It had been a good stop in Eastbourne... a great meal at an Italian, including the hottest pizza ever, and met up with Fat Buddah and his partner Claire, a fellow Triathlete, and, with all GFS forecasts (which have far and away the most accurate for the whole of the trip) being for 12 to 15 kts, and wall to wall sunshine, it looked like we were in for a really nice closing leg to the trip.... we'd elected to bash out the whole 100nm remaining to Shotley... the only fly in the ointment being a forecast for 24kts at 22h00... that we could cope with, especially as we'd nearly be back by then...
So it was a surprise when the inshore waters forecast came up with F4 to F5 occassionally F6, with a risk of F7 later... we conferred.... a F7 isn't pleasant, but we could cope...
So, after a quick stop for fuel, we locked out of Eastbourne at 09h00....
The weather was just as promised.... in shorts and tee shirts, and needing sunglasses, we made the most of the tide down the channel, making 8kts over the ground... we needed to motor, as we only had 4 or 5kts of apparent wind... but when its sunny, this seems somehow just fine!
It was a quick and enjoyable journey past Hastings, round Dungeness, and on towards Dover, however, as we reached Dover, a few clouds came over, and started to reduce the temperature... by now it was mid afternoon anyway...
On we plodded, getting a massive kick from the tide, and making at one point 11kts over the ground.... we hade been able to get both sails out, but kept the engine on... we had a tidal gate to make at North Foreland...
Upon reaching North Foreland, things took a bit of a downhill turn.... the wind increased to 22kts, turned slightly, and that combined with our new course meant that we were upwind again, and too close to the wind to sail comfortably... we managed to hold the genoa alone, although with a good deep reef in it...
A further 8 or 9nm later, things worsened considerably... the skies had turned black... and in several places a deep purple... not a good sign... the wind had increased to 26kts....
And then it hit us.... it never actually rained that hard, but in the space of a minute the wind increased to 35kts.... gusting for reasoanble periods up to 40kts....
The seas turned into a mass of wind blown spume... trails streaming off every wave... if you look in your nautical almanac at the picture of a F8... then that's exactly what it looked like... it was hard to look straight up wind, the rain was stinging in your face.... everything was howling and whistling... and in 10 minutes, the sea state had gone from 'ok' to very rough, and extremely hard work on the helm.... we'd dropped the sails as we saw it coming.... and while I was in neutral, I noted with a gulp that we were making 3kts under bare poles...
We plugged on, making a miserbale 2.5kts over the ground, with every wave stopping us dead, and falling off the crest into the trough with a huge cloud of spray which was whipped back by the wind to soak the helmsman (me!) and sting my face.... timing was rotten... we were just approaching Foulgers Gat... I started to contemplate getting through there in that wind, and realised just how dangeorous that was... too shallow... too narrow... and too easy to get swept off course... with unthinkable consequences.... the only other options being to carry on and go the long way round.... which meant 25nm as we reached the corner with the sea across the beam.. hardly a good option.... or to turn back and go through Fishermans Gat... a much wider and deeper channel... even the thought of turning a 180° in these conditions seemed quite a scary idea....
So, it was with a sigh of relief, that the cloud passed over us after 30 or 40 minutes of 35kts, and moderated back to 26kts.... still bloody windy, but seemed like a gentle breeze after the last half an hour... the sea also moderated quite a bit quite quickly, and most importantly of all, the visibility rapidly improved so that I could see both sides of Foulgers Gat.... phew... so we set off through....
The remainder of the journey was in much the same vein.... 26kts or so... rain showers, and a seemingly never ending crawl back towards Harwich... at night the lights of the docks and town offer so much early promise of arrival, and yet it seems an eternity until you enter the harbour... which we did at 23h15, and safely back on our berth by 00h05...
What a passage.
The following morning, with a good nights sleep under my belt, the positives could be considered.... while it wasn't fun, the boat was never in any trouble... in fact she was as solid as a rock... we made good decisions... and there was never any hint of panic.... and seeing the top end of a F8 a good way out offshore (and even more so, surrounded by breaking gravel banks roaring) is an experience to remember, thats for sure!!!!
But I wouldn't do it out of choice!
Tomorrow I may write up a summary of the whole trip... all things considered, its been great fun... a month on board is a very different experience... and we've met all our goals in terms of destinations, which is a first!
Miles logged 96nm
Miles this trip 696nm
Miles this season 1,076nm
Miles since this blog started 5,656nm
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Friday, 27 August 2010
Crash bang wallop!
Well… we’ve made it to Eastbourne…. Still not heard Thames Coastguard, so we’re not home yet!
It wasn’t the most pleasant of trips…
We took the cockpit tent down this morning in the rain, and its rained ever since (well, its stopped now….)
Leaving Brighton we had 20kts across the beam, which would have been lovely, but it was thrashing with rain too… its soon built to 25kts… so we hoiked out some genoa, and sailed…
As we reached Beachy head it cut up rough, not surprising as were making 10kts over the ground… so we got slammed around a bit… it also coincided with us heading up, so that we were now dead into the wind… oh joy…
On the positive side, the autopilot worked beautifully, and steered us most of the way…
3hrs of really quite unpleasant conditions, and here we are tied up in Eastbourne… just 100nm from home… if the weather is nice, we’ll single leg it tomorrow.
Miles logged 18nm
Miles this trip 600nm
Miles this season 980nm
Miles since this blog started 5,560nm
It wasn’t the most pleasant of trips…
We took the cockpit tent down this morning in the rain, and its rained ever since (well, its stopped now….)
Leaving Brighton we had 20kts across the beam, which would have been lovely, but it was thrashing with rain too… its soon built to 25kts… so we hoiked out some genoa, and sailed…
As we reached Beachy head it cut up rough, not surprising as were making 10kts over the ground… so we got slammed around a bit… it also coincided with us heading up, so that we were now dead into the wind… oh joy…
On the positive side, the autopilot worked beautifully, and steered us most of the way…
3hrs of really quite unpleasant conditions, and here we are tied up in Eastbourne… just 100nm from home… if the weather is nice, we’ll single leg it tomorrow.
Miles logged 18nm
Miles this trip 600nm
Miles this season 980nm
Miles since this blog started 5,560nm
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Autohelm high-low-high
I’m not sure if I have mentioned previously, but 2 days into this trip my autopilot packed up…. I discovered a week later that the belt was knackered…
I found a supplier online, but was waiting until I got home to organize it… and at every port along the way we’ve found a chandlery and asked if they stocked spares… with a negative answer every time…
Until Brighton.
