We are leaving Brighton in bright sun but no wind so we steam towards Southampton. It is an undramatic day until we reach the Solent where the heavy traffic requires a sharp lookout. Especially the fast catamaran ferries and hovercrafts needs attention. Coming into the classic Solent waters is exciting in itself where a lot of the RYA examples is from this uneven tidal environment. We see Portsmouth and the forts protecting the harbours.

Bright (on) day. But no wind.

No wind at all

Coming into th busy Solent

You have to look out for these fast hovercraft

As we get closer to Shamrock Quay Marina we call them on the VHF to see if they have diesel. In these seconds of lost attention, we put the keels gently on a sand bank in the middle of the river. Clearly marked so it is a bit embarrassing to sit there and wait for the tide to come back. Apart from the embarrassment and a couple of inactive hours drinking coffee, no harm is done.

Stuck at a tidal bank in the harbour

As we come into the marina, there is a nice guy waiting on the pontoon that we are directed to. It turns out to be Jim Cudd, the guy at Sailfish marine that should install my water maker. This is a long story – I bought a Spectra Cape Horn water maker from him in 2014 and got it shipped. I should install it 2015 but then we found the nacelle damage and it was no point in installing it then. 2016, it should have been installed, but the engineer did not have the time to do so. I thought that everything happens for a reason so I called Jim and asked if he could install it if I come over to him. This way – I have one guy to talk to on this equipment. Jim is a full time specialist on water makers so it feels good to have the machine installed by him and get his advices.

We ask Jim about his plans as he should go on vacation this Thursday. He plan to come early Tuesday morning together with his son Ben and be done by Wednesday. We ask him for a good restaurant and he recommends a Quay Fifteen that actually is in the Marina area. He says that it is one of Southampton’s best restaurants. Sounds strange as we are in the outskirts and Shamrock clearly is a working marina. We go to have a look and find a very modest restaurant that does not look anywhere near the upscale restaurant that Jim recommended. Anyhow – we ask for a table and the nice guy present himself as Rocky and say that they are closed but we could reserve a table for tomorrow. We are a bit puzzled, it does not look like a place that needs a recommendation but to be on the safe side, we reserve a table for Tuesday. Rocky offer us a beer and we start to talk. We asked where to go next and he calls down to Ennios. He tells them that he has two good friends from Sweden that he really would like to bring to him. We are welcome to come right away and as the taxi stops outside the restaurant, we see the staff preparing an extra table. The food is extremely good tasting in a very nice setting. After the dinner, we give Rocky a call and thank him for his ideas and he tells us that he already had talked to Ennio and that he was happy that we enjoyed it. We also visit Oxford Street where there should be some pubs. Obviously, Mondays is a slow night and we go home early.

View from Shamrock Quay

We leave Dover as they open the lock gates. I just love the English polite talk on the VHF that makes it a joy to speak to even the busy Port control in Dover. “Melody, this is Dover Port Control. You are free to leave by the south entrance. Have a nice day sir. “. No wind today except a light westerly breeze so we steam out of the harbor and go west to reach Brighton. The day is very undramatic and we come by beautiful formations of chalk cliffs – the most beautiful named seven sisters.

Göran collects the lines as we leave Dover

DOver castle

Chalk cliffs

Seven sisters

The Brighton marina is Englands largest marina and the breakwater is impressive. We go into a narrow passage into the harbour that makes it very protected but also adding some current to the thrill to come into this marina. Again, we have contacted the marina on VHF and got a polite direction to pontoon A where we moor for the night.

Coming into Brighton Marina

Brighton Marina – largest in UK

Everything goes swift and after just a couple of minutes we have maps in hand and start planning where to go to get something to eat. We had first thought we should go to the famous pier but get recommended another seafood restaurant in town. We go for a walk into town and get a table outside in the sun. Again, the seafood is delicious and we sit around talking for a long time.

Brighton Pier

Chilling

Seafood again!

We start early to make the best of the currents and to be able to reach Dover before the night ends. We sail along the Belgian and French coastlines until we can make a 90-degree crossing of the traffic separation zone. The stream and the wind make it perfect; we come spot-on the Dover Entrance and call Port Control to get directions. The polite Port Control asks us to wait out one of the high-speed ferry and then continue to the south entrance. We come to the marina half an hour before they open the locks to the marina and we can pay and get directions just in time to the opening of the gates. We get a perfect spot – right by the entrance and with beautiful view of the chalk cliffs and the Dover castle.

Leaving Continental Europe – Dover ahead

After Sail

View from Melody

It has been important for me to get a second impression of Dover. Last time we were here was in 2007 when we sailed Melody to Sweden as we dropped off the Lagoon dealer that had sailed with us from Les Sables D’ Olonne. We were on our own now and celebrated that moment by going to the closest pub and that experience was one of my worst food experiences in my life. The port was busy and we had heavy seas going north. In all a very bad experience that is soon to be cleared.

We take a walk into town instead of the closest pub. We have a recommendation for a nice seafood restaurant and after taking a look at the beach; we continue and manage to get a table. This was more like it should be. Very fresh seafood and an interesting historical setting.

Dover Castle

Time for some Seafood at

We wake up early and I walk Birgitta and Sofie to the train station. They are on their way to catch a plane from Brussels and I will have the day on my own. Göran should arrive this evening and after cleaning the boat, I decide to visit the Atlantic wall museum outside Oostende. There should be a tram so I find the station and go. It was really a ambitious museum with information on the wall itself as well as the bunker complex where the museum was located. It was the private property of the Belgian Prince Charles where he lived there until his death. He was opposed to the normal demolition and decided to keep the complex as historic site. There were also an exhibition of Prince Charles house for people that is interested in things like that.

The Germans built the Atlantic Wall during WW2 along the Atlantic coast from Spain to Norway with some 5400 bunker complexes. To see one complex makes you understand the size of this construction undertaking. Along with the bunkers were many other installations like mines and tank obstacles. Not to mention all the equipment that was placed here. As expected – there are some Bofors cannons sitting around. Being a sales guy in the concrete or weapons industry at this time must have been pretty easy. Bring the large order form and a sharp pen.

The bunker complex

Inside the complex

An anti-aircraft gun in the complex

We swedes sold them

Display of everyday life in the bunkers

The beach outside the complex

I go back and have a late lunch and go back to the boat to wait for Göran who show up in the evening. We take a walk on the town and go for a dinner to do some planning of the next week.

New crew – Göran – arrives