Our adventure began with a highly successful first night together in our vans. After a long and eventful day, we treated ourselves to a delicious meal at a local restaurant, which was the perfect way to relax and recharge.
The next morning, we were greeted by an amazing sunrise – at least, some of us were! Soon after, the skies clouded over and rain began to fall. Despite the drizzly weather, our spirits remained high. After carefully reviewing the forecast, we decided it was safe to continue our passage, with contingency plans to stop in Eastbourne or Brighton if necessary.
The rain did not dampen our excitement as we departed the Port of Dover. We were honoured to receive an escort from Dover RNLI and a spectacular spray salute from the Tugs of Port of Dover. As we sailed past Folkestone Harbour, we were cheered on by a member of the public waving a gigantic Union Flag.
After rounding Dungeness, we encountered some heavy seas, but nothing our boat couldn’t handle. As we continued, we crossed paths with Wetwheels Solent, making their way to Dover to cover some bookings during Wetwheels South East’s absence. Our teams exchanged waves, a heartwarming moment of camaraderie.
Powering past Beachy Head, we admired the iconic lighthouse and communicated with our shore team who were initially heading toward Eastbourne as a precaution, they redirected to Portsmouth following our updated plans.
Our second day ended in Geoff’s home port of Portsmouth, where we enjoyed the luxury of staying at Geoff and Elaine’s house. A fantastic homemade meal, generously provided by a neighbour, awaited us – the perfect end to a day of adventure and community.
Adding to our excitement, we will now have Wilf the dog joining us for the rest of the journey. His presence will undoubtedly bring extra joy and companionship to our crew.
Here’s to many more days of exploration and camaraderie as we continue our journey on the open sea, now with Wilf by our side.