Dunkirk Little Ships Return To Ramsgate
by Mick Gentry 28 May 23:06 AEST
21-26 May 2025
Thamesa and Ryegate 2 during the crossing on 21st May © Mick Gentry
What a return to Dunkirk we have had! With much arranged for our visit by the Mayor of Dunkirk and his experienced and knowledgeable team it has been a moving time with many commemorative events taking place against a background of ever-changing weather, with a flag flying from the Church Tower in Dunkirk that showed a Union Flag on one side and the Tricolor on the other, songs from the Belgium Military Wives Choir Brussels, and visits from many school children to name but a few, it has been a both moving and educating experience yet all good things must come to an end, even if the end for the Little Ships has been somewhat delayed!
Sitting in bright sunshine and relative calm within the Bassin des Commerce in the port of Dunkirk, France, it is sometimes difficult to recognise or consider the reason for our delay in sailing from here; Monday was a very different outlook, 2 metre waves and winds gusting in some cases up to 35-40 knots, and it remains to be so as the week progresses.
But there is now light appearing at the end of the tunnel and the ADLS are able to make plans to depart Dunkirk.
The weather front is moving and the poor weather is shifting away, the high seas and strong winds are giving way to a calmer period starting late on Friday 30 May and continuing into Saturday 31 May that gives the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) fleet the opportunity to at last sail for Ramsgate and other locations to begin their journeys home.
A handful of our larger Little Ships managed a rather bumpy early crossing on Monday arriving in a blustery and weather-beaten Ramsgate by early afternoon, one Little Ship decided not to risk it and returned to join us back in the Bassin des Commerce here in Dunkirk, but the majority of the fleet has remained here, safe in the moorings of the inner harbour.
Our eyes are now firmly set on our run home which, save from a change to weather, will see us run with the tide amongst a much lighter sea state and wind as we cross the Channel in much gentler conditions than are being seen at the moment.
The ADLS Little Ships will depart together escorted by the Nelson escort boats and met by the Ramsgate Lifeboat mid-Channel. The itinerary, as always subject to the weather, is as follows:
0500 Depart Bassin des Commerce bound for Trystram Lock
0600 Depart Trystram Lock bound for Ramsgate / South Coast / Queenborough/ Teddington
1400 Main group arrive Ramsgate
Once clear of the Dunkirk Channel at approximately 0800 the fleet will split into four groups:
- The South Coast fleet
- The Teddington fleet
- The Queenborough fleet
- The Ramsgate fleet
The South Coast, Teddington and Queenborough fleet have a slightly faster speed available to them than the Ramsgate fleet, which includes the smaller and slower Little Ships, giving an advantage of travelling a little further before the weather changes again from Monday 2 June onward.
Find out more at www.adls.org.uk