19 June .... on way to Newlyn Cornwall

Fiona here.
If you look at the Jubilee entry - I have added in some  data from David today - this will give you more details what went on then!

David texted me this morning  about 6am saying that he was on way from Falmouth to Newlyn.
He is planning  to go on to Milford Haven tomorrow - I think. That will be a big challenge for him - taking about 30 hours to  get there. Still Milford Haven is  a nice little area and  about 2.5 hours for us to pop down and say Hello.

16 June 2012 – Falmouth

16 June 2012 – Falmouth

I am afraid that I have not updated the blog for some time for which I am duly sorry.  I just seem to be stuck in marinas while the boat rolls about like a drunken sailor on pay night.  I don’t suffer from seasickness normally but I have found being below sitting at a computer, reading, cooking or even sleeping I have felt a bit queasy.  Indeed there have been the odd meals times which I have not bothered with. 

Fortunately over the past few weeks I have moved towards Wales so I have been able to get home when the weather looks bad for a number of days and, hopefully, over the next week I should be in Milford Haven (Cardiff adds 50 miles an already long trip!)

17 May 2012 – Brighton to Gosport

A nice easy departure at 07:00 with, once I got out of the harbour, a nice breeze just aft of the port quarter. Pulled out the foresail; switched off the engine and set off for Gosport.  Unfortunately the sea state was very confused which resulted in a very uncomfortable ride until I got round Selsey Bill but after that it was a very pleasant sail.

The Solent was very quiet so I didn’t have any problems missing tankers, container ships, warships etc.  A straight motor into Gosport Marina and I was tied up and drinking coffee by 5pm.

The next day (Friday 18 May) was spent tidying the boat and getting everything sorted out for Tim and Tony (old friends of mine) to have some where to sleep for the weekend.  While they were getting sorted out and settled in I abandoned them and went to see Laura and James for the evening (somewhat unkind of me but I enjoyed the evening)

19 May 2012 – Gosport to Yarmouth

The plan for the weekend was to meet up with a friend (Nigel) from the Isle of Wight who we had not seen for a year or so.  He arrived about 9 and, after coffee, we set off.  Unfortunately there was very little wind and what there was came straight down the Solent.  After some discussion we decide to just motor to Yarmouth so we arrived about 2pm.

At this point things became “interesting”.  Yachts from two races staying were staying overnight in Yarmouth harbour and they had arrived well before us. As a result it was full of Junior Offshore Group boats (these are big boats – anywhere from 45 to 60 feet long) all rafted up. The Berthing Master had it all under control and pointed us to a vacant area outside a 45 footer moored to the pontoon.  The only problem was there were 3 very large racing rafted up in front of our ‘target boat’ and 4 behind it!  Remembering Stuart's advice (or was it instructions?) about speed we crept in to the gap and, with the help of Tony, Tim and the crew of the boat we were going to raft up against, we manhandled the boat in without destroying any of the very expensive equipment surrounding us.

Once we were rafted alongside the skipper of the boat inside us informed me that they would have to go at 8am the next day! I decided that tomorrow could take care of its self so we headed into Yarmouth and the pub.  When we returned we found 2 additional cruising boats rafted outside us!

20 May 2012 Yarmouth to Poole

We dragged ourselves out of bed about 7am.  Our plan to sail to Poole meant we had to leave at 11 but we had to move the boat so the racing boat could get out.  There was little or no activity until 7:45 when suddenly all the racing boats exploded with activity with people attaching sail halyards, sheets and god knows what else.  The two boas outside us got away easily but for us to do the same we would have to go sideways.  Fortunately the smaller boats in front had an earlier start time so they shot off leaving us space to pull ourselves onto the pontoon.

At 8am all hell let loose – all the engines started and racing boats started to charge about.  The helmsmen only had 2 speeds – flat out or stop!  Amazingly they all vacated the harbour in 15 minutes without anybody hitting anything.

We set out at 11 so that we could get the tide through the Needles Channel.  A gentle motor out, sails up and off we went.  A really lovely day and great sailing.  The tides were just right and we shot through the Needles Channel and getting the benefit all the way to Poole.

To round the day off as we came into the Poole channel a pod of Dolphins boat. It was a wonderful sight.

