Dover – Flushing | www.the-mavericks.de

Long ago I wanted to have written a new report…
So here now, which in the past 1,5 Weeks, everything has happened:

From Dover it was on Wednesday 8. August over the Strait of Dover across to “Europe” go. Against 14 Clock we left the harbor and let us move with the flow eastward, took first course at Gravelines in France, to cross the channel as quickly as possible, But while not the same course across the channel have as ferries between Dover and Calais. I had heard a lot about the English Channel and read, many horror stories about the insanely strong tidal current and the heavy traffic belongs, but it was all much simpler than first thought. The current pushed us with additional 2 Knots, while we are constantly dodging the freighters, the classified actually like on a highway just east of, then be evaporated on the other side from the west came.
To make miles and get around France we had decided on the day before, go after passing through the channel on course east and sail into the night, in order to achieve the next morning Holland. The weather was absolutely perfect dream that night, The sun was slowly on the horizon, The wind pushed us 2-3 Bft from the west and we were also in support of the small 9 Hp “August” mitrattern under the cockpit floor, during Tiller “George” us with a steady chirping drove into the night.

For dinner we had a pot of pasta with tomato sauce (ganz a'la Maverick), Nick the absence of a gimbal (So balancing the waves) Suspension of the digester compensated even in a seaway. Hot hungry we set forth above even the excellent food and could almost believe it myself, how such a simple food can taste so much better at sea.

After dinner, I walked around nine clock in the bunk, to take two hours of sleep in advance, before my first watch of 23 – 1 Clock is off. Although I had two hours to sleep, I imagined but every hour clock, to the current location in the map and enter to see shortly after the rights. Still better than the 30 – 45 Waking minute cycles on Maverick.

Against 23 Clock I solved Nick from the cockpit and was greeted by glorious phosphorescent wake and a giant starry sky on deck. With a few Mandrinen in oilskin pouch, I sat on the Luvbank, unlatched myself in the seat in the cockpit and put me on a quiet night. Far from it!

While Nick at home in his bunk made, I had to ship out slalom, Radar Tower and UFO's (Unidentified Floating Objects) go, increased while the wind more, North turned on and pushed it to become larger and larger waves on us. At times I had the autopilot “George” replace at the tiller, because he no longer managed, the price so high to keep the wind. Nevertheless, I let Nick take his two hours of sleep even a little more than three hours and woke him up against just 2 Clock in the morning, as the traffic ebbed somewhat. Below deck, he had already learned something of the rough seas and could now make a picture of it on deck, what it means to a just 7,77 Meter long, but all 3,5 Tons (!) heavy boat against high, boxes to short waves. While Maverick would at least still herübergeglitten over most waves, Constellation so went through the middle always mercilessly. I was, however, at the moment no matter – the traffic was gone and I was in my bunk.

Just over an hour later, Nick changed the course and I was instantly awake in the cockpit. Amazing, that I still have inside me. The wind had continued to increase and we could Ijmuiden, we had planned as the next port, no longer bear. “Then we try, by coming to Flushing!”. One hour later it was against 4 Clock off in the morning and I was back with the guard. Another three hours I lay wedged in the cockpit, was covered again by breaking waves, set back while I was on the bench clutching and felt at times in the first stage with Maverick, I wet five days, cold and shivering on the cockpit floor and sat abwetterte a storm, I had already tasted the mainsail. Hard to believe, I like it at the time, Now there were only a few hours, areas where there was bad weather, but I was already pretty exhausted. “Had I not said then: ‘Nie wieder so ein Schiet mit einem so kleinen Boot’? And what am I doing here now?”

Against 7 Clock me Nick broke again in the cockpit and I crawled into my bunk. Meanwhile, the waves were up to 7 Meters high and constantly broke across the boat. Somehow I was still a little sleep, but noticed, I like the water, which ran through countless leaks on deck in his sleep on the hand. At half past nine I was back on deck “Nick, it seems to me, as if we were still not yet reach Holland. Although it amazes me, because the boat has at least as many holes as a Dutch cheese!”

Meanwhile lay Zeebrugge (Belgium) only a few miles ahead and we decided, to put an end to the hopping. Even the autopilot had been tired and was beeping on the floor, offenbar kaputt 🙁 Also rein in den Hafen!

An hour later we were in the quieter waters of the great Verladehafens and half an hour later in Zeebrugge harbor. Nick instantly fell into my bunk and closing like a stone. I did however watch me a little of the place, went first shower extensively (which began to dissolve my hands from the saltwater…), and I went looking for a cafe, in which I could eat breakfast. The result: After a few kilometers on foot, and no less than 15 Restaurants I found NOT ONE, served breakfast. But does have a SPAR supermarket, bought baguette, Juice and sausage and I made my own breakfast on a bench at the harbor under the astonished eyes of some passers-by.

What to do now? Sleep? Nööö! – I wanted to see something, and I was right in Zeebrugge. For there is an old, Russian diesel submarine and an old lightship, you can visit the. When I compared 14 Clock back to the boat came, Nick practiced just fresh again rested upright walking.
Together we sat in the tram to Blankenberge, a large tourist city. After a sightseeing tour and a dinner we went back to the boat to Zeebrugge. There we talked about the future plans. As Nick at any time- or route plan is bound, was not difficult for us to further planning: As for the entire following week strong northerly wind is announced, So no chance to get further counterclaims, but towards the end of the week I already back in Germany had to be, we threw the planning to complete. The next goal: Flushing in Holland. Thence: The “standing-mast-route” Quer durch Holland! Nick can see a bit more from Holland and a couple of weeks Engine, But chugging with standing mast through the many lakes and canals, until he gets back in Delfzijl in the North Sea and from there after two days trips to Hamburg.

In the evening, we talk with a British about his plans, the immediately on his boat and disappear shortly thereafter is back with a huge stack of charts, He gives Nick. This puts the Continuation nothing in the way!

The next morning we set about noon with the tidal reach from the neck and 4 Hours later Vlissingen, smuggle us up into the inner harbor and tie up in a small marina. Not far away we find a station and thus the opportunity for me, to come to Rotterdam and from there back to Germany. Even from Belgium I had booked a bus ticket home (For only 43 Euro!) and so
We made one last joint tour of the beautiful Flushing (in the English “Flushing” ie, as a borough of New York), looked at the harbor, Dutch ate chips and drank Heineken, before it was to go for me the next morning back home, while Nick makes fun of the channels on the way to Amsterdam.

The next morning, Nick helped me yet, my two suitcases full of clothes and equipment, my duffel bag full of stuff and the heavy oil liferaft to barrow to Rotterdam, where I sat on the bus and 9 Hours later arrived at Hamburg.

Just behind us 240 Miles in four sailing days. Not a bad average for such a small boat. A beautiful, but also very stressful time. But as the saying goes? “Adventure is never much fun, while it’s happening” – But I do not mean, that there has been any fun, on the contrary, it was really nice, wieder einmal unterwegs zu sein und ein Stückchen mehr von dieser Welt zu sehen 🙂

What happens next with Nick, You can HERE follow

Here are a few photos:

Extra honor us has one in Dover even set a German and an Australian Flag. Well… Not really! 😉