⛵ Portland 🇬🇧 to Dover 🇬🇧

I’d provisioned using the dinghy the day before and left Portland with the morning tide. Light winds from astern meant motoring most of the way, and frustratingly, oil appeared in the bilge again - the Spanish saildrive repair hadn’t solved the water intrusion problem.

I anchored off the Needles, tucked under the Isle of Wight’s white cliffs. Not ideal - sudden gusts from all directions and tourist boats passing every few minutes kept me on edge. With the next tide I passed south of the Isle of Wight at night, threading through Portsmouth’s commercial traffic. The anchored cargo ships were particularly impressive, generators roaring through the darkness, tidal streams breaking against their bows - they seemed ready to depart despite sitting at anchor.

When the tide turned foul in the morning, progress slowed to a crawl. It took the entire day to pass a single wind farm, creeping along at 2 knots. The boat finally accelerated past Dungeness power station - a strange, flat landscape where every house and car stands silhouetted against the horizon for miles.

Dover made me nervous. It’s a massive industrial port with a three-stage VHF protocol for marina entry. Add the tidal stream at the entrance and my lack of recent docking practice - I hadn’t tied up anywhere in months. The arrival proved hectic but went smoothly enough.

Weather Conditions

• Wind: Light, building to 14 knots from southwest
• Seas: Flat throughout
• Weather: Foggy and gray initially, sunny and clear on day two

Navigation

• Departure: Portland Harbour
• Arrival: Dover Marina (outer basin)
• Distance: 160 nautical miles (about 296 kilometers)
• Duration: 1 day, 13 hours

Technical Notes

• Dragged anchor on second morning in Portland, noticed immediately and reset
• Fixed outboard by replacing spark plug - apparently doesn’t need extensive warm-up
• Radio’s CPA alarms became maddening, disabled them
• Water entering the saildrive again
• Most N2K devices crashed on Dover arrival - low voltage suspected
• Radio position inside cabin problematic - can’t helm and communicate simultaneously

Highlights

• Threading between anchored cargo ships at night
• Navigating tidal races at St Aldhelm’s Head and Isle of Wight
• Spotting an Ocean Race boat making 7 knots upwind in 8 knots of breeze

Photos

Waiting out the tide at the Needles

A wind farm that took the entire morning to pass

Ocean Race boat making 7 knots upwind in 8 knots of wind

The Seven Sisters cliff formation

Passing the retired Dungeness nuclear power station

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