Day 2 RBE - Queensborough to Brighton

What a long day!

No photos of Queensborough to show - as it was totally unphotographical (think thats a word!)  We departed in haste at 8.30 and motored on.

Skipper Duncan decided we might as well head straight to Brighton as stop in Dover and have our first taste of night time sailing (well - motoring!)

Interesting to pass by the windfarm at Kentish flats - remember my friend Andy telling me about its construction.  30 turbines in a row - seemed an age until we passed by them!

I've discovered that buoy is a North Cardinal.....so much to learn!

The 1st watch started at 6, Ive just completed my watch which started at 9pm til 12.  Its actually just into Day 3 now as it is 00:22 so Im going to sign off now and edit this when we are in Brighton in the morning.  Im reliably informed there is a Wetherspoons near the marina - and Im rather tempted with an 8am pint with my cooked breakfast!

Hard to photograph in the dark with the reflective strips on our kit.  Heres Pete

Can you guess where this is?

Dawn - somewhere near Newhaven

The first watch begins

A fantastic experience navigating and steering the boat in complete darkness, a great learning experience.  I've not yet read the chapter on colours of navigation lights, how to recognise different vessels and buoys so night navigation was a tad of a challenge.  One example, which also highlights, as usual, that I should trust my instinct - I saw a light ahead, it was green and I became convinced it flashed to red, then it stayed green and didnt turn red - quick check of the manual..........so I convinced myself that there was no such warning light, so I must have got it wrong.  This continued - and I realised no buoy would have sails....it was in fact another yacht and it was the starboard then port side (red light!) I wont do that again!

I also realised that trainers are not part of a useful kit when helming in driving rain!

Managed an hour or so sleep before the next watch began at 3am - the graveyard shift indeed!  However, lovely to watch the sun rise as we passed Newhaven by.  The wind whipped up and the sea became a bit lumpy and we soon found ourselves being pulled towards the coast - had to keep pulling portside (god, Im getting so nautical!!)

We neared Brighton and decided to let John, Chris and Mike sleep as we took RBE into the breakwater at Brighton - initial plan was for Pete and I to do this, but the weather conditions had deteriorated so much this would have been too much of a challenge and far too interesting - and probably the end of the trip............. no problem for Duncan of course!