I needed about 3 days of winds not-from-the-east to make it to Deal, which represented the east coast of UK, to get around to Walton-on-the-Naze where I intend to haul-out. That’s about 300nm non-stop. I’ve been waiting at least a couple weeks for it and here it was. I had hoped to stop off by the Isle of Wight, but no time. I sailed non-stop to Deal and suffered much sleep deprivation. It’s one thing sleeping on watch when you’re in open ocean and not in a shipping lane. When you are along the South coast of a place like England, with so many fisherman out at all hours, and recreational boaters during the day, and some spot with fast ferries plying to and fro, it’s a whole different story. Paranoia and fear serve you well here.

I got to Deal about midnight 8 Oct, dropped anchor in near complete darkness, put on the anchor drag alarm and slept soundly.

Anchored in Falmouth. Sept 19 used my dinghy to push Paddy ashore to clean the muck off his hull. Paddy sailed this boat around the world a few years ago and wrote a book. It has no engine. He was prepared to sail it ashore, but there was no wind and I volunteered. With dead calm wind, and a current, I would like to have seen him sail, but I couldn’t put him through that.

I have been mostly searching internet trying to find where to store Goldilocks for the winter. Dintelmond, Netherlands is at the top of the list right now!
Wifi is in the pubs. I have to order Ale to be in the pubs, so it’s Ale for internet. Oh, the Humanity! (sometimes I have to buy Pastys)

Sept 24 I sailed from Falmouth to Plymouth. Great conditions, broad reach about 15 kts. I left with David on SV Rustler, who I met in Horta, and Richard on his bright yellow boat. Nice broad reach most of the way. Easy sailing. Netherlands is the goal now and no safe anchorages E of Isle of Wight.

The wind shortly turned E and strong, up to 30 kts. To find a protected anchorage I sailed down to the mouth of the River Yealm. A bit shallow and I bounced off the bottom a few times at low tide, but otherwise nice and very well protected. We did have a dance early on when there were more boats anchored though. With the wind against current boats were all over the place and luckily everyone was aboard to fend off when they got too friendly. Collisions averted only by extreme diligence!

2 October. I plan to sail east tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Wind is finally going S (It’s been E for more than a week) and I can start moving east. It was looking good for several days, but the forecast has just changed. Tue the winds are going to kick up horribly. Lee shore plus strong current plus limited safe anchorages= not happy. I may not make as many miles as I’d like, but I’ll get somewhere. (In the Passageweather graphic, I’m on the south coast of England about 1/3rd along from the lower left tip.)