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| Arrival at Ipswich |
It feels good to be back although I am still rather tired. In fact I almost fell asleep over our arrival dinner at the Butt and Oyster.  |
| Bryan and Mike |
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| Becks at Felixstowe |
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| Mike at Beachy Head |
Friday 21 August 2015
We're back!
Goldfinch arrived back at Ipswich Haven on the afternoon of 20th August after completing her round Britain trip. There to greet us were co-owner Ken and previous crew members Chris and Terri. They presented us with suitably engraved champagne glasses - one for each participant - and amazingly an engraved stone plaque. These were made by Terri and Ken. Thank you!
It feels good to be back although I am still rather tired. In fact I almost fell asleep over our arrival dinner at the Butt and Oyster.
It feels good to be back although I am still rather tired. In fact I almost fell asleep over our arrival dinner at the Butt and Oyster. 
Wednesday 19 August 2015
Nearly home
Dan and Rebecca joined us as planned in Portsmouth and we set off again on the Sunday evening for the short hop to Chichester Harbour. There we anchored for the night at East Head and were treated to a spectacular sunset over the still water. Nights at anchor are often restless for me as I worry about the possibility of the anchor dragging, but on this occasion I slept well and awoke early and in time to witness another treat. This time, a gorgeous sunrise. Oddly this was from the same relative direction as the boat had swung around her anchor in the night!
We crept out of Chichester Harbour at low water and headed up Channel to Brighton. We had plenty of time and so decided to try our hand at trolling for mackerel. This worked very well and we caught eight medium sized fish in fairly short order. Later Mike baked these with potatoes and lemon to make a delicious one-pot supper.
At Brighton I was delighted to meet up with an old friend Martin who is currently single-handedly bringing his big catamaran up from Brittany to the East Coast. I witnessed a masterly display of boat handling as he parked this massive craft in a small marina berth. Well done sir!
Annoyingly we discovered the next morning that Brighton Marina is not dredged to the advertised depth and we were consequently two hours late in leaving. This was significant for tidal reasons although we were just in time to 'surf' the tidal surge most of the way to Dover.
We intend one more stop (Ramsgate) and to be back at Ipswich around mid-day on Thursday.
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| Sunset at East Head |
At Brighton I was delighted to meet up with an old friend Martin who is currently single-handedly bringing his big catamaran up from Brittany to the East Coast. I witnessed a masterly display of boat handling as he parked this massive craft in a small marina berth. Well done sir!
Annoyingly we discovered the next morning that Brighton Marina is not dredged to the advertised depth and we were consequently two hours late in leaving. This was significant for tidal reasons although we were just in time to 'surf' the tidal surge most of the way to Dover.
We intend one more stop (Ramsgate) and to be back at Ipswich around mid-day on Thursday.
Friday 14 August 2015
Cowes in the rain
We left Poole in the early morning having discovered the 'downside' of the marina with the palatial loos - the prices!!! Nearly double what we have been paying elsewhere. It was a really good place in other respects though, and Poole harbour is pretty good too.
The weather forecast for the day was for torrential rain, but in fact while we had a couple of heavyish showers en-route it really wasn't that bad. Unfortunately the thick mist obscured what I know to be some lovely views of the Needles as we whizzed through the Hurst Channel with the tide behind us.
Once into the Solent we discovered that it was Cowes Week. This is the main fixture of the sailing calendar for those who like to race, as opposed to we who prefer to sail with a mug of tea in one hand. It was packed with hundreds of boats and there were several races taking place simultaneously. A gigantic oil tanker was also leaving Southampton Water and carving a path through the middle of it all. Goldfinch managed to zig-zag her way though, hopefully without spoiling anyone's race and we arrived in Portsmouth at lunchtime.
Off now to Mike & Chris's for a very welcome hot bath and a sleep in a real bed. Luxury!
Chris leaves us today. My son Dan joins us on Sunday and Mike's Daughter Rebecca on Monday. We expect to return to our starting point of Ipswich on Wednesday or Thursday - weather permitting of course.
The weather forecast for the day was for torrential rain, but in fact while we had a couple of heavyish showers en-route it really wasn't that bad. Unfortunately the thick mist obscured what I know to be some lovely views of the Needles as we whizzed through the Hurst Channel with the tide behind us.
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| Cowes start line |
Chris leaves us today. My son Dan joins us on Sunday and Mike's Daughter Rebecca on Monday. We expect to return to our starting point of Ipswich on Wednesday or Thursday - weather permitting of course.
Thursday 13 August 2015
And the winner of the Best Marina Loo competition is......
Salterns Marina at Sandbanks near Poole!!!!
As we travel around, we notice a wide range of 'Facilities' available. These range from the very basic (Caledonian Canal) through the generally adequate, to those that are really pretty good. However Salterns stands head and shoulders above the rest, with loos that would not be out of place in a 5 Star hotel. Everything is of the best quality, sparkly new, spacious and squeaky clean. Full marks to you Salterns - although I thought the second Geisha girl was perhaps a little tardy in presenting me with the pearl-handled toothbrush...
