Yesterday saw Scaramouche and her novice crew complete a 13 hour passage, 80 miles, Ramsgate to Brighton.  What a first day!

Initially under power the crew each got a feel for the helm, steering a 45 foot racing yacht on the open sea is something not one of those 14 and 15-year-olds would ever have thought possible.  Just imagine the nerves and the excitement!  Then the sails go up and Scaramouche comes alive…

From the boat: The decision to carry on to Brighton was unanimous but meant a 13 hour passage and an unbelievable adventure on the first day.  With the sails up we rounded Beachy Head straight into a force five headwind.  The genoa, (a large sail used at the bow of the boat), went up and the hard work started.  Scaramouche goes through the waves not over them, so we tacked for three hours into wind and tide with the waves coming over the deck and into the cockpit.  Inevitably some of the crew discovered they suffered from seasickness, but just three and they kept working – real adversity and real determination!

We sailed on past Dover, Folkestone, Dungeness, Hastings, Eastbourne and then the final run into Brighton.  Pete the Skipper was superb, quietly teaching, calm and decisive all day.  At one point, having decided to sail the last stretch, the crew were gathered together, orders quietly given and on a heavily pitching deck up went the sails and Scaramouche sailed into Brighton.  Got in at 9:00pm!  Ashore after  a superb day – Nandos and bed!

Today is now a much shorter passage with the following south easterly wind – let’s see how they get on…….