Sunday 8 July 2012

Saturday 7th July:

Jean Says: Ramsgate was an experience we wouldn't have missed, and we were sorry to leave without trying out the karaoke, the Jazz bar, the folk festival and going to the Spitfire museum. Maybe we'll come back by car one day.




It made a change to have few restrictions on our next leg to Eastbourne. All we needed was to have the tide with us when we left Ramsgate, and we'd surf all the way there. Despite the grey clouds, we could see France in the distance and were almost tempted to turn to 180 deg. to pay a quick visit. On other occasions, we might have done that, but a normal bed and a hot bath is beginning to beckon. We passed quite close to the off white cliffs of Dover and didn't expect to see any blue birds, because they're an American invention to make the song sound more colourful. There are seagulls over the grey cliffs of Dover doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

The Seagull has landed.......




The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping channels in the world. The main shipping lanes go straight down the middle and ferries cross at right angles from ports on either side of the channel. It's only about 22 miles across at the narrowest point, which is between Dover and Calais. Earlier, I'd seen a pilot boat which had 'channel swim support boat' stamped on its side. Dover to Calais must be the route that most channel swimmers choose because it's the shortest distance. France looks deceptively close which makes the swim seem almost feasible, but realistically, you could get mown down by cargo ships, swept off course dramatically by strong tides, stung by hoards of jellyfish and poisoned by raw sewage. What's more, you' re not even allowed to wear a wetsuit. I've just crossed that idea off my 'what next after the circumnavigation' list.

After Dover came Dungeness.




Dungeness is the place to come if you want to find empty beaches on the South coast in the summer! It has a certain amount of industrial charm and certainly adds to the landscapeitudinal melting pot that is the British coastline.

Eastbourne marina is called Sovereign marina and is a way down the coast from Eastbourne proper. It's one of those new developments with attitude. An all encompassing experience of outlet shopping, high living, boating, cinema going and also apparently having cosmetic work done on your teeth. In the marina brochure, it states that there are at least three cosmetic dentists on site. If Bob had known that at the beginning of our journey, we might have gone anticlockwise. If we were to have a permanent berth here, it would be fitting for Bob to wear an ingot and all that goes with that particular look. I'd have to wear white jeans with Rhinestones on the derriere. Come to think of it, I may already have some tucked away in the locker that contains our holiday clothes.
There is apparently a bar here with a massive TV in it, and we're hoping to be able to watch the tennis tomorrow. We wouldn't miss this momentous occasion for anything. Let's hope they don't have in switched on to 'Cash in Your Attic'.



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