Here, a truly excellent chandlery, very very helpful, said they could get one next day… and indeed they did… a ‘high’..
So this afternoon I started to fit the new belt… only the gearbox felt stiff, so I removed the four retaining screws to see what the cause was…. To have 23 little tiny cogs spread themselves across the cockpit…. Sh*t…. a ‘low’
2 hours of careful reconstruction, with grease and needle nose pliers, and hoorah… it was back together… and the cabling which also parted on disassembly also repaired… refitted and (big fanfare) it worked!!!! The final ‘high’..
So hopefully tomorrow the weather will let us move on (probably to Eastbourne), and not have to hand steer the whole way!
I found a supplier online, but was waiting until I got home to organize it… and at every port along the way we’ve found a chandlery and asked if they stocked spares… with a negative answer every time…
Until Brighton.
Here, a truly excellent chandlery, very very helpful, said they could get one next day… and indeed they did… a ‘high’..
So this afternoon I started to fit the new belt… only the gearbox felt stiff, so I removed the four retaining screws to see what the cause was…. To have 23 little tiny cogs spread themselves across the cockpit…. Sh*t…. a ‘low’
2 hours of careful reconstruction, with grease and needle nose pliers, and hoorah… it was back together… and the cabling which also parted on disassembly also repaired… refitted and (big fanfare) it worked!!!! The final ‘high’..
So hopefully tomorrow the weather will let us move on (probably to Eastbourne), and not have to hand steer the whole way!
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Brighton Rock!
After what seems like days of wind, the forecast is for F3…. We awoke at 05h30 for an 06h00 depart to find light winds of perhaps 5kts… and thus it stayed… we motored the whole way to Brighton, which isn’t fortunately that far…. The only real excitement being the start of the Looe Passage where the tide squeezing through a small gap caused a certain amount of bubbling and boiling…. And the later in the trip when I felt that the next waypoint on the plotter seemed ‘wrong’… and a quick check revealed that the point I’d placed on the entrance the previous night was actually at the entrance to Shoreham, not Brighton!... whoops!!!
So, here we are in Brighton, hiding from the next low pressure system!
Miles logged 37nm
Miles this trip 582nm
Miles this season 962nm
Miles since this blog started 5,542nm
So, here we are in Brighton, hiding from the next low pressure system!
Miles logged 37nm
Miles this trip 582nm
Miles this season 962nm
Miles since this blog started 5,542nm
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Weather bound
For the third time in the month, we are weather bound again… we’d seen what looked like a bit of a weather window between fronts, enough to dive the short 40nm to Brighton… it meant a very early start, so alarms set for 04h30…. Only when we got up, it was still howling, with gusts coming through at 25kts in the marina, suggesting somewhere north of 30kts out in open water… a rapid decision was reached to go back to bed…. A similar, if perhaps somewhat more sensible/realistic window exists tomorrow, and then wherever we are, we’re stuck until Friday as a particularly vicious low is working its way down the channel, promising 40kts on Thursday…. After that, Friday through to Monday looks pretty good, if not even calm compared to the last few days…
On the plus side, at least Portsmouth is a good place to be stuck… plenty to do… Yesterday we caught the foot ferry across to Gunwharf Quay and the Historic Naval Dockyard…. I really wanted to go and have a look around HMS Victory…only its was £60 for a family of four.. utterly ridiculous… that’s daylight robbery… what on earth must international visitors think about British greed?
On the plus side, at least Portsmouth is a good place to be stuck… plenty to do… Yesterday we caught the foot ferry across to Gunwharf Quay and the Historic Naval Dockyard…. I really wanted to go and have a look around HMS Victory…only its was £60 for a family of four.. utterly ridiculous… that’s daylight robbery… what on earth must international visitors think about British greed?
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Where did he go?
We’d sat in Weymouth waiting for the right weather for 3 days, gradually getting more and more harbor bound. Weymouth is lovely, but there is only so much you can do when its raining, and when you’ve already spent a fortune, and are trying to keep costs down!... it suddenly looked like we’d have a weather window for Sunday, albeit with a forecast for a F9 in the evening!!!!!!.... and Pipedream II turned up as well to keep us company… it was agreed that we’d head towards Brighton, with an option to dive into Poole or the Solent should the weather come through early.
Tides dictated a start around lunchtime, but this was far too late given the weather forecast, so we agreed to punch the tide for a good long while, and slipped out of Weymouth at 08h30, via the fuel pontoon.
It looked like it was going to be a long tedious journey, with little wind when we reached open water, and this was to prove entirely true… only the weather gods threw in a few ‘extras’ to liven things up!
We’d been out 3 hours when cloud loomed on the horizon behind us… gradually it caught up, and within an hour the front of the boat had disappeared… heavy fog… its not so much of a drama nowadays though, as we simply stuck the radar on, and magically we could see anything around us (not much).
Only excitement was a small wooden yacht appearing out of the fog at about 100m range during one slightly better period of visibility… completely undetected on the radar!
The weather pattern continued on and off for the next few hours, mixed with huge rain-showers, so large that we could see them coming on the radar… we were wet and fed up… still motoring…. As we passed St Catherines point (only informed by the chart plotter – you couldn’t see past the bow) we finally said sod it, and turned in towards Portsmouth…. The tide had only just turned to help us, and we were still 4 or 5 hours from Brighton… what little wind there was had shifted into the SW, along with the previous rock stable barometer starting to drop, and I was beginning to wonder if it was the first evidence of the coming weather….and in essence made a decision to err on the side of caution. Alan agreed completely on Pipedream, so we rounded via Bembridge with the visibility looking OK, until we reached Horse Sand Fort where you cross all the shipping channels, and then the world disappeared again!
With radar helping we entered Portsmouth harbor, and were soon safely tied up in Haslar… wet, fed up, and without a sail getting anywhere near being hoisted… ho hum…
Miles logged 73nm
Miles this trip 545nm
Miles this season 925nm
Miles since this blog started 5,505nm
Tides dictated a start around lunchtime, but this was far too late given the weather forecast, so we agreed to punch the tide for a good long while, and slipped out of Weymouth at 08h30, via the fuel pontoon.
