We left the “ uninviting anchorage “ just after dawn. Bleak, grey and isolated are good descriptive words. The next few hours we spent picking our way across the sandbanks of the Thames estuary. Julian and Tim has spent a long time working out all the tidal considerations for the various routes we had to take to get across. The most challenging and notorious was the
“ sunk sands” . We had to go through a narrow passage in between sandbanks. These are constantly moving and so modern plotters cannot be relied upon. Apparently there used to be a buoyed channel but the buoys fell into disrepair and eventually were not replaced. Oddly they were allowed to sink into the sand so creating another hazard in an already hazardous place😳 plus there are 3 wrecks marked! We approached the area under sail with the wind on our quarter ( so nearly from behind us) and were slightly alarmed to see a line of breaking water ahead. Bit reminiscent of the Great Barrier Reef! Julian however sailed skilfully through a gap in them following the course he had researched, pre planned and applied the course onto the plotter. Once on the other side we breathed again and proceeded towards the next channel…called Fisherman’s gap. This one had port and starboard markers all down making it easy. Once through, we could see big ships on the horizon as the sea deepened the colour began to miraculously change from brown to green. A welcome sight! We had missed going into the river Medway, which had been on the itinerary, but various circumstances meant we had decided to go straight to a Ramsgate….. our last destination on the east coast! We arrived just after lunchtime. What a magnificent old harbour. There are several different harbours all joined together surrounded by the most stunning maritime buildings and architecture. Our good friends Margaret and Harvey, who were on holiday nearby , came to visit in the afternoon and it was lovely to sit and chat. Thank you both for making the effort And the lovely jam😋! In the evening we were treated to an excellent pizza in a genuine Italian ristorante on the harbour side. And a relatively early night as we’re all tired!
What I learned today…..all about “smack boys”
Weighing anchor 
Spot the reef 
Green sea! 
Cliffs of Ramsgate 
Border force boats prevalent 
Smack boys?! 
Ristorante
Angelique 