Channel crossing

19.07.07
Moved out of the Wellington dock into the Granville dock yesterday so we could leave today at three hours before high water. The wind was gusting 23kts and leaving the berth was a little tricky, but went ok. We were allocated a berth under the marina office which gave us fantastic internet reception so I downloaded a couple of programs to watch when we get to France. We’ve just about finished all the faulty towers, father teds, blackadders and x files, so we’re moving onto documentaries now - ants!
The lock opened at 1215 and as usual we were the last ones out. The forcast was variable 3 increasing to NE7, showers & good visibility. With no wind we couldn’t even make 4kts for the first couple of hours, but then the wind increased to 12-17kts and we motorsailed at 6 - 7 kts the rest of the way. At least the showers bit was wrong and it was t shirt & shorts weather with nice sunshine. The shipping lanes were really busy, but we only altered course a couple of times to miss ships. We didn’t bother about the ferries & they didn’t have any problem weaving between us & the ships in the TSS.
Unlike everywhere else we’ve been, no radio communications are used to enter Calais port, just traffic lights. When we arrived, five hours after leaving Dover, four French boats were just entering with 3 red lights showing - so we just followed. We entered the inner basin on green lights and picked up a mooring buoy. I thought we’d be there until the morning when the road bridge opened to let boats through into the marina but twenty minutes later there was another mad rush when everyone left their moorings and headed for the bridge that was opening. We quickly threw off our lines and made it through - last - and into the marina.
Only been here an hour, but already found out that you have to bring your own hose pipe to fill the water tanks - so I’ve been lugging the jerry cans around and the electric supply cant take our 2kw heater!