It looked like it was going to be a long tedious journey, with little wind when we reached open water, and this was to prove entirely true… only the weather gods threw in a few ‘extras’ to liven things up!
We’d been out 3 hours when cloud loomed on the horizon behind us… gradually it caught up, and within an hour the front of the boat had disappeared… heavy fog… its not so much of a drama nowadays though, as we simply stuck the radar on, and magically we could see anything around us (not much).
Only excitement was a small wooden yacht appearing out of the fog at about 100m range during one slightly better period of visibility… completely undetected on the radar!
The weather pattern continued on and off for the next few hours, mixed with huge rain-showers, so large that we could see them coming on the radar… we were wet and fed up… still motoring…. As we passed St Catherines point (only informed by the chart plotter – you couldn’t see past the bow) we finally said sod it, and turned in towards Portsmouth…. The tide had only just turned to help us, and we were still 4 or 5 hours from Brighton… what little wind there was had shifted into the SW, along with the previous rock stable barometer starting to drop, and I was beginning to wonder if it was the first evidence of the coming weather….and in essence made a decision to err on the side of caution. Alan agreed completely on Pipedream, so we rounded via Bembridge with the visibility looking OK, until we reached Horse Sand Fort where you cross all the shipping channels, and then the world disappeared again!
With radar helping we entered Portsmouth harbor, and were soon safely tied up in Haslar… wet, fed up, and without a sail getting anywhere near being hoisted… ho hum…
Miles logged 73nm
Miles this trip 545nm
Miles this season 925nm
Miles since this blog started 5,505nm
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Rolercoaster
Leaving Salcombe to head west is an act of balancing the tide over the bar against getting plenty of west going tide to carry you across Lyme bay, and timing it all so that you don’t round Portland Bill with the tide in full flight, and hence the worst of the Portland race. It wasn’t too bad for us, as it was a neap tide, so we had enough water over the bar just 1hr after low water, and would then have about 2hrs of foul tide, followed by nearly 7hrs of tide across Lyme bay, before hitting the Bill without too much race evident (although on a neap tide the race shouldn’t be too bad)
So at 08h00 we slipped quietly out of the river (it was utterly peaceful in stark contrast to the previous day’s motorboat madness), and chugged slowly over the bar. It was a bit light to sail, with the wind dead behind us, so we motored for a couple of hours until the wind picked up to 12kts apparent, at which point the sails went up and the engine off… marvelous!
Over the next few hours, it slowly got windier and windier… and by the time Portland Bill came into sight,we had 20kts apparent, (with around 28kts true)… there were substantial rollers charging down the channel, and we were getting huge surfs up to 11kts over the ground… phew… we were also sailing so dead downwind that we were tacking downwind, which means sailing slightly off track and ‘zig-zagging’ towards the destination…. Each gybe was ‘interesting’, and I just reached the point were I was considering ‘wearing round’ (which means tacking rather than gybing) when BANG… the mainsheet exploded….. I couldn’t believe this had happened again… but on inspection, this time it wasn’t the block, but the fixing on the boom…. Heading up, and furling soon had things under control… and a jury rigged mainsheet got the boom sorted (we have a spare fixing on the boom – albeit in a slightly less than perfect position – its fouls the sprayhood slightly), and we continued under genoa alone.
This actually made the remainder of the trip somewhat more pleasant, and we held course,still making 8kts over the ground, leaving a good 4nm off Portland Bill as we were an hour late for ideal rounding (which was a good decision looking inwards towards the Bill), and then cut inside The Shambles and within the hour had the lee of Portland Bill which made life somewhat more comfortable….
Entering Weymouth harbor was straightforward, and we tied up on the outside of an already 3 deep raft… one leaving at 10h00, the next at 11h00 and the third at 12h00… so by lunchtime tomorrow we’ll be on the pontoon!
Miles logged 73nm
Miles this trip 472nm
Miles this season 852nm
Miles since this blog started 5,432nm
So at 08h00 we slipped quietly out of the river (it was utterly peaceful in stark contrast to the previous day’s motorboat madness), and chugged slowly over the bar. It was a bit light to sail, with the wind dead behind us, so we motored for a couple of hours until the wind picked up to 12kts apparent, at which point the sails went up and the engine off… marvelous!
Over the next few hours, it slowly got windier and windier… and by the time Portland Bill came into sight,we had 20kts apparent, (with around 28kts true)… there were substantial rollers charging down the channel, and we were getting huge surfs up to 11kts over the ground… phew… we were also sailing so dead downwind that we were tacking downwind, which means sailing slightly off track and ‘zig-zagging’ towards the destination…. Each gybe was ‘interesting’, and I just reached the point were I was considering ‘wearing round’ (which means tacking rather than gybing) when BANG… the mainsheet exploded….. I couldn’t believe this had happened again… but on inspection, this time it wasn’t the block, but the fixing on the boom…. Heading up, and furling soon had things under control… and a jury rigged mainsheet got the boom sorted (we have a spare fixing on the boom – albeit in a slightly less than perfect position – its fouls the sprayhood slightly), and we continued under genoa alone.
This actually made the remainder of the trip somewhat more pleasant, and we held course,still making 8kts over the ground, leaving a good 4nm off Portland Bill as we were an hour late for ideal rounding (which was a good decision looking inwards towards the Bill), and then cut inside The Shambles and within the hour had the lee of Portland Bill which made life somewhat more comfortable….
Entering Weymouth harbor was straightforward, and we tied up on the outside of an already 3 deep raft… one leaving at 10h00, the next at 11h00 and the third at 12h00… so by lunchtime tomorrow we’ll be on the pontoon!
Miles logged 73nm
Miles this trip 472nm
Miles this season 852nm
Miles since this blog started 5,432nm
Mizzle
A wet an ‘orrible’ trip up the coast. Just a few miles though, so not the end of the world. We slipped quietly from Newton Ferrers at 07h30 in the morning, and motored out into a grey mizzly day, with visibility of just 1/4nm or so… this meant that no sooner had we left Newton Ferrers than it’s cliffs had disappeared into the gloom.
This set the theme for the trip… no wind (hey met office… what happened to the forecast F4 to F5 occ F6?)… the kids stayed in bed (sensible)… SWMBO and I got soaked on deck…
Never mind… by 10h15 we were tied up in Salcombe… an easy entrance despite its famous sand bar… with good transits to make it easy…
Soon as we tied up, the sun came out, and the world seemed a lot nicer alround!
