Welcome to Bonify's new blog for 2016


Bonify in Ramsgate Harbour 

Rule number one of this new blog: We shall not post pictures of "Bonify in this harbour" as she always looks the same. 
So all in all this is not really a great beginning, but perhaps we can get away with it just the once. 
Photos are the hard part of a sailing blog because you can never get a picture of the thing you're supposed to be doing most of the time i.e. sailing along. You get views with bits of the boat in the way but that's the best you can do (see below). If anyone reading this should happen to see us on the water we'd be delighted to publish good sailing photos of Bonify - just please make sure that the bowsprit's out and the sails are perfectly set, ideally a nice bow wave, no forgotten fenders hanging out and of course it must also be a good hair day for Sue (Howard doesn't care - well actually, annoyingly, he doesn't seem to have bad hair days).
Passing through the London Array, sun making an effort
Harwich to Ramsgate yesterday we logged 48 miles (nautical miles). It shouldn't have been quite so many but we had sailed past some distance before deciding to turn back. Having set off at 5am with the intention of making the French coast, and having bowled along happily at 6-7 knots for a few hours, we found ourselves punching a strong ebb tide with the wind on the nose. 2 knots with noisy engine assistance is not a good feeling, and certainly not for hours on end. Suddenly Kent seemed very attractive. So no Ricard chasers for us (yet), but a real ale (or 2) in the Artillery Arms made up for that. And Howard worked on the wind farm boats from here for a while so as expected we have met people he knows.

 Strong winds today so a rest day in harbour. Howard happily playing with multiple VHF radios (must be the working boat ethic getting to him) and Sue scouring the charity shops in town. Net result: Sue has a new (to her) Monsoon jacket, British Heart Foundation is a few quid better off and, should we wish to, we can tell the world this hot news on 3 different VHF channels at once.
2 of the three VHF radios at nav station below

Sadly this one will have to move as it interferes!

Comments

  1. Unknown21 May 2016 at 21:19

    Great pics of boat equipment but how about monsoon jacket? We had fog all day in Shetland so brother Chris didn't get away as planned. Hope you make it across soon!

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    Replies
    1. Unknown21 May 2016 at 22:05

      I've sent you a photo Sarah - discovered why it's a Monsoon jacket on the way back to the boat just now: the heavens opened

      Delete
  2. Unknown21 May 2016 at 21:19

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