We left Dartmouth (no showers at all!) early on Wednesday and after saying goodbye to Mark, Jo and Adam who are returning to the 'real world' via the steam railway to Paignton. The crossing of Lyme Bay and around Portland Bill is not trivial, although it seems nothing on land. The scientific phenomenon known as the 'Goldfinch effect' was fully in evidence and showed the unerring attraction of strong winds to our bow. We sailed for a few hours and then gave up and started the motor as the adverse tide strengthened. That said, it was a lovely sunny day and the cliffs of the 'Jurassic Coast' spectacular.
Approaching Portland, the tide was with us as we had expected and we romped into Poole just as the sun was going down, at the dizzying speed of nine knots*. A long day but a satisfying one as we clocked up a lot of miles along what we have come to think of as the homeward stretch.
*10.3 Mph
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| The mysterious case of the missing helmsman |
Browses in Cornwall
Mark's Wife (Jo) and Son (Adam) joined us at the Helford River.
From Jo:
"A land between seas, like a green and gold quilt bunched up and with folds and cleavages dense with trees, trailing a fringe of granite and slate, grey and dark grey, the crooked ancient leg of Cornwall extends as though dipping its toe in the Atlantic, testing the waters."
Adam and I arrived at Helford river on foot, to make a rendezvous with Goldfinch whose crew had just brought her round Lands End from Milford Haven in Wales. They had that look: red-eyed, sleepless, but satisfied, after a long passage.
Once our bags were on board and all had eaten lunch, some snoozed in the afternoon. The evening looked set to be sunny and calm, and we hailed the river taxi to take us ashore for supper at the Ferry Boat Inn, which served delicious food and a good range of beers. The sun came out as it set, showing off Helford River at its most peaceful and picturesque, and we skimmed stones and explored rockpools uncovered by the retreating tide. As we stood on deck watching the sky turn to gold, a Male Choir from Mousehole sang in close harmony, wafting their songs over the golden rippling water.
The ship's company is content and accustomed, and Goldfinch herself is comfortable and reliable. However on the short trip to Mevagissey I managed to bang my head twice very hard on her bulkheads - a necessary stage to pass through for new crew as you mould yourself to the boat and learn to move about her cabins. Very soon though the boat is home and ample space for living. The tiny harbour at 'Meva' is snug too, only accommodating half a dozen yachts because it is a serious fishing village. Sacks of scallops were stacked on the quay, lifted from burly fishing boats with chain-bags slung along their sides. Families chugged about on pleasure craft, and kids dropped long lines to catch crabs and shrimps. It was a warm sunny Saturday and we joined crowds of leisurely weekenders, exploring the narrow lanes ashore, ice creams in hand. In the evening we were joined by Sally (who knows everyone) for some pasta cooked on board, and red wine spilt on deck.
We left promptly in the morning for Fowey, another river anchorage where we hitched up to a ricketty island pontoon. Adam now got the measure of the dinghy outboard and pootled about the shoreline, and ferried us to town and back for provisioning or strolling. A restaurant was picked for our evening meal - The Globe, owned by someone Sally knows - and the river taxi relieved us of £4.50 each return.
The morning brought heavy showers and some thunder but by the time we left for the river Yealm the sun shone and there was wind for sailing. A good passage, although Adam was a bit sick and couldn't face his pasty - the last of Cornwall as we crossed the border into Devon. Bryan launched the 'chute but the wind shifted, so we tried using it a bit like a spinnaker instead, which carried us along at 4 knots or so. It did look like Aunty Mabel's knickers though.
The roly, uncomfortable motion gradually eased as we neared the Yealm, a steep winding river entrance, beautiful in the afternoon sun. Goldfinch tiptoed over the shallows, following a tricky path dictated by day-marked leading lines, into a charming pool where we picked up a visitor's buoy*. Wooded banks stoop over the little creek which seems to trap the sun as the tide ebbs away over the bar, lending a feeling of being gently sealed off, hidden away for a few hours in tranquillity. Adam cruised around in the dinghy again, reconnoitring, and discovered excellent showers. Sausages and mash were prepared by Chris and Mike while a shore party ventured to the Dolphin for a pint of Tribute.
* From Bryan:
As a footnote to the above, when we arrived in the Yealm, we were greeted as usual by a Harbour master wanting his dues. The dialogue went thus:
HM: "Boat's name and home port?"
Bryan: "Goldfinch, Ipswich"
HM: "Well done. You have come a long way"
Bryan: "Err yes, via Inverness actually"
HM: "Ahh, your navigation's not so hot then..?"
From Jo:
"A land between seas, like a green and gold quilt bunched up and with folds and cleavages dense with trees, trailing a fringe of granite and slate, grey and dark grey, the crooked ancient leg of Cornwall extends as though dipping its toe in the Atlantic, testing the waters."
