We are just due to leave Dover Marina after a few frantic days visiting family and going to a wedding. We arrived on Friday after a very choppy trip. I did not enjoy the trip at all and had to lay down most of trip and pray it would end. Thank god, it was only 3 hours sail from Ramsgate to Dover!! A motor cruiser tends to bounce around like a rubber duck in a bathtub as it has no keel and means you have to choose you sailing times more effectively. Unfortunately we had to move Friday other wise we would not have made the wedding. After arriving though the marina was great and we have had a beach next to us and could watch all the activity of a busy harbour from our boat. Also got to try the local fish as we finally found a fish stall. Which Hannah has been looking for since we left Limehouse!!
Saturday arrived as quite a nice day and we caught the train to Folkstone for the wedding of Stan's cousin's daughter. As she was marrying into a Cypriot Greek family they had managed to mix the service together and we were entertained with a semi English- semi Greek Orthadox? service. Though a bit longer than usual it was made better by the fantastic festival of boats that had been set up in the church. The bride was beautiful and the whole service was very entertaining, we found out afterwards that there were some add ons put into the service by the family. Lots of back slapping and the bride's name got mistaken by the priest! oops!!
The reception was at a fantastic venue overlooking the sea and, the band and evening also had a Cypriot theme that kept everyone entertained. Lots of dancing and wine and food. I think everyone felt welcome and even though we had not met the bride and groom before they made us feel a part of the festivities. John, the cousin from the U.S. got a special gift of mushy peas and Branston pickle which was highly enjoyed by the rest of the table.
Sunday was another day of family entertainment. We all appeared to be in the same hotel and no one wanted to leave as we had not seen each other for some time. So we all went for a walk along the seaside and then met in a pub to continue over the rest of the afternoon till the U.S. contingent had to move to their next destination for a BBQ. We came back to the boat and met with a cpl of people Stan had joined the army with, we had a few beers and a lovely curry as required when you meet up with other army people.
Monday,after a clear out of the boat, Hannah and I went to the beach, while Stan had to go to Folkstone to buy a new inverter as we blew the last one. 240 plus 12 volt does not equal 252 it equals blow out!! Last night we had a boat moored next to us with a Canadian ensign , they were from Toronto and travel a different part of the world each summer for their holidays. We had a cpl of brews and a good chin wag and by morning they had gone. But it was great to hear the same accent again! After a few calls the decision was made to set sail for Poole. We shall be sailing to Eastbourne today, a 6 hour trip- hopefully better than the last one! other wise I shall be in bed all day! Then tonight we shall decide where to next. We are supposed to have 4 good days of weather and we can make Poole in that time.
It feels like we are in a different part of the world even though weare still in England but the difference in travelling and views make it different. It shall be interesting to see how it feels sailing into Poole harbour instead of travelling there by car.
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