 we had transited the canal and were stooging round the Bransbuttal end waiting for our turn to go into the lock. The canal is very straight, with trees lining one side and odd sections of industry with factories & cranes. We saw some Eider ducks & not many people know that eider down come from these ducks. Eddie noticed that not one boat overtook us on the route east. They were all coming the other way
We had to wait at the canal end again but by 17.00 we were inside the lock after watching Cargo ship, Nosmo King faff about a bit.
At 15.45 the other side in the North Sea, we faced a 15 knot head wind, with Nosmo King charging by and the Politzie intercepting us to inform us rather nicely that we were deviating from the main channel and would we move over? They were also concerned we did not have a name on the transom of the boat. Tuff! This was followed by a cute manoeuvre when the politzie rib was recovered by running at speed up the back of a bigger police launch. It was quite something to watch.
After seeing some traditional fishing smacks with ‘sweeps’ extended either side, Tom said, ‘ How often do you see a traditional boat fishing like that? Well I have just seen 4. So Tim said, it must be a traditional fishing boat convention.
So we were thinking, 2 hours and we will be tied up in Cuxhaven when skip said, I think we should sail through the night to catch up and make good use of the good weather. Mrs S not keen but was persuaded. So plan B was to go into port to eat, revictal, regroup and come out. An hour later, skip realised that the engined really needed its 50 miles oil-change and at 40 miles it was better now than later in UK at 80 hours plus. So he & Tim retired below to consult the chart, engine books ec. & as luck would have it found a yanmar dealer in Cuxhavn. Tim called his Brother, Peter who is a fluent German speaker. He called the man at Boots U Schiffswert to see they could fit us in tomorrow morning. Hurrah! They can. So we went under the lifting bridge (very obliging lock keeper) and into the inner basin & tied up at their yard.
We walked into town,bought some food rations & and ate at a jolly Mexican restaurant. Back to Nightfall for malts & bed.
Seglerin Karen.
xx