Miles logged 17nm
Miles this trip 399nm
Miles this season 779nm
Miles since this blog started 5,359nm
This set the theme for the trip… no wind (hey met office… what happened to the forecast F4 to F5 occ F6?)… the kids stayed in bed (sensible)… SWMBO and I got soaked on deck…
Never mind… by 10h15 we were tied up in Salcombe… an easy entrance despite its famous sand bar… with good transits to make it easy…
Soon as we tied up, the sun came out, and the world seemed a lot nicer alround!
Miles logged 17nm
Miles this trip 399nm
Miles this season 779nm
Miles since this blog started 5,359nm
Memories
Plymouth has changed beyond all recognition… gone are the ‘down in the mouth’ warehouses on the waterfront where small marine businesses tried to eke out a living to be replaced with a series of expensive and rather soul-less flats. The tired 1960’s shops of the Barbican selling clothing for gentlemen of a ‘certain age’ and the seedy pubs, stacked with drunken off duty matelots have all made way for upmarket wine bars and bistro bars…. Its lost its working nature, but in fairness, has become a very lively place, where no doubt much money is being made.
The two things that struck me most… the old Admiralty chart agents, a place to warm the heart of any true seafarer, with rows of dusty charts from various exotic places around the world, and with a musty smell that I can still recall after 20 years is now a gastro pub…. And the gorgeous working harbour, with its inevitable collection of aging and rusty fishing boats and commercial vessels of assorted colours, now has a large modern lock, and is stuffed full of modern pontoons and modern boats collecting dues from the leisure sailors of the south west. While I can only appreciate the quality of the facilities, I still can’t help but feel that Plymouth, a true seafarer’s city has very slightly sold its soul.
In many other ways the city remains unchanged… sure the shop fronts are different, but it still has street names that evoke memories of its illustrious past…
We’d enjoyed a walk along the seafront… and time on the Hoe staring out to sea, but it was time to move on… we’d met new friends, and enjoyed good food and good company though… Sophie, it was a delight to meet you and your family… we thoroughly enjoyed your company.
We slipped from Sutton Harbour at 10h00, and then enjoyed a peaceful hour across the Sound… There wasn’t much wind, but what we had was behind us, so for the first time this holiday, we had downwind sailing.. it was also lovely and warm, so we meandered out of the sound at a stately 2.5kts, and enjoyed every minute of it. As we cleared the Shag stone, the wind vanished completely, so engine on, and we motored the last 1.5nm into Newton Ferrers. This entance rivals any, including Dartmouth, and drew the expected ooohs and aaars from the crew.
Following the transits ensures a safe passage around the bar, and avoiding the shallows, and we soon found and tied up to a free mooring, for which we were relieved of £19…. And then had to move as the owner turned up!
But, despite this minor annoyance, we enjoyed a short walk ashore, and then a great meal aboard…. Tomorrow we are heading towards the place made famous by its ability to extort funds from yachtsman in a whole raft of new and creative ways… Salcombe… I’ll need a new bank loan!
Miles logged 7nm
Miles this trip 382nm
Miles this season 760nm
Miles since this blog started 5,340nm
The two things that struck me most… the old Admiralty chart agents, a place to warm the heart of any true seafarer, with rows of dusty charts from various exotic places around the world, and with a musty smell that I can still recall after 20 years is now a gastro pub…. And the gorgeous working harbour, with its inevitable collection of aging and rusty fishing boats and commercial vessels of assorted colours, now has a large modern lock, and is stuffed full of modern pontoons and modern boats collecting dues from the leisure sailors of the south west. While I can only appreciate the quality of the facilities, I still can’t help but feel that Plymouth, a true seafarer’s city has very slightly sold its soul.
In many other ways the city remains unchanged… sure the shop fronts are different, but it still has street names that evoke memories of its illustrious past…
We’d enjoyed a walk along the seafront… and time on the Hoe staring out to sea, but it was time to move on… we’d met new friends, and enjoyed good food and good company though… Sophie, it was a delight to meet you and your family… we thoroughly enjoyed your company.
We slipped from Sutton Harbour at 10h00, and then enjoyed a peaceful hour across the Sound… There wasn’t much wind, but what we had was behind us, so for the first time this holiday, we had downwind sailing.. it was also lovely and warm, so we meandered out of the sound at a stately 2.5kts, and enjoyed every minute of it. As we cleared the Shag stone, the wind vanished completely, so engine on, and we motored the last 1.5nm into Newton Ferrers. This entance rivals any, including Dartmouth, and drew the expected ooohs and aaars from the crew.
Following the transits ensures a safe passage around the bar, and avoiding the shallows, and we soon found and tied up to a free mooring, for which we were relieved of £19…. And then had to move as the owner turned up!
But, despite this minor annoyance, we enjoyed a short walk ashore, and then a great meal aboard…. Tomorrow we are heading towards the place made famous by its ability to extort funds from yachtsman in a whole raft of new and creative ways… Salcombe… I’ll need a new bank loan!
Miles logged 7nm
Miles this trip 382nm
Miles this season 760nm
Miles since this blog started 5,340nm
Friday, 13 August 2010
Memories!
In the 80’s (yes, it was a long time ago), I was a student in Plymouth… I spent 5 years here, fitting the odd lecture in between visits to pubs and doing a great deal of sailing… In fact I logged over 10,000nm in 5 years… I haven’t been back in 18 years, and not by boat for a good few more… so its fair to say that I was looking forward to a visit..
It was a late start from Dartmouth… not wanting to leave until midday… this meant that we got a nice lift with the tide up to Start point, but then hit the point at slack water… I remember only too well what Start point can be like when it cuts up rough… and the previous few days had seen a decent ground swell coming in from the Atlantic… add wind over tide with a F4/5 forecast, and it added up to a bumpy rounding if I got it wrong….
