Summary: Limehouse Basin to Queenborough. Left 13:30 and arrived at Queenborough 19:30. 41.3 miles. Wind mostly NW around 4 or 5 occasionally gusting 6.
We left Limehouse around 1.30pm after the engineer had fixed the ignition switch. Had a nice run down the Thames and hoisted full sail shortly after the Thames Barrier. Then managed to sail all the way until Queenborough Spit when the sails came down and the engine on. Initially we had a nice quiet broad reach down the Thames, but by Mucking Reach the wind blew up a little and we had to beat up Mucking Reach with the lee rail well and truly under – a little over-pressed for the conditions but going beautifully. We cracked off down Sea Reach and then it was more or less a beam reach all the way past Canvey gradually bearing away down into the Medway. Generally sailing at around 7.5 to 9 knots and occasionally doing around 10 knots over the ground. A lovely sail and great to be able to sail most off the way down the Thames.