Had fair winds, or no wind (motored for 8 hours or so), and made good time: 30 hours from Harwich to Den Helder. We didn't stop, felt as if we had to catch up, so pressed on, got boarded by the Dutch coastguard, apparently they ought to give lessons in how to do this to the UKBA, who seem to have a knack for getting up people's noses, whilst our experience was really nothing to complain about, they were polite and friendly throughout. Felt a bit sorry to go past the Friesland islands without stopping, it was lovely weather and the beaches are great. We almost got a favourable tide up the Elbe, but not quite, the ebb is fierce and even though it was neaps it seemed to contradict the excellent progress that had been made to bash against the current so we anchored near the river mouth, first anchorage on the right as you go in, which we shared with a German coast guard tug, for six hours before pressing on up river to the Kiel Canal. We got though the canal with 10 minutes to spare (at this time of the year 'sport' boats have to stop navigating at 2030 local time), and were tied up alongside at the Sports Haven at 1950 UTC, 3 days and 13 hours pontoon to pontoon.

off

gale has blown over, nothing found on prop so replaced fuel filter, bought new genoa sheet, fittted hydrostatic release on liferaft, got foghorn working we are finally ready to go

whither the weather

after a month of sweltering in an office found myself driving through a rainstorm to get to the boat and iffy weather since. Had hoped to get to the Kiel Canal in one hit direct from the Swale, around 4 days sailing, but the grib files showed gales on thursday, so we came to Harwich instead with gale warnings filing the airwaves.

Had good sail, occasional sunshine, ever increasing winds, set off at 0630, tied up alongside at 2010. On a long empty pontoon having declined a starboard-side-to with-a-strong-tail-wind-at -the -end-of-a-long-aisle-of-boats invitation to an insurance claim.
Ttoday was a proper shakedown with various challenges along the way, including engine dying (rubbish in propellor? continued to idle in neutral, has seemed ok since); finding that I'd forgotten to put both sheets on the genoa (this as the engine died 50m to windward of sand banks with 2m under the keel, had also omitted to remove sailcover before leaving, breaking own rule), then finding the genoa sheet and putting on the cockpit coamings from where it slithered into the deep.
Later the topping lift detached itself from the boom as we took down the sail when it crashed to the deck, causing me to give it a mighty pull which sent it above the cross trees to get into a fine tangle. (leading to another trip up the mast using ascenders on a halyard, which are fine for going up...) Finally Simon hurt hand
when we were locking in, abraison blister after following my advice on how to hold the ropes, not a serious injury but.

so tomorrow is a chance to prepare more properly and do things right and set off with washing liquid and without fish juice in the bin.