The Swale

Diccon from Belgium arrived Tuesday just before lunch time and we left Sandwich amidst many cheers. Sandwich good town people had come en masse to wave good bye to the "Viking ship with wings". The tide was flooding in so it wass relatively easy to motor down the river Stour. Saw at least a dozen seals basking in the sunshine and we were off, past Ramsgate and put the sails up. We were going so well, we even ate my boatmade pizza whilst sailing. However, our blissfully unaware delight was cut short when we suddenly ran aground on a sandbank off Margate... Ian and I waited until midnight for the water to come up so we coulod drop the anchor, had a short night sleep and set off early next morning whilst we still had water. We motored slowly against tide and wind past Whitstable and our spirits perked up when we saw Tony's Humber Barge "Daybreak" in the distance. She was sailing. this sight was enough to get the men hoist the sails and the rest of the afternoon was spent sailing at great speed (6+ knots!) back and forth along the Kentish Flats Wind Farm. John was ecstatic!
We are now safely anchored in the Swale and I am savouring a few hours peace and space whilst John, Ian and Diccon are sailing on Daybreak. Bliss!