Dieppe Dash revised

That Thursday evening we attended the final Skipper's Briefing in Brighton Marina Yacht Club, it was exciting, all were discussing passage plans and rendez-vous waypoints, leaving times, and tides etc.
Back in Newhaven, we finished stowing the gear and then walked round to say goodnight to Gary, on Arctic Tern, in his Contessa 26, the only other small boat on the rally who was also leaving next morning from Newhaven.
He was moored on the visitors berth where the water stays deep, because with his fin keel, he wouldn't get out at low water 6am.As we walked back, we discussed the low water, and thought maybe it would be best to join him, thinking how stupid it would be if we couldn't get out at the start time because we were too silly to think about the mud.

"Switch on the nav lights, let's motor round"

Oh dear, we couldn't get the lights on, all five switches, including port cabin light were dead. John changed fuses, we wriggled the switches on and off, John investigated as far as his minimal knowledge of electrics would allow. It took us a cross and dismayed hour to realise that we couldn't set off across the Channel without Navigation Lights.

Next morning, I sadly broke the news to Gary and then we activated the Abandon Safe text to the organisers and sent the news to our friends and members of the Yacht Club.

Gutted.

The early start and light wind suggested a different destination, and we set off to by motor to Eastbourne, thinking that we could make Rye the following day.

Here is John programming the new GPS, part of the installation that we think knocked out the nav lights.

Eastbourne, Sovereign Harbour is a soulless place, but we managed to catch Nick Neter in his lunch break who popped over for a sandwich.
Nothing else to do on a chilly Friday but sit in the Yacht Club bar.

Next day the winds unfavourable for Rye, and Liverpool playing in the Cup Final, we set off back to Newhaven.

Entering the lock to exit  Sovreign Harbour

We had Force 4/5 winds on a run as far as Beachy Head, and then on the beam when we turned towards Newhaven. The sea state was slight, but we still stayed double reefed from caution (mine). Even so, we sped out of the harbour and watched the Eastbourne Coast slide by, the tide giving us at least a knot, maybe 1.5, but also pushing us into the shore, so that the waypoint I had set to avoid the outfalls of Beachy Head was missed, and I insisted in reaching it, so we turned south for a mile. This added a bit to our time.

Rounding the point was a strange experience; we could see by the GPS that we were making good speed, -over 5 knots- but the lighthouse stayed level with the starboard winch for ages, until John realised that we were pivoting round it, and the shoreline behind us and ahead was changing, although the nearest point of land apparently stayed still.

Wearing the harness

Approaching Cuckmere Haven

In Seaford Bay, I experimented with tacking singlehanded, against the tide to get a better line in towards Newhaven Harbour, this also lost some time, but was fun.

In all, the trip took 4 hours, but would have been much less had we been better navigators.

We jumped in the car and drove home for football and a comfy bed.

(Liverpool 1, Chelsea 2, wewuzrobbedblahblahblah)

Next morning, John decides to do a scientific exit from berth.

Slip the bow springs

 Let the boat swing out pivoting on the stern spring,

then slip the stern spring

Beautifully done.

We had a smashing sail to Shoreham by Sea, the winds remained constant at NE, force 4, a chilly Bank Holiday Sunday for everyone else.

Approaching Shoreham Harbour

"Lock In" with the fishermen

 Met friendly natives who suggested we use Yacht Club visitor's pontoon, instead of paying for an overnight berth at commercial LadyBee Marina. No facilities, but we walked into Shoreham where we had a mediocre meal at the Crown and Anchor, got the train back in the rain. Responding to frantic texts from Ruby in South America who needed to get a flight changed.

Shoreham chimney replaces the power station stack as a landmark.

The winds changed today to a more southerly direction, actually, they were SE, so we set off on a beat.

Optimistically at first, but by Brighton Marina, we had been sailing for 4 hours and still had done less than half the journey.

Engine on, and now against the tide. Not good news.

During the very last bit, we managed to get both sails up again , and with the help of the engine point close enough get 4 knots against the tide and get into Newhaven. The whole journey had taken more than 6 hours.

As soon as we berthed, the sun came out, beautiful warm afternoon, we collapsed into the cockpit for a well earned snooze.

Looking through the masts, we spotted one with a Dieppe Dash pennant next to the French courtesy flag. It was Gary, he had returned the previous day, his tale was of motoring all day Friday , rain in Dieppe on Saturday, and an exhausting beat home on Sunday, relieved by about 2 hours of good wind just this side of the Channel.

We felt a little bit glad to have missed it.