sy Timoneer

14:00 Anchored off Den Helder, Netherlands

053′ 00.8 N 004′ 48.9 E

Trip Log: 291 miles in 27 hours

Weather : Wind : 220 degrees 11 knots

Timoneer departed Gun Wharf quay marina Portsmouth England at 10:55 for our

trip through the English Channel to the Netherlands. We exited through

the Eastern Solent following two British Navy vessels towards the straits.

The weather forecast was not good although once we were at sea it was a

pleasant 15-18 knot south westerly. Timoneer crossed the South West bound

shipping traffic west of the traffic separation scheme and entered the North

East bound lane off the French coast. All the traffic through the English

Channel is monitored by radar and we called in to Griz-Nez traffic control

at 19:00. Timoneer is required to stay in the NE traffic lane if

proceeding by engine, had we been sailing we would have been able to use the

inshore traffic lane. Initially the traffic was not as heavy as I had

expected although there was the occasional high speed ferry or hovercraft

crossing at right angles to traffic at 40 knots to make sure you were paying

attention. By the time we reached the straits of Dover the radar was a

mass of 40-50 targets in a 12 mile circle. The radar screen was a jumble

of automatic range plotting vectors in every direction and speed. The

ferries seem to line up on the sides of the traffic lanes waiting for an

opening then dart across at 25 knots plus, so it ends up being somewhat

organized chaos. Through the actual straits we only had to alter course

once to take a tugs transom as it was a little to close for comfort. The

remainder of the trip was comparatively quite as we motored in the dying

breeze dodging the occasional North Sea oil/gas platform. We arrive in Den

Helder at 13:00 and were anchored just North East of the town by 14:00.

Everyone onboard is well and after a wash down were ready for a good nights

sleep.

Best regards,

John

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