Last weekend I joined Plain Sailing from Brixham to help deliver their new Bavaria 46 to London for the start of the Round Britain Experience next week. This was a great start to the 2009 season. We left Brixham at 7pm and sailed non stop 290 miles under genoa alone to St Katherine's Dock. The forecast was W5-7 occ 8 going round NW later. That was exactly what we got. A gale off portland made most of the crew very ill, and at some point we lost our flagstaff and ensign. By dawn on saturday we were entering the Thames Estuary and picking our way up the Horse Channel (Not enough water at Horse Spit, better in a Parker Liftkeel any day!)
Just after my watch had finished their porridge we saw a RIB leave a nearby grey funnel line ship and roar towards us. Four men in helmets with guns jumped aboard. They were very grumpy but it emerged this was because they had only just got into their bunks after a night watch when they were told to come and search us. They took details from all the conscious crew, swabbed everywhere for drugs and explosives, left the ill groaning in their bunks and eventually left a bit more cheerful than they arrived. One of them admitted they know within five minutes of boarding whether they are wasting their time on the innocent.
On balance it wasn't a bad experience, I am glad they are doing their job. It was probably the lack of colours that singled us out for this treat, and the G20 summit at Excel. So don't forget your ensign if you want to smuggle anything! [:D]
Kate