I had forgotten how large Poole harbour is and, against the tide, it took us about an hour to get to the marina.  At that point it all went pear shaped. The wind was blowing the boat off the pontoon and as we came in I didn’t notice a rope had fallen into the water. Everybody knows what happened next – the rope got caught around the propeller and broke in two.  Fortunately I managed to switch the engine off before it stalled.  We moored up and got ourselves sorted out and then I spoke to Stuart.  We agreed the best thing was to get the boat out of the water and I organised this to happen through marina contacts. 

The next day (Monday) Tim and Tony helped me get the mainsail off (it was due for its Warranty service and the sail company was in Poole) before they left for home.  I was still not happy about the possibility of some of the rope still attached to the prop so the marina organised a diver to come and have a look.  It took him 30 minutes to get dressed and 10 to get the remainder of the rope off the prop.

22 May 2012 - Marina to Yard

Stuart came down to just check the prop and cutlass bearing while the boat was out of the water.  We took the boat round to the yard, hauled it out and Stuart looked it over.  Fortunately there was no damage done!

Back on the water we left the boat moored to a buoy, delivered the sail to the sail maker and went back to Chepstow.

29 May 2012 – Yard to Marina

Fiona kindly drove me back to Poole and we collected the boat to take it back to the Poole Quay Marina.  While we were in the yard I got chatting to one of the lads in the yard.  He had got a puncture in his bicycle wheel.  I offered to give him a lift into town as he would have to walk a couple of miles to get it repaired.  What I didn’t realise he was going to take the whole bicycle with him so I ended up with a mountain bike on the deck.  Fiona felt that, as he worked in the yard, he would have some experience in handling boats.  Not so - she ended up showing him what to do and how to tie knots. 

We refitted the mainsail.  Unfortunately they had missed a bit of stitching that was coming apart so I had to take it off the next day.  I took me an hour to get it off, fold it and take it to sail makers.  10 minutes to fix it and 2 hours to put it back up!

1 June 2012 – Poole to Weymouth

Robert, my ex-wife and her husband’s son arrived the previous night and we set off about 11 for Weymouth. There was little or no wind so we spent intermittent periods sailing but much of the time motoring arriving about 6:30

Friends were due to meet us there were delayed on the M25, M3 etc. so that so they didn’t arrive until later than we anticipated but we still managed a couple of beers.

2 June 2012 – Weymouth to Dartmouth

The weather was beautiful and we set out at 7:50.  As soon as we were out of the harbour we had the sails up and headed towards Portland Bill.  I had planned to pass the Bill a couple of miles offshore so that we missed the Race (which can be very rough).  However a couple of yachts left before us and went close in to the shore.  I just followed them and we zoomed round the corner with only a slight disturbance where the race is.

We then started to gybe towards Dartmouth.  Some 3 hours out we had a visitor – a homing pigeon flew into the sail and fell onto the mainsheet grabbing it and hanging on for dear life.  This was fine until we needed to gybe – as I pulled it in the pigeon ran up the mainsheet until it couldn’t keep up and fell onto the side of the cockpit.  It stayed there for quite a long time despite Robert throwing a banana skill over his shoulder into the wind which promptly came back on board and landed on the poor animal.  In the end it decided the safest place was directly behind Robert and it stayed there until it departed.

Towards the end the wind got stronger and the waves were awkward so some of the crew felt a bit under the weather.  Robert, in particular, could only say below for a very brief time.  As soon as he finished below he would bound out of the hatch and very quickly got the nickname of Tigger.

We went into Kingswear marina only to find there was a serious lack of space.  They initially put us behind another boat but our stern stuck out halfway across the channel and it was obvious we could not stay there.  After looking around for a while the berthing master moved us to the waiting pontoon by the boat lift.  This was a temporary arrangement until Monday at 08:00 when they wanted access to get a boat out for a scrub.

One of the guys (Michael - an Australian) had competed in the Sydney to Hobart race and it was a joy to see an expert sail trim in action.

His wife (Yona) had brought them all to Weymouth and then followed us in her car to Dartmouth and joined us for dinner when we arrived. 

4 June 2012 – “a day of rest”

The weather forecast (as usual) was rubbish so we decided to have a “day of rest” exploring Dartmouth and sampling a few glasses of the amber nectar.

4 June 2012 – Dartmouth to Plymouth

Monday involved a nice easy start – we didn’t need to leave until 9:30.  We gentle motored out of Dartmouth and headed out hoping for some wind.  There was a little but not enough to sail so it was motor sailing all the way to Queen Anne’s Battery Marina.

Later that evening Yona and Laurie’s wife, Christine, joined us for dinner to round off a vice couple of days.