I didn’t… it was flat as a pancake round the point, and once round, the tide kicked in, and for a while we were making 10.5kts over the ground…. Sadly as we reached Prawle Point and then Bolt Tail, the course shifted to a NW and we were into the wind… so we motored (again!)… we did try sailing, but it was going to stand us miles out to sea… and it had also increased to 18kts…. So with a bump and a crash we plodded our way across Bigbury bay…. Only the ground speed made it tolerable… and we entered Plymouth sound at 16h00… a very fast run…. And tied up by 17h00
I was full of nostalgia as we passed the Mew stone and then Shag rock, and positively delirious as we rounded Mountbatten…. The waterfront has changed beyond all recognition, including the delights of a lock into Sutton Harbour…it used to be a very commercial location, and dried in many places…not now… it’s a very upmarket marina…. but the Barbican is still a delight… and I’m going to enjoy a few days of reacquainting myself with various memories… but wow… even the old admiralty chart agents in their dirty old warehouse is now a wine bar!!!!
Miles logged 35nm
Miles this trip 375nm
Miles this season 753nm
Miles since this blog started 5,333nm
It was a late start from Dartmouth… not wanting to leave until midday… this meant that we got a nice lift with the tide up to Start point, but then hit the point at slack water… I remember only too well what Start point can be like when it cuts up rough… and the previous few days had seen a decent ground swell coming in from the Atlantic… add wind over tide with a F4/5 forecast, and it added up to a bumpy rounding if I got it wrong….
I didn’t… it was flat as a pancake round the point, and once round, the tide kicked in, and for a while we were making 10.5kts over the ground…. Sadly as we reached Prawle Point and then Bolt Tail, the course shifted to a NW and we were into the wind… so we motored (again!)… we did try sailing, but it was going to stand us miles out to sea… and it had also increased to 18kts…. So with a bump and a crash we plodded our way across Bigbury bay…. Only the ground speed made it tolerable… and we entered Plymouth sound at 16h00… a very fast run…. And tied up by 17h00
I was full of nostalgia as we passed the Mew stone and then Shag rock, and positively delirious as we rounded Mountbatten…. The waterfront has changed beyond all recognition, including the delights of a lock into Sutton Harbour…it used to be a very commercial location, and dried in many places…not now… it’s a very upmarket marina…. but the Barbican is still a delight… and I’m going to enjoy a few days of reacquainting myself with various memories… but wow… even the old admiralty chart agents in their dirty old warehouse is now a wine bar!!!!
Miles logged 35nm
Miles this trip 375nm
Miles this season 753nm
Miles since this blog started 5,333nm
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Sailing at last!
With a forecast for the rain to ease off ovenight, and the wind to moderate, plans were laid to depart towards Dartmouth at around 05h30 in the morning…. Another boat tied alongside us, but also leaving towards Poole, so they agreed to leave at 05h30 too… it was nearly all thwarted when I stayed up a tiny bit later than planned to catch the late weather forecast from Jersey Coastguard, and just prevented a boat tying up outside both of us at about 23h00, and then clearing off ashore until the following day!!!!
So, when I stuck my head out of the hatch at 05h00, it was pleasing to see a dry morning, and virtually no wind at all…
We motored out of St Peter Port into a gentle North Westerly of about 8kts, and with the largest spring tide of the year under us, we shot out of the Little Russell channel at a very high speed. Nav was a lot easier than on the way in, having by now got used to all the rocks… they are very intimidating to an East Coaster… but then I suppose sand banks 6” under the keel are just the same to a West Country boat!
As soon as we cleared Platte Fougere, I set course for Dartmouth, some 60nm distant… this unfortunately set us directly into the wind, so we motored with just the main up… it was classic western channel weather, with little in the way of chop, but huge ocean rollers sweeping under the boat… I love it, but it was an entirely new experience for SWMBO and the kids… they soon got used to it though, and started to enjoy the boat constantly rising and then disappearing into the troughs.
After a further 20nm, the wind started to pick up a bit, and to my delight, swung into the west… up went the genoa, off went the engine, and hoorah… we were sailing at last… albeit at a bit of an angle…
For the next 30nm, the wind steadily built, and with the effect of apparent wind, I steadily placed reefs into the sails… by the time Start point came into sight, we were going into 27kts of apparent wind… it had eased yet further round, and I was able to just crack the sails off an inch or two… we were romping along… hitting 8 to 9kts through the water… I was in my element… SWMBO was less impressed!
As we closed in on Dartmouth the wind backed yet further until it was across the beam, and then as if someone had thrown a switch, it dropped down to 8kts, and backed right round to behind us…. Not enough to sail with any reasonable VMG, so the genoa came in, the engine went back on, and we motored the final 4nm into Dartmouth.
This was everyone’s first time into Dartmouth bar me, so I was eagerly awaiting their reaction to entering what must be one of the world’s prettiest estuaries… and they didn’t disappoint!
We decided to tie up in Dart Haven marina… the wrong side of the river, but directly opposite town, and half the price of the other marina!... it was therefore a bit of a shock to be told, sorry we are full when making a VHF call.. us spoilt east coasters again… an anchorage is busy when I has 4 boats in it!
They did suggest that if we could fine a spot on the visitors pontoon, then fine… otherwise, sorry… We had a good look, and decided that we could hang on the end of one of the pontoons… only half the boat alongside the pontoon.. but we were on, and secure… we did have to fend off a couple of later arrivals who wanted to tie alongside… sorry… not safe… we didn’t have enough pontoon to tie to ourselves, let alone with another boat rafted outside us… eventually one did come alongside, but smaller, so not so much of a problem…
We then shot ashore, and grabbed the ferry across to Dartmouth town, and had what was the best fish and chips I have ever tasted by a country mile…if you ever wind up in Dartmouth… I can recommend ‘Rockfish’… simply superb….
So.. a day of rest now… and to enjoy the delightful west country.
Miles logged 78nm
Miles this trip 340nm
Miles this season 718nm
Miles since this blog started 5,298nm
So, when I stuck my head out of the hatch at 05h00, it was pleasing to see a dry morning, and virtually no wind at all…
We motored out of St Peter Port into a gentle North Westerly of about 8kts, and with the largest spring tide of the year under us, we shot out of the Little Russell channel at a very high speed. Nav was a lot easier than on the way in, having by now got used to all the rocks… they are very intimidating to an East Coaster… but then I suppose sand banks 6” under the keel are just the same to a West Country boat!
As soon as we cleared Platte Fougere, I set course for Dartmouth, some 60nm distant… this unfortunately set us directly into the wind, so we motored with just the main up… it was classic western channel weather, with little in the way of chop, but huge ocean rollers sweeping under the boat… I love it, but it was an entirely new experience for SWMBO and the kids… they soon got used to it though, and started to enjoy the boat constantly rising and then disappearing into the troughs.
