Distant Shores TVvideo
Sailing South: Dover, Storms and the Bay of Biscay
June 6, 2026 · 20 min · 19K views · Dover
Sailboat heeling under full sail on open sea
What this video covers
Paul and Sheryl Shard depart Mackum, Netherlands, aboard their aluminum Orion 50 after completing one-year warranty work, including a Combi hybrid electric system upgrade that raised motor speed from 3 to 5.1 knots and cut throttle response time from 10 to 5 seconds.0:56 The passage south targets Falmouth before an October 31 insurance deadline requiring the boat to be across the Bay of Biscay.4:25 Departing at 0400 to catch the outgoing tide, they navigate 23 miles through the Wadden Sea to the North Sea, using chart-plotter current stations to time favorable tidal windows — head current for five hours, then a knot of fair current for six.5:07 Storm Amy, the season's first named UK storm with forecast gusts to 50 knots, forces a stop at Dover, where they secure with triple midship lines and double stern lines in the new 160-berth marina.9:30 They explore Dover Castle and its Roman-era lighthouse.12:05 After the storm, they sail overnight to the Isle of Wight, enter the Solent, and spend two days in Chichester Harbour collecting offshore medical kits before continuing to Falmouth.15:46 Collision Regulation Rule 9 — giving way to deep-draft vessels constrained to a narrow channel — is demonstrated with a live AIS example in the Solent.17:56 Tidal overfalls at the Needles are identified as a hazard in rough conditions.19:26
Boats in this video
More from Distant Shores TV
From Distant Shores TV — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.