Adam and I arrived at Helford river on foot, to make a rendezvous with Goldfinch whose crew had just brought her round Lands End from Milford Haven in Wales. They had that look: red-eyed, sleepless, but satisfied, after a long passage.
Once our bags were on board and all had eaten lunch, some snoozed in the afternoon. The evening looked set to be sunny and calm, and we hailed the river taxi to take us ashore for supper at the Ferry Boat Inn, which served delicious food and a good range of beers. The sun came out as it set, showing off Helford River at its most peaceful and picturesque, and we skimmed stones and explored rockpools uncovered by the retreating tide. As we stood on deck watching the sky turn to gold, a Male Choir from Mousehole sang in close harmony, wafting their songs over the golden rippling water.
The ship's company is content and accustomed, and Goldfinch herself is comfortable and reliable. However on the short trip to Mevagissey I managed to bang my head twice very hard on her bulkheads - a necessary stage to pass through for new crew as you mould yourself to the boat and learn to move about her cabins. Very soon though the boat is home and ample space for living. The tiny harbour at 'Meva' is snug too, only accommodating half a dozen yachts because it is a serious fishing village. Sacks of scallops were stacked on the quay, lifted from burly fishing boats with chain-bags slung along their sides. Families chugged about on pleasure craft, and kids dropped long lines to catch crabs and shrimps. It was a warm sunny Saturday and we joined crowds of leisurely weekenders, exploring the narrow lanes ashore, ice creams in hand. In the evening we were joined by Sally (who knows everyone) for some pasta cooked on board, and red wine spilt on deck.
We left promptly in the morning for Fowey, another river anchorage where we hitched up to a ricketty island pontoon. Adam now got the measure of the dinghy outboard and pootled about the shoreline, and ferried us to town and back for provisioning or strolling. A restaurant was picked for our evening meal - The Globe, owned by someone Sally knows - and the river taxi relieved us of £4.50 each return.
The morning brought heavy showers and some thunder but by the time we left for the river Yealm the sun shone and there was wind for sailing. A good passage, although Adam was a bit sick and couldn't face his pasty - the last of Cornwall as we crossed the border into Devon. Bryan launched the 'chute but the wind shifted, so we tried using it a bit like a spinnaker instead, which carried us along at 4 knots or so. It did look like Aunty Mabel's knickers though.
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| Mike swimming in the Yealm |
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| Yealm River (Adam) |
The ailing outboard only just got us all back for supper, which we ate on deck, in the last of the evening sun. Adam pronounced: every place we visit is more beautiful than the last! As we squeezed over the bar and out again the next morning, heading for the Dart, we all vowed to return and be recaptured.
|
As a footnote to the above, when we arrived in the Yealm, we were greeted as usual by a Harbour master wanting his dues. The dialogue went thus:
HM: "Boat's name and home port?"
Bryan: "Goldfinch, Ipswich"
HM: "Well done. You have come a long way"
Bryan: "Err yes, via Inverness actually"
HM: "Ahh, your navigation's not so hot then..?"
Saturday 8 August 2015
Around Lands End
After four days gale-bound in Milford Haven, when we did a bit of walking, a lot of eating and also visited the wonderful Pembroke Castle, we finally set off across the Bristol Channel. At over 100 miles from Wales to Cornwall this is a surprisingly long way, and in fact we rounded Land's End and then headed up the south coast to the Helford River, distance of 150 miles. This took 26 hours so was a bit tiring. The journey was remarkable for the company of several flocks of dolphins who took turns to play in our bow wave. Later we saw them hunting fish while gannets dive bombed the shoal from above. Really quite spectacular and we were also blessed by some of the sunniest weather we have seen on the entire trip.
The Cornish Coast is of course very beautiful and Helford is truly lovely - and best appreciated from the water. The next day we moved along the coast to another great place, the fishing village of Mevagissey.
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| The naked chef? |
The Cornish Coast is of course very beautiful and Helford is truly lovely - and best appreciated from the water. The next day we moved along the coast to another great place, the fishing village of Mevagissey.
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| Helford River |
Sunday 2 August 2015
Croeso i Cymru
Bryan and Mark re-joined the boat on 30th July
and as it was still fairly early in the day, we took the opportunity of a short
sail across Dublin Dun Laoghaire. This
is a really massive harbour with a half empty marina. It is extremely popular with dinghy sailing
schools and hordes of Optimists buzzed across our path as we found our way in
and out.
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| Howth Harbour |
The next day we were properly back in harness as we headed further
down the coast to the town of Arklow.
The day started with a pleasant sail, but soon did its usual trick of
coming from ahead and so we motored into a building sea for much of the 40
miles. Not that much fun really, but it
was soon over and we arrived in good time.
Arklow looks uninspiring from seaward with a number of derelict
factories in evidence. We didn’t expect
much, but actually it turned out to be a pleasant little small town with many small
shops, pubs and restaurants. There is also a smart new shopping mall built, apparently, on the site of a large explosives factory but no explanation as to what happened to
that enterprise.