After a further 20nm, the wind started to pick up a bit, and to my delight, swung into the west… up went the genoa, off went the engine, and hoorah… we were sailing at last… albeit at a bit of an angle…
For the next 30nm, the wind steadily built, and with the effect of apparent wind, I steadily placed reefs into the sails… by the time Start point came into sight, we were going into 27kts of apparent wind… it had eased yet further round, and I was able to just crack the sails off an inch or two… we were romping along… hitting 8 to 9kts through the water… I was in my element… SWMBO was less impressed!
As we closed in on Dartmouth the wind backed yet further until it was across the beam, and then as if someone had thrown a switch, it dropped down to 8kts, and backed right round to behind us…. Not enough to sail with any reasonable VMG, so the genoa came in, the engine went back on, and we motored the final 4nm into Dartmouth.
This was everyone’s first time into Dartmouth bar me, so I was eagerly awaiting their reaction to entering what must be one of the world’s prettiest estuaries… and they didn’t disappoint!
We decided to tie up in Dart Haven marina… the wrong side of the river, but directly opposite town, and half the price of the other marina!... it was therefore a bit of a shock to be told, sorry we are full when making a VHF call.. us spoilt east coasters again… an anchorage is busy when I has 4 boats in it!
They did suggest that if we could fine a spot on the visitors pontoon, then fine… otherwise, sorry… We had a good look, and decided that we could hang on the end of one of the pontoons… only half the boat alongside the pontoon.. but we were on, and secure… we did have to fend off a couple of later arrivals who wanted to tie alongside… sorry… not safe… we didn’t have enough pontoon to tie to ourselves, let alone with another boat rafted outside us… eventually one did come alongside, but smaller, so not so much of a problem…
We then shot ashore, and grabbed the ferry across to Dartmouth town, and had what was the best fish and chips I have ever tasted by a country mile…if you ever wind up in Dartmouth… I can recommend ‘Rockfish’… simply superb….
So.. a day of rest now… and to enjoy the delightful west country.
Miles logged 78nm
Miles this trip 340nm
Miles this season 718nm
Miles since this blog started 5,298nm
Monday, 9 August 2010
Herm and back to SPP
After an extremely rolly night, we crept out of the Sark anchorage early, and decided to head for a brief stop at Shell beach on Herm... this looked ver pretty from a distance, and most certainly didn't fail to deliver!
It was an easy entrance, between two large rock outcrops, but with plenty of room, into a small bay, with a gently shelving sand bottom, making anchoring very easy.... and a totally unique experence in Morgana to be able to anchor and see the anchor and chain in 5m of water!
It was also delightful to see the water gradually turn blue as we crept closer in (from its normal green), and then as we got very close to the point of anchoring, turn aquamarine.... lovely!
we tendered ashore, and walked along a picture postcard pretty beach, in lovely sunshine.... could it get any better!
After a couple of hours, It ws tme to get back to the boat, and ensure that we didn't run aground (that pesky 10m tidal range again!), and so, reluctantly, we pulled he anchor up, and motored (into the wind - c'est la vie) the 3nm back to St Peter Port.... and enforced return due to impending bad weather... not storm force, but enough that we'd prefer to be in a harbour.... it should all be through by Tusday evening, so Wednesday, maybe.. we'll head back to the UK... probably Dartmouth.... although, with a certain amount of predictability, the wnd will probably be North Westerly for the first time in weeks.... so on the nose again!
Miles logged 11nm
Miles this trip 262nm
Miles this season 640nm
Miles since this blog started 5,220nm
It was an easy entrance, between two large rock outcrops, but with plenty of room, into a small bay, with a gently shelving sand bottom, making anchoring very easy.... and a totally unique experence in Morgana to be able to anchor and see the anchor and chain in 5m of water!
It was also delightful to see the water gradually turn blue as we crept closer in (from its normal green), and then as we got very close to the point of anchoring, turn aquamarine.... lovely!
we tendered ashore, and walked along a picture postcard pretty beach, in lovely sunshine.... could it get any better!
After a couple of hours, It ws tme to get back to the boat, and ensure that we didn't run aground (that pesky 10m tidal range again!), and so, reluctantly, we pulled he anchor up, and motored (into the wind - c'est la vie) the 3nm back to St Peter Port.... and enforced return due to impending bad weather... not storm force, but enough that we'd prefer to be in a harbour.... it should all be through by Tusday evening, so Wednesday, maybe.. we'll head back to the UK... probably Dartmouth.... although, with a certain amount of predictability, the wnd will probably be North Westerly for the first time in weeks.... so on the nose again!
Miles logged 11nm
Miles this trip 262nm
Miles this season 640nm
Miles since this blog started 5,220nm
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Cars not included
With a great forecast, we decided that it was the day to head for Sark... the island that shunned cars completely, and decided instead to resort to bicycles and horse and cart for transport....
It was only a very short distance across to the island, so we set off at a time of convenience rather than a time to suit the tides... plugging into the tide for just 3 or 4 miles isn't a problem after all!
This was out first experience of getting close and personal with the rocks... previously, we'd been in quite wide channels, so it was with some trepidation that we passed through the first route towards Sark, the Muse channel... which is a wonderful 500' wide.... easy... and then into the anchorage... through a channel 200' wide... then finally a gap of 80' between rocks... gulp!
We had been heading for the bay called Gréve de Ville, where the locals have laid a few visitors bouys to attract boats into their area... I fancied the idea of a bouy simply becuase anchoring is a bit of a pain in an area with a tidal range of 10m, as you have to lay out so much chain to allow for high water....
It proved to be a picture postcard pretty bay... with a steep zig zag path up the cliff, that had SWMBO puffing!
A long walk around Sark followed (well as long as a walk can be when it takes 40 mins to walk from one end of the island to the other), including a visit to the Coupeé... the causeway between the two parts of the island... only its a causeway 400' up in the cliffs!... very pretty... and best of all... really really hot all day!
Then we returned to Morgana, had a great meal and glass of wine in the cockpit, and retired for the night.... to be treated to the most rolly night I have ever experienced... what had been a perfect day was spoilt a little, as both SWMBO and I struggled to sleep as the boat lurched 30degrees in either direction.... still we were there... another 'must do' ticked off....