It was great to have company for a few days and there are a couple of long sails ahead where I could do with some help.  The problem is the weather – it is very unpredictable.

Everybody departed on the Tuesday.  

10 June 2012

Fiona:
I was having a bit of a tiddy week,  where I found life at home a bit tricky. Balancing kid's demands and social life with my scatty work of which one week to the next is never the same. Having had a skype chat with David on Wednesday evening at 6pm and offloading  a few grumbles, i had a bit of a shock about 7.45 where he texted to say he is on the train home from Plymouth. The guy next door to him took him to the station and the timing was amazing. Naturally I had  a big pang of guilt  and bit of  a flap at David popping home at  a short notice. The real truth - I found out later was that the weather for Thursday and Friday was appalling and would have to stay in the Marina anyhow. On top of that he knew  I was working in Exeter Saturday and Sunday -   and thought that would be an easy lift back!!
I was grateful - boosted us all up and made us all feel that we can tackle the world again!! Eleanor with her GCSES, Fraser with his upcoming grading for TaeKwonDo and me with mountain pile of paperwork!

So..
Yesterday we drove to Plymouth really early in the morning - arrived about 8.30 to do a spot of shopping,  and check the boat over after the horrendous storms ( just in case he needed a car to get stuff from chandlery etc) I arrived to work in Exeter a bit late but the team I was working with were fine.
Today - he sailed off to Falmouth and have had a text about 30 mins ago saying he has arrived. Tomorrow will be a bit of maintenance work on the boat and some TLC!.

So...
He  is back and making his way slowly down south west. Thereafter  - i am not sure of his plans - possibily go around Lands End and in to Padstow. There he will decide taking in weather consideration and timing, this will ditate whether he will go to Cardiff, Swansea or to Milford Haven or all three!! Some people who have never sailed before may well be hoping for a wee sail to get the taste of it. Who knows.....

Jubilee weekend

Brief log:
Poole - (Robert came and joined him)
Poole - Weymouth (Laurie and Michael joined the gang)
Weymouth to Dartmouth
Dartmouth - Plymouth

Tuesday 5th:
Laurie, Michael and Robert left.

30 May

Big apologies to be said here for those who peep at this every now and then.

There is something definitely wrong in my teaching methods  - it does not work on old dogs...yet ;- }! So that could be the reason for David not updating his blog??

Anyway - where was he?

Dover - managed to have a cracking sail to Gosport where he met up with some lovely friends for dinner - Barney - sorry James and Laura. (kids still call him Barney). The evening was finished off with Tony and Tim joining him for the weekend. The next bit - I am not so sure of - met up with Nigel  and then finally ended up in Poole by 20th May. 

The sails needed servicing with the sailmakers and would be taking a week and at this point David came home hitching a lift with Stuart. Please bear in mind this is a summary as I do not know the full ins and outs etc.

Yesterday I drove him back to Poole, picking up the sails en-route to Akira.

His plans?:

Today -  sorting the boat out and going out to dinner with some very old friends.

Thursday 31st - Robert Willis is going down

Friday - Laurie and his friend  are also spending the weekend with David.

The actual plans to sail to where - I do not know yet.

A general note to all - if anybody would like to do some sailing, help or do a leg  do please say.

Fiona

12 May 2012

 My leg was still sore but the weather looked good so I decided to head off to Brighton. 

Again there is a Tidal Gate around Beachy Head and this involved another early start (only 5:30am this time) so I got up at 3:30 to get ready and have a cup of coffee - I am getting better.  Stuart suggested that I should ask if the lock keeper could take my lines when I went into the lock and he was only too happy to help.

I was followed in by a huge fishing vessel (Royal Sovereign has two distinct areas and in one there are a lot of fishing boats) – about 150 tons! - and a couple of smaller ones. At this point I became rather nervous.  My leg was not fully recovered and I was really concerned about slowing these professionals down, however one of the men from the largest fishing boat came over and asked me if I would like him to let go of my lines.  Clearly I could not refuse such a kind offer.

Once again the wind was behind me and there was insufficient to drive me at a reasonable speed to get to Beachy Head in time.  As we got towards Beachy Head the wind changed direction to straight on the bow and once I got round I could possibly have put the mainsail up and beaten the rest of the way.  I tried with the foresail but that on its own achieved nothing.  The sea was very choppy as tide was against the wind and it was increasing towards Force 4 so I decided to motor the rest of the way (still not that confident on the foredeck!).

