Downs ( Eng. The Downs ) - a raid and anchorage in the south of the North Sea off the coast of Kent between Margate and Dover .
It is a deep-water channel between the Kent coast and Goodwin's shoal , extending from north to south between coordinates approximately 51 ° 22 'N and 51 ° 09' N. The smallest width is 4.8 miles . Depths up to 22 m (12 fathom ). Silting is possible in the northern part and depths less than shown.
It gives a good shelter from the prevailing W-SW winds, a partial shelter from the N winds [1] .
History
In the era of the sail, Downs served as a permanent base for warships patrolling the North Sea, as well as a collection point for repaired or newly built ships leaving the shipyards of Chatham , Woolwich , Sheerness , Deptford . For them, the Downs were safe parking during bad weather, protected from the north and west by the shore, and from the east by the shallows of the Goodwin Sands. Since Downs is located between Dover and the Thames Estuary , it was also used for sludge and merchant ships waiting for the east wind to enter the English Channel .
In 1639, a naval battle took place near Downs, in which the Dutch fleet destroyed the Spanish, who sought refuge in neutral English waters.
Notes
- ↑ East Coast Pilot. Lowestoft to Ramsgate. 2nd edition. Imray, London, 2008. ISBN 9781846230615