Miles logged 12nm
Miles this trip 252nm
Miles this season 629nm
Miles since this blog started 5,209nm
It was only a very short distance across to the island, so we set off at a time of convenience rather than a time to suit the tides... plugging into the tide for just 3 or 4 miles isn't a problem after all!
This was out first experience of getting close and personal with the rocks... previously, we'd been in quite wide channels, so it was with some trepidation that we passed through the first route towards Sark, the Muse channel... which is a wonderful 500' wide.... easy... and then into the anchorage... through a channel 200' wide... then finally a gap of 80' between rocks... gulp!
We had been heading for the bay called Gréve de Ville, where the locals have laid a few visitors bouys to attract boats into their area... I fancied the idea of a bouy simply becuase anchoring is a bit of a pain in an area with a tidal range of 10m, as you have to lay out so much chain to allow for high water....
It proved to be a picture postcard pretty bay... with a steep zig zag path up the cliff, that had SWMBO puffing!
A long walk around Sark followed (well as long as a walk can be when it takes 40 mins to walk from one end of the island to the other), including a visit to the Coupeé... the causeway between the two parts of the island... only its a causeway 400' up in the cliffs!... very pretty... and best of all... really really hot all day!
Then we returned to Morgana, had a great meal and glass of wine in the cockpit, and retired for the night.... to be treated to the most rolly night I have ever experienced... what had been a perfect day was spoilt a little, as both SWMBO and I struggled to sleep as the boat lurched 30degrees in either direction.... still we were there... another 'must do' ticked off....
Miles logged 12nm
Miles this trip 252nm
Miles this season 629nm
Miles since this blog started 5,209nm
Friday, 6 August 2010
Island life
Hoorah.... we've made it to the Channel Islands... Guernsey to be precise... its the first time in several years that we've actually made the destination we'd planned for on our summer cruise... regular sailor-readers will recognise the home truth in that!
It was a bit of an uncertain decision overnight... with all the GFS forecast sites suggesting F3 to F4 SW and sea state OK, but with the met office forecasting up to F6 Westerly, and sea state rough... so we decided to get up a 05h00 and see what faced us... as it happens, when we got up, it was a glassy calm in the marina, so we slipped, along wth a small armade of other vessels all bound for various ports in the CI, and whom had been stuck in Cherbourg for several days..
As we left the breakwater we found a SW (as forecast by GFS) and about 12kts (as forecast by GFS)...perfect... and yet again, a shocking performance by the met office... they've been absolute rubbish for the entire trip so far...
We were therefore able to sail, and enjoyed 2 hours of near perfect upwind sailing alng the coast towards Cap de la Hague.... sadly it had to end when we rounded, and pointed up into the wind towards Guernsey.. 3 hours of motoring, a bit of 'interesting' navigation through the little russell, dodging rocks, and we entered St Peter Port.... tied up... and ready for a few days of R&R.... here we go!
Miles logged 40nm
Miles this trip 240nm
Miles this season 617nm
Miles since this blog started 5,197nm
It was a bit of an uncertain decision overnight... with all the GFS forecast sites suggesting F3 to F4 SW and sea state OK, but with the met office forecasting up to F6 Westerly, and sea state rough... so we decided to get up a 05h00 and see what faced us... as it happens, when we got up, it was a glassy calm in the marina, so we slipped, along wth a small armade of other vessels all bound for various ports in the CI, and whom had been stuck in Cherbourg for several days..
As we left the breakwater we found a SW (as forecast by GFS) and about 12kts (as forecast by GFS)...perfect... and yet again, a shocking performance by the met office... they've been absolute rubbish for the entire trip so far...
We were therefore able to sail, and enjoyed 2 hours of near perfect upwind sailing alng the coast towards Cap de la Hague.... sadly it had to end when we rounded, and pointed up into the wind towards Guernsey.. 3 hours of motoring, a bit of 'interesting' navigation through the little russell, dodging rocks, and we entered St Peter Port.... tied up... and ready for a few days of R&R.... here we go!
Miles logged 40nm
Miles this trip 240nm
Miles this season 617nm
Miles since this blog started 5,197nm
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
French fried!
A days delay in Eastbourne proved somewhat more passable than i'd expected... We dug the folding bikes out, and rode into Eastbourne, a journey of just 2.5 miles (just far enough for SWMBO to complain about a sore backside!)... Eastbourne proved to be quite a pleasant little seaside town, with an air of being well kept and cared for... lots of evidence of fresh paint, carefully tended flower beds, and seemingly lots going on... much nicer than its counterparts further up the Eastern channel.
We'd decided the previous evening that we'd head for Cherbourg, with a fallback of Portsmouth should the weather be less pleasant. An early alarm call (04h00), and we were soon on the fuel pontoon, and locked out on the 05h00 opening... The sea was quite flat, with a light breeze at around 8kts... westerly rather than south westerly meant that the main went up, and for once the sail was helping rather than hindering.... we soon reached Beachy Head, and eased off out to sea, and in a mere 15 miles, reached the edge of where the TSS ended. This meant that we could now head for France properly... and with the wind not having exceeded 10 kts, there was nothing to stop us... it is however, extremely hard psychologically to see the next waypoint pop up on the plotter with 79.6nm to go.... on the upside, it was the entrance to Cherbourg!
What followed was an entirely uneventful trip... we saw lots of ships, but didn't have to alter course for a single one of them. We had the wind increase up to a max of 15kts.... hardly a gale... and ate heartily... a huge corned beef hash mid channel went down well.... SWMBO and I alternated 1hr shifts on the helm, neccessitated by the complete and utter failure of the autohelm... the previous day's attempts and repair proving to be rather useless!
It was, therefore, rather nice to reach the entrance to Cherbourg marina at 20h15, with plenty of daylight left, and having averged well over 6.5kts... pretty good... we seem to have played the tides perfectly.
Tying up was another matter.... the marina was chockablock full, and when we found a space, we made a right pig's ear of getting in it... but get in it we did, albeit with a lot of warp pulling, extreme knot tying competitions, and swearing at the kids... nothing hit, nothing bent, and no one died... a success!
The final negative, is that after so many hours of motoring (and a repeat of the trip to Eastbourne - although I forgot to mention it on that entry), the engine seemed to 'judder' a bit on putting it gently into gear, and then out again...including in neutral, so not the gearbox... and it didn't seem to be 'tight'.... it felt almost like something had overheated, and was firing on less cylinders than perfect.... it only seems to happen when she's run for very extended periods... we'll see.