Arrived off Brighton Marina and just mentioned that I was single handed and they had somebody on the pontoon before I could get the fenders out.   Again the marina is a bus ride from the town but it has a wider range of restaurants and seems to attract people for a night out.  Fortunately it also has a Wetherspoons on the quay  and as Tom came down for the night and we made good use of it.

The 0600 Inshore Forecast this morning (Sunday 13 May) was less than Force 3 increasing to 5 – 7 later.  As the next leg is to the Solent and is quite a long one I have decide to stay in Brighton.  Just as well it’s been blowing a 5 since 14:00 and I would have been nowhere my destination.  

5 - 7 May - belated update..

5 May 2012

Having examined the 5 day weather forecast after a couple of days in Ramsgate I retired to Chepstow.  The weather was so bad (and predicted to be as bad for some days) that it just didn’t make sense to stay there. 

In the end I didn’t returns until the 3 May when it looked as though there was a window to take the next step in the journey.  The initial plan was to go directly from Ramsgate to the Royal Sovereign Marina at Eastbourne.  This would have been a 14 hour trek and when I looked at the forecast it was clear that I probably only had 50% of that before the next Force 5 to 7 arrived.  So Dover it was!

All I can say was the wind was what was predicted and, after a leisurely start I had a gentle sail to Dover.

Going into Dover you have to go to a holding area and wait for the Harbour Master to give permission for you to come in.  It is claimed to be the busiest harbour in the UK and I can well believe it with all the ferries going into Europe. I was fortunate I went straight in, sliding between incoming and outgoing ferry times and round to the marina.  Everybody was very professional and helpful which made my life easy.

The town centre of Dover seems to have been isolated by roads built around the town to connect the ferries to the major roads leading to London et al.  Unlike Ramsgate which did have a lot of old houses and little streets which gave it some charm, Dover is quite small and seemed almost forgotten.  While I didn’t spend a huge amount of time there I did walk the length of the main street and it seemed quite neglected.  The roads obviously isolate this bit from the greater Dover area and it seems to be the haunt of the ‘teens’ – no decent pubs!  Thank God for Wetherspoons! There are probably very nice areas up by the Castle but that was some distance from the marina so I din’t get there.

7 May 2012

The weather forecast was excellent light wind to blow me to Eastbourne.  The only problem was that there is a Tidal Gate at Dungeness and, according to Murphy’s Law; this would entail an early start.  However even I was surprised at the time I would have to leave; in order to lock out I would leave at 4am.  Unlike Stuart and Seamus (he introduced me to sailing) I take some time to get set up so I arose at the unearthly hour of 2am. 

At 4:15 I left the marina and asked to leave Dover.  I sneaked out the Eastern entrance and off I went.  There was no wind but the sky was clear and dawn was a threat in the East.  As I cleared the breakwater the sea was just about ruffled by a breeze but when I hauled out the foresail (the wind was virtually astern of me) and turned the engine off the speed dropped to between 1 and 2 knots – insufficient to make Dungeness before the tide turned against me.  The only solution was to put the engine back on at lower than normal revs and see what the result was. 4 knots from the engine with 2 from the tide and another 2 from the sail – suddenly I was doing 8 knots.

Zoomed round Dungeness in short order – well before the tide turned and to make the whole trip more enjoyable the wind increased and I could turn the engine off and sail to the Royal Sovereign Marina at Eastbourne (which is about 3 miles from the town of Eastbourne)

The Marina is purpose built with a wide range of expensive houses and flats.  You enter it through a dredged channel up to the locks (note the plural!) that let you into the actual marina.  It is just stuck on the coast between Dover and Brighton with its own shops (Boots, ASD, restaurants and bars etc.) but no pubs that I could find. Tom Cunliffe feels that when going west it is sensible to stop there to ensure the tides are right for your passage.  Certainly for the single handed sailor it is a logical stop.

It is only as I got into the lock that things started to go wrong.  It already had a couple of commercial fishing boats in and I was last in on the Starboard side (it was large enough to put big boats side by side!) and as I came slowly up to the pontoon I climbed up onto the deck, my leg slipped and I pulled all the ligaments behind my knee.  Fortunately a couple of the other boats saw it happen and people leapt to my assistance and one actually came round with to help me moor.

Next day I could only just walk so I decided not to go to Brighton even though the weather was perfect.  I did, however, hobble to ASDA and Boots to get IBUPROFEN and food.