Saturday saw a 4 am start for the ‘big push’ across the
Irish Sea to Wales. This trip looked like
it was going to follow the usual pattern of a short sail followed by a long
motor; this time because there was not enough wind to keep up a decent
speed. Happily though, the Clerk of the
Weather divvied up an excellent breeze and bright sunshine for the last few
hours and our arrival in Wales.
The
coastline here is magnificent with many small islands, glorious green-topped
cliffs and a multitude of sea-birds to keep us company. Soon we rounded Vomit Point (really!) and entered
Milford Haven. This is a truly massive
natural harbour which has the prime function of receiving most of Britain’s oil
and gas imports. Somehow all the
industry seems to blend reasonably well with the natural surroundings and it is
a surprisingly pleasant place. The
marina itself has newly built quayside shops, cafes and other businesses, and
we look forward to exploring a little further afield.
We are here for a couple of days while Mark travels home to
attend a funeral. Our next leg is the
longest of the whole trip, around Land’s End to Cornwall.
Friday 31 July 2015
Chris and Mike in Dublin
From Chris:
I arrived at Dublin Airport to be met by Mike on an overcast Irish summer day and this set the pattern for the next few days. Sun, rain, sun, rain and thunder, sun and then more rain! None of this stopped us getting out and about and immersing ourselves in Irish history. From a Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange and the Hill of Tara, spiritual centre of Celtic Ireland and the seat of Kings up to site of the Post Office Siege at the Easter Uprising of 1916. We found the bus service from Howth to Dublin City was excellent and we made several trips into the City.
Howth is a very pretty fishing village with dramatic cliff paths around the coastline which we explored. Around the harbour we found some great places to eat, we enjoyed lovely fish dishes, fantastic pizza and wonderful home-made soup in the pub whilst listening to live Irish music. Walked to Sutton to provision the boat ready for the next passage, true to form we walked back along the beach in the rain
I arrived at Dublin Airport to be met by Mike on an overcast Irish summer day and this set the pattern for the next few days. Sun, rain, sun, rain and thunder, sun and then more rain! None of this stopped us getting out and about and immersing ourselves in Irish history. From a Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange and the Hill of Tara, spiritual centre of Celtic Ireland and the seat of Kings up to site of the Post Office Siege at the Easter Uprising of 1916. We found the bus service from Howth to Dublin City was excellent and we made several trips into the City.
Howth is a very pretty fishing village with dramatic cliff paths around the coastline which we explored. Around the harbour we found some great places to eat, we enjoyed lovely fish dishes, fantastic pizza and wonderful home-made soup in the pub whilst listening to live Irish music. Walked to Sutton to provision the boat ready for the next passage, true to form we walked back along the beach in the rain
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| Chris and Mike at Newgrange neolithic passage tomb |
Monday 20 July 2015
Peel to Dublin - and there will now be a short intermission
We eventually got into the marina at Peel and continued to enjoy the local music scene. A bus trip round the island also gave us an opportunity to appreciate this wonderful place. Since we were gale-bound for a couple of days it was great to have something to do.
On Sunday afternoon another brief weather-window opened which was just big enough to get to Dublin. The residual swell leaving Peel created waves as big as I have ever experienced in Goldfinch, but she shrugged them off with her usual aplomb and we were soon in smoother waters and properly on our way. Inevitably, the forecast breeze was coming from Dublin itself and we were forced to motor much of the way in order to arrive before the next gale. In fact we arrived at about 1 am, and after negotiating a very tricky harbour entrance in darkness, were alongside just as the wind and rain arrived.
Howth, which is just north of Dublin, is on a lovely peninsular with good walks around as well as easy access to the city and airport. Goldfinch is staying here until 30th July with Mike and Christina aboard while I go home to see the family and to sleep in a real bed for the first time in two months.
The next instalment will be in early August.
On Sunday afternoon another brief weather-window opened which was just big enough to get to Dublin. The residual swell leaving Peel created waves as big as I have ever experienced in Goldfinch, but she shrugged them off with her usual aplomb and we were soon in smoother waters and properly on our way. Inevitably, the forecast breeze was coming from Dublin itself and we were forced to motor much of the way in order to arrive before the next gale. In fact we arrived at about 1 am, and after negotiating a very tricky harbour entrance in darkness, were alongside just as the wind and rain arrived.
Howth, which is just north of Dublin, is on a lovely peninsular with good walks around as well as easy access to the city and airport. Goldfinch is staying here until 30th July with Mike and Christina aboard while I go home to see the family and to sleep in a real bed for the first time in two months.
The next instalment will be in early August.
Thursday 16 July 2015
Local culture
Our final day in Belfast was spent visiting the city
itself. I have been there many times,
but always on business of some sort and so it was interesting to see it from a
tourist’s perspective. We visited a few
of the ‘sights’ but as the day was what they now dub the ‘Orangefest’ the
parades were in full swing. Drum and pipe
bands together with bowler hatted marchers from all the various lodges marched
past. There was a certain air of defiance about it
all, and nobody seemed to be enjoying themselves very much – although the rain
wouldn’t have helped. It all left me
feeling slightly uncomfortable.