But overall... here we are... in France... even better, at the right end of the French northern coastline... just a short hop from the Channel Islands... and we're only a few days in.... as C pointed out, excluding the aborted saturday at the beginning, we are in a position we'd be delighted with when we were planning, so can't complain.
Now I need to get a forecast.... no internet access at the moment....so need to find a cafe with free wireless
Miles logged 103nm
Miles this trip 200nm
Miles this season 577nm
Miles since this blog started 5,157nm
We'd decided the previous evening that we'd head for Cherbourg, with a fallback of Portsmouth should the weather be less pleasant. An early alarm call (04h00), and we were soon on the fuel pontoon, and locked out on the 05h00 opening... The sea was quite flat, with a light breeze at around 8kts... westerly rather than south westerly meant that the main went up, and for once the sail was helping rather than hindering.... we soon reached Beachy Head, and eased off out to sea, and in a mere 15 miles, reached the edge of where the TSS ended. This meant that we could now head for France properly... and with the wind not having exceeded 10 kts, there was nothing to stop us... it is however, extremely hard psychologically to see the next waypoint pop up on the plotter with 79.6nm to go.... on the upside, it was the entrance to Cherbourg!
What followed was an entirely uneventful trip... we saw lots of ships, but didn't have to alter course for a single one of them. We had the wind increase up to a max of 15kts.... hardly a gale... and ate heartily... a huge corned beef hash mid channel went down well.... SWMBO and I alternated 1hr shifts on the helm, neccessitated by the complete and utter failure of the autohelm... the previous day's attempts and repair proving to be rather useless!
It was, therefore, rather nice to reach the entrance to Cherbourg marina at 20h15, with plenty of daylight left, and having averged well over 6.5kts... pretty good... we seem to have played the tides perfectly.
Tying up was another matter.... the marina was chockablock full, and when we found a space, we made a right pig's ear of getting in it... but get in it we did, albeit with a lot of warp pulling, extreme knot tying competitions, and swearing at the kids... nothing hit, nothing bent, and no one died... a success!
The final negative, is that after so many hours of motoring (and a repeat of the trip to Eastbourne - although I forgot to mention it on that entry), the engine seemed to 'judder' a bit on putting it gently into gear, and then out again...including in neutral, so not the gearbox... and it didn't seem to be 'tight'.... it felt almost like something had overheated, and was firing on less cylinders than perfect.... it only seems to happen when she's run for very extended periods... we'll see.
But overall... here we are... in France... even better, at the right end of the French northern coastline... just a short hop from the Channel Islands... and we're only a few days in.... as C pointed out, excluding the aborted saturday at the beginning, we are in a position we'd be delighted with when we were planning, so can't complain.
Now I need to get a forecast.... no internet access at the moment....so need to find a cafe with free wireless
Miles logged 103nm
Miles this trip 200nm
Miles this season 577nm
Miles since this blog started 5,157nm
Monday, 2 August 2010
Long legs and lumpy
After deciding to start a day later than planned, we were keen to get away on the Sunday, and so after a bleary eyed start when the alarm went off at 04:45, we slipped out of the lock (via the fuel pontoon) at 05:45.
The forecast was a reasonable 12kts, gusting 18kts... which sounded great, other than the direction, a south westerly, which meant it would be on the nose...
Which it proved to be..
Crossing the Thames Estuary was a non event, with us having to motor the whole way (well, bar 15 mins off Walton headland where we just had to try the new sails)... and we rounded North Foreland and passed Ramsgate in a record breaking 6 hrs... this was to be the end of the nice part of the trip though..
As soon as we’d passed Ramsgate, the wind started picking up, reaching 22kts... nothing too serious, but with the tide turning, and the wind on the nose , and still 60nm to go, it turned the remainder of the trip into a slog... we bashed into the waves, falling off each one with a crash... spray over the boat... and we did this for the next 10hrs... wearing us down slowly but surely... rounding Dungeness was a particular low point... a major milestone, but then to see the next waypoint appear on the plotter with 26nm to go caused a sinking feeling....
Things were made worse by the autohelm also failing just off Ramsgate.... it sounds like teeth have stripped somewhere... investigation about to start... SWMBO says its because I mentioned possibly a new one, and so he went and packed up in a sulk.... :)
It was well and truly dark by the time we reached Eastbourne... and if there is a positive to be found, it is that we made a fine job of picking out the navigation lights against a backdrop of yellow sodium street lighting, and found our way safely and securely into Sovereign harbour, tying up in the lock at just after 23h00.
Feeling, by this time, completely exhausted, we made a quick decision to curtail the plans for another 100 miler the next day, and fell into our beds!
Miles logged 97nm
Miles this trip 97nm
Miles this season 474nm
Miles since this blog started 5,054nm
The forecast was a reasonable 12kts, gusting 18kts... which sounded great, other than the direction, a south westerly, which meant it would be on the nose...
Which it proved to be..
Crossing the Thames Estuary was a non event, with us having to motor the whole way (well, bar 15 mins off Walton headland where we just had to try the new sails)... and we rounded North Foreland and passed Ramsgate in a record breaking 6 hrs... this was to be the end of the nice part of the trip though..
As soon as we’d passed Ramsgate, the wind started picking up, reaching 22kts... nothing too serious, but with the tide turning, and the wind on the nose , and still 60nm to go, it turned the remainder of the trip into a slog... we bashed into the waves, falling off each one with a crash... spray over the boat... and we did this for the next 10hrs... wearing us down slowly but surely... rounding Dungeness was a particular low point... a major milestone, but then to see the next waypoint appear on the plotter with 26nm to go caused a sinking feeling....
Things were made worse by the autohelm also failing just off Ramsgate.... it sounds like teeth have stripped somewhere... investigation about to start... SWMBO says its because I mentioned possibly a new one, and so he went and packed up in a sulk.... :)
It was well and truly dark by the time we reached Eastbourne... and if there is a positive to be found, it is that we made a fine job of picking out the navigation lights against a backdrop of yellow sodium street lighting, and found our way safely and securely into Sovereign harbour, tying up in the lock at just after 23h00.
Feeling, by this time, completely exhausted, we made a quick decision to curtail the plans for another 100 miler the next day, and fell into our beds!
Miles logged 97nm
Miles this trip 97nm
Miles this season 474nm
Miles since this blog started 5,054nm
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