We made it!

What a memorable day yesterday was as well as being John's birthday! It started with a grey drizzle. At 8 o'clock John rowed across to Harty Ferry to pick up Stefan and Julie. At 9.35, there was a 10 min gun for our race and we hadn't got the anchor up, the rigging was in disarray, no charts out, no strategy for the crew. At the 5 min gun, to add insult to injury we went aground on a falling tide and expected to remain there for the rest of the race. Nicole heaved a sigh of relief that we wouldn't break anything and have a quiet day, sipping coffee watching the barges race through binoculars. At this stage, Stefan, who had been quietly in the background, decided that now was the time to take control. He took the tiller from Ian and used the tide to move us off the mudbank. By this time, our main competitor Vechtlust was already far ahead. Stefan clearly and firmly organised the crew into a working team, poled out the staysail and took full advantage of the following wind. We started to race along, doing more than 7 knots and closing the gap between us and Vechtlust although Daybreak was coming close behind us. We cut the corner at Pollard Spit and continued with the wind behind us until we reached Whitstable Street Buoy, left it to port, tacked but went aground. Stefan managed to gybe ourselves out of it, Then our jib fell in the water, slowing us down considerably until we managed to hoist it out. We watched Vechtlust sail on in the distance. By this time, the Thames Sailing Barges were on their way back and the real fun began. The wind was coming straight from Receptive, the finishing buoy, and as the channel narrows until there we were all tacking fast. Great big barges and small smacks were whizzing by, port, starboard, ahead, everywhere, but Stefan was in total control and old Wilhelmina was singing along. She picked up her skirts and ran. After what seemed ages, the finishing buoy came closer and we made it through, dizzy with excitement and exhaustion.

What a day!