At 2:30 am (everything at sea seems to start ridiculously
early for some reason) we weighed anchor and set out for Peel on the Isle of
Man. The crossing was straightforward
and we sailed much of the way.
Unfortunately, upon arrival the Harbourmaster told us that the harbour tide
gate was closed for repair and wouldn’t open for two days! This is a bit of a problem as gales are
forecast and there is no convenient alternative. We are therefore tied up alongside a fishing
trawler which is confined to harbour for quota reasons. Uncomfortable, but should be secure enough.
In the evening we wandered ashore and stumbled upon ‘ Yn Chruinnaght’. Any of you not fluent in Manx may not know
that this is a Celtic culture festival and translates as 'The Gathering'. We went into the pub and really enjoyed our evening listening to the two
bands. The atmosphere was joyous and
everyone, young and old, seemed to be having a great time. As visitors we were made very welcome and we
have also been invited to other parts of the festivities.
We are currently awaiting a suitable weather window so that
we can zag our way back across the Irish Sea*, and in the meantime enjoying
this wonderful island.
* Spike Milligan reference not intended but noted.
Sunday 12 July 2015
Day trip to Bangor
We are thoroughly enjoying Northern Ireland. The Giant's Causeway was truly amazing and we also took a bus ride along the beautiful northern coast. Great beaches, magnificent cliffs and rolling green hills behind. Quite different from the Scottish Islands only a few miles in our wake.
We took an extra day to enjoy the area, mostly because of a southerly near-gale being forecast. Of course this didn't materialise as we didn't actually go to sea and so we moved down to the quaint village of Glenarm on Saturday afternoon. This being the 'Twelfth week of July" as the Ulster folk put it, everywhere is crowded for the bank holiday weekend, and we had to 'raft up' to another boat on arrival. This is a less common practice these days, but no real problem. Very shortly afterwards another boat literally drifted in with an engine failure and we had to get lines to them and tie them up alongside us for the night.
The bad news (particularly for them) was that we had to get up at 4 am in order to catch the big tide southwards to Belfast and a fair bit of un-knitting needed to be done so that Goldfinch could leave and the other boat safely made fast.
The early morning trip to the pleasant harbour of Bangor (NI) was uneventful and we are currently parked in their large marina. Possibly uniquely, their 'facilities' include hot baths which are very welcome.
Debbie, who as well as being ship's photographer and ace helmsperson, has been ably contributing in the galley. As she leaves for home on Tuesday,there is a possibility that Mike's health food regime may get re-established. However, even he has the occasional fall from grace.
We took an extra day to enjoy the area, mostly because of a southerly near-gale being forecast. Of course this didn't materialise as we didn't actually go to sea and so we moved down to the quaint village of Glenarm on Saturday afternoon. This being the 'Twelfth week of July" as the Ulster folk put it, everywhere is crowded for the bank holiday weekend, and we had to 'raft up' to another boat on arrival. This is a less common practice these days, but no real problem. Very shortly afterwards another boat literally drifted in with an engine failure and we had to get lines to them and tie them up alongside us for the night.
The bad news (particularly for them) was that we had to get up at 4 am in order to catch the big tide southwards to Belfast and a fair bit of un-knitting needed to be done so that Goldfinch could leave and the other boat safely made fast.
The early morning trip to the pleasant harbour of Bangor (NI) was uneventful and we are currently parked in their large marina. Possibly uniquely, their 'facilities' include hot baths which are very welcome.
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| Mike eschews his organic muesli for an Ulster fry |
Wednesday 8 July 2015
Grab a chance ...
Today worked out rather differently than we had expected. We were waiting in Port Ellen on Islay for the weather to improve for our next hop South. The forecasts at the moment generally seem to be for strong winds coming from wherever we want to go, and looked set to be set contrary for a while.
Port Ellen is a lovely place, but apart from visiting distilleries (it has three, but you can have too much of a good thing!) there isn't much else to do.
And then, suddenly this morning the wind swung round to the North West. Granted it was also a force 5-7 which is stronger than we would normally consider, but it would be behind us and so off we went. And we were so glad we had! Goldfinch picked up her skirts (well, the big genoa actually) and raced southwards in bright sunshine, surfing at times down the big rollers racing in behind us from the Atlantic. Exhilarating stuff!
And so Scotland was left behind in a trice and we said farewell to this beautiful country. We loved your scenery, but perhaps not your weather.
We covered the 25 miles to Ballycastle in Northern Ireland in less than four hours, coming in past the beautiful scenery of Rathlin Island. This is the most westerly point of the trip.
The weather is about to turn again, so a touristy day is planned for tomorrow. The Giant's Causeway is a must, as is the conveniently located village of Bushmills.
Port Ellen is a lovely place, but apart from visiting distilleries (it has three, but you can have too much of a good thing!) there isn't much else to do.
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| Port Ellen |
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| Rathlin Island |
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| Mike, lowering our Saltire courtesy flag. |
We covered the 25 miles to Ballycastle in Northern Ireland in less than four hours, coming in past the beautiful scenery of Rathlin Island. This is the most westerly point of the trip.
The weather is about to turn again, so a touristy day is planned for tomorrow. The Giant's Causeway is a must, as is the conveniently located village of Bushmills.
Tuesday 7 July 2015
What a difference a day makes
We awoke to a misty morning and set off down the Jura
Sound. The mist soon thickened to actual
fog, and we lost sight of the land around us.
Thank goodness for electronic navigation devices! It took a couple of hours for the fog to
clear, during which time we saw nothing else but a couple of other boats on the
radar, two seals, a dolphin, and numerous sea birds.
Once we could see again the wind picked up and
we were able to turn the engine off and sail.
For a while we were having fun.
But as we neared our turning point off the Isle of Islay, the wind grew
stronger and the sea became quite rough.
Eventually though we reached the refuge of Port Ellen, which has a small
marina which was full so we had to raft up to another boat, but we were pleased
to arrive.
One of our alternative mooring places was Luce Bay, until we
noticed on the chart that it said ‘Live firing practice area - unexploded ordnance
(buoyed)’. There were two rocks in the
entrance called ‘Little Scare’ and Big Scare’ so we took the hint!
Oban to Crinan
5th July 2015 – Oban to Crinan
We arrived in Oban in sunshine around lunchtime on
Friday. Yet more stunning scenery. The marina is across from the town on an
island called Kerrera – a courtesy water taxi ferries sailors back and forth
once an hour. A walk around the island
(getting slightly lost), an ice cream, a shower and another of Mike’s delicious
meals served on deck as it was still warm.
Squally showers had been forecast for the following day so we decided to
stay put. On Saturday we took the water
taxi over to the town for provisions and to have a look round. Oban seems to consist largely of fish and
chip restaurants, and it was just a question of picking which one to go to for
our evening meal.
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| Sunset from Crinan |
As the bad weather had blown through (for now) we set off
again this morning. We were able to sail
for a time, but as usual the wind was coming from where we wanted to go and so
we had to turn the engine on. We passed
through the narrows into Loch Luing where the strong tide swept us along, at
times more than doubling our speed and shooting us out of the other end like a
champagne cork out of a bottle.
Crinan (at the North end of the Crinan Canal) proved to be yet another very pretty place. We picked up a mooring buoy, and later after
dinner sat on deck with a glass of port watching the sunset, and were blessed
with the sight of a couple of dolphins playing around another boat as it came
in.
Oh the Crinan Canal’s for me
For I don’t like the wild raging
sea
Those big foaming breakers, they
give me the shakers
The Crinan Canal’s for me.
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| Crinan |
Friday 3 July 2015
Back in salt water
Yesterday (Thursday) we said farewell to Mark and continued out towards the sea. This involved transiting the famous Neptune's Staircase of eight locks so was a fairly slow process. We then had to sprint along to the sea lock and out to the sea again.
We spent the evening on a mooring buoy near Fort William and then moved down the coast to the shelter of Oban Marina. There are strong winds forecast for tomorrow so a day of laundry and shopping is probably in order. Beautiful sunshine this afternoon though, so a walk around the island of Kerrera seems like a good idea,
We spent the evening on a mooring buoy near Fort William and then moved down the coast to the shelter of Oban Marina. There are strong winds forecast for tomorrow so a day of laundry and shopping is probably in order. Beautiful sunshine this afternoon though, so a walk around the island of Kerrera seems like a good idea,
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| Early morning mist on Loch Linne near Fort William |
Hills of the North
On Monday it was a short hop to Loch Ness itself, a long and
very deep expanse of water framed by towering green hills, fading to blue in
the distance. The wind was blowing briskly and we lost no time in getting the
sails unfurled. Needless to say it was blowing from the south-west – that is,
the direction we wanted to travel in – but Goldfinch was in her element and we
spent the whole day tacking with exhilaration along the loch. At lunchtime we
dropped anchor in a sheltered little bay overlooked by the romantic and
picturesque Urquhart Castle.
In the afternoon the wind picked up more and we
were visited by some quite intense rain and strong breezes. But as they say in
Norway, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes: all togged up
in our oilies we enjoyed a fantastic sail. By early afternoon we arrived at
Foyers Bay, another sheltered inlet where we found a mooring buoy and tied up
for the night.
The rain stopped, the wind abated. In this idyllically
peaceful spot we had one of the most magical evenings of the trip: one of Mike’s
best-yet dinners on deck, a bottle or three of wine, some Elgar and good
company, amid stunning scenery. Very close to being a perfect day. This is what
we came for!
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| Goldfinch sailing on Loch Lochy |
Now available in colour
Our motto has become ‘if you don’t like the weather, wait
five minutes.’ On Sunday morning it alternated between light showers and
sunshine. We motored round from Inverness marina to the sea-lock at
Clachnaharry, which is the entrance to the Caledonian Canal. Until now the
colour-scheme of the trip has been based on grey: the grey North Sea beneath
(usually) grey clouds, the coastline grey and dotted with grey buildings. At
sea the wildlife mostly chooses its palette mostly from the grey tones, too,
with only the delicate yellow of a gannet’s head or the occasional multicoloured
flash of a puffin’s bill to relieve the monotony: even the whale we saw a few
days ago was grey. But once inside the Caledonian Canal, suddenly the scenery
switched from monochrome to vivid colour. At the lock the sun came out, lighting
up the intense green of the hillsides and picking out the vivid yellow gorse
and other bright hues.
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| Kessock Bridge at Inverness |
The lock-keeper at Clachnaharry was immensely friendly and
helpful, as was the man at the swing-bridge a little way along the canal. At
Seaport we did some victualing at the local supermarket before carrying on to
the Muirtown Flight, a chain of five locks. We were joined at these locks by a
number of other boats: a large motor vessel and two yachts run by the Sea
Cadets, plus a couple of other sailing boats. As you enter these locks the
walls tower up on either side of you; the trick is to get a crew-member or two ashore
so they can take your lines. Once the boat is through the first lock of the
series the crew can then walk the boat through to the next one like a dog,
helped by a lock-keeper who, as the lady in the boat behind us remarked, wasn't
there the day they did charm school. Working your way through the complete
flight takes a good hour.
Then we were in the canal proper: green banks and views of
the softly rounded hills and mountains. A slower, gentler pace of life. We
stopped at Dochgarroch and had dinner at Oakwood Restaurant, a little place
that is unlicensed but does not charge corkage if you bring your favourite
tipple. The food was excellent here, and the skies cleared by evening. For the
moment...
Saturday 27 June 2015
Whales and radar
Saturday 27th June
A couple of slightly disappointing days from a sailing perspective, but there were compensations.
Thursday started with a short sail, but the wind quickly died off and we motored about 60 miles to Lossiemouth under greyish skies and occasional rain showers. All a bit of a slog really, but we were then delighted by 'Lossie' itself which is a lovely small town with an amazing sandy beach which stretches into the distance - almost as far as the eye can see.
The forecast for Friday was much more promising, with Southeasterly Force 3 to 4 on the menu. Sadly the Clerk of the Weather had other ideas and again we had to motor. That said, the coastal scenery continues to be spectacular and quite varied. Multicoloured cliffs with green hills beyond and also sand dunes and mountains lit by watery sunshine.
And then (YES!) a small 'Minke' whale came to say hello. He stayed around for a short while and then dived away. Quite a welcome to the highlands.
Later in the day the rain and mist became heavier and we needed to resort to radar for our approach to Inverness though the Chanonry Narrows. The tides run hard here and it meant we had to take great care, but it was a great team effort and all went well. And then, just as we were running down the Firth, the clouds lifted and unveiled spectacular mountains all round us. Really lovely and exactly what we came for!
Debbie joins us today for the trip down the Caledonian Canal and beyond.
A couple of slightly disappointing days from a sailing perspective, but there were compensations.
Thursday started with a short sail, but the wind quickly died off and we motored about 60 miles to Lossiemouth under greyish skies and occasional rain showers. All a bit of a slog really, but we were then delighted by 'Lossie' itself which is a lovely small town with an amazing sandy beach which stretches into the distance - almost as far as the eye can see.
The forecast for Friday was much more promising, with Southeasterly Force 3 to 4 on the menu. Sadly the Clerk of the Weather had other ideas and again we had to motor. That said, the coastal scenery continues to be spectacular and quite varied. Multicoloured cliffs with green hills beyond and also sand dunes and mountains lit by watery sunshine.
And then (YES!) a small 'Minke' whale came to say hello. He stayed around for a short while and then dived away. Quite a welcome to the highlands.
Later in the day the rain and mist became heavier and we needed to resort to radar for our approach to Inverness though the Chanonry Narrows. The tides run hard here and it meant we had to take great care, but it was a great team effort and all went well. And then, just as we were running down the Firth, the clouds lifted and unveiled spectacular mountains all round us. Really lovely and exactly what we came for!
Debbie joins us today for the trip down the Caledonian Canal and beyond.
Wednesday 24 June 2015
Pastures Green
Pastures Green
Mark here - temporarily awarded the title of Sailing Master, though I've yet to do anything to earn it.
I joined Goldfinch in Arbroath, after flying to Edinburgh and spending a pleasant few hours there strolling in the sunshine along the Royal Mile. Bryan, Mike and Des met me at the station in Arbroath and we went to a pub for dinner. On the way we passed a bar that was obviously having a karaoke night, where the strains of 'Sunshine on Leith' were being belted out with gusto. Dinner was, of course, an Arbroath smokie: not being a big fan of smoked fish I approached with caution, but was delighted by the delicate flavour.
The next day we said goodbye to Des and set out for Stonehaven. For a couple of hours we had a fine sailing wind and Goldfinch showed what she could do with the breeze forward of the beam. Unfortunately we were heading for Norway, so eventually we had to turn on the iron donkey and start motoring in a direction that actually brought us closer to our destination. The wind was a good force 5 or 6, with white-caps on the waves, and it is fair to say it was an uncomfortable passage.
Shortly before arriving at Stonehaven we passed the ruins of Dunottar Castle - almost invisible until you are quite close to it, being made of the same stuff as the rocky coastline. There is a school in Reigate (skipper's old home town) named after this castle.
Stonehaven itself (by the way, the locals seem to pronounce the name 'St'nHAVen') is a charming town with a pretty harbour. We tied up against the harbour wall, and the friendly harbour-master took our lines and pointed out the facilities. From the harbour itself it looks like a tiny place, but there is a substantial town further inland. There is also a little museum called the Tollbooth, which used to be a jail. It is full of Stonehaven miscellany, including an ancient Decca Navigator position-finding system from before the days of GPS, which a local fisherman took time to explain to me. Quite a lot of time, in fact.
In the pub Bryan and I met Mo, a friend of Debbie and Bryan's who lives nearby. Mike was back on board cooking up yet another delicious supper.
On Tuesday we left Stonehaven at a comfortable time in the morning and set out for Peterhead. The voyage started with some good sailing but once again we were forced to fire up the donkey and motor to windward. The sea-state was a lot more peaceful than the previous day, but the weather was grey and cold and the passage had little to commend it other than we arrived at our destination safely and in good time. En route we passed Aberdeen and encountered substantial shipping - both fishing-boats and industrial vessels.
Peterhead must once have been a picturesque harbour. It even has a sandy beach. Now it has been overwritten by the shipping and infrastructure of the oil industry. The marina entrance is hard to see in the wide harbour, but once we were inside it we were greeted in by a friendly harbour-master who called me Captain and shook me by the hand. He even gave us rough directions to the nearest pub - a mile away in the town centre. The town was obviously once quite grand, with substantial stone houses, but has a somewhat down-at-heel look now. In the pub we were greeted by another friendly local, this time one who had been enjoying the inn's hospitality on a grand scale. He claimed to be the best karaoke singer in town, but the evidence he produced did not back this claim up.
Which brings us almost up to date. Today (Wednesday) is 24th June, traditionally Midsummer's Day. The weather seems not to be aware of this fact: it is grey, far from warm, and occasionally rainy. We have had a day off sailing today. I took the opportunity to get on a bus and visit Crimond, a little place about five miles away which is famous for having a well known tune named after it, usually sung to the words of The Lord's my Shepherd. I was met at Crimond by a friendly lady who showed me round the church and told me some of the history.
Must go now, it's my turn to cook supper.
Mark here - temporarily awarded the title of Sailing Master, though I've yet to do anything to earn it.
I joined Goldfinch in Arbroath, after flying to Edinburgh and spending a pleasant few hours there strolling in the sunshine along the Royal Mile. Bryan, Mike and Des met me at the station in Arbroath and we went to a pub for dinner. On the way we passed a bar that was obviously having a karaoke night, where the strains of 'Sunshine on Leith' were being belted out with gusto. Dinner was, of course, an Arbroath smokie: not being a big fan of smoked fish I approached with caution, but was delighted by the delicate flavour.
 |
| Arbroath smokie |
Shortly before arriving at Stonehaven we passed the ruins of Dunottar Castle - almost invisible until you are quite close to it, being made of the same stuff as the rocky coastline. There is a school in Reigate (skipper's old home town) named after this castle.
Stonehaven itself (by the way, the locals seem to pronounce the name 'St'nHAVen') is a charming town with a pretty harbour. We tied up against the harbour wall, and the friendly harbour-master took our lines and pointed out the facilities. From the harbour itself it looks like a tiny place, but there is a substantial town further inland. There is also a little museum called the Tollbooth, which used to be a jail. It is full of Stonehaven miscellany, including an ancient Decca Navigator position-finding system from before the days of GPS, which a local fisherman took time to explain to me. Quite a lot of time, in fact.
In the pub Bryan and I met Mo, a friend of Debbie and Bryan's who lives nearby. Mike was back on board cooking up yet another delicious supper.
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| Goldfinch tied against the harbour wall at Stonehaven |
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| Other local delicacies are available... |
On Tuesday we left Stonehaven at a comfortable time in the morning and set out for Peterhead. The voyage started with some good sailing but once again we were forced to fire up the donkey and motor to windward. The sea-state was a lot more peaceful than the previous day, but the weather was grey and cold and the passage had little to commend it other than we arrived at our destination safely and in good time. En route we passed Aberdeen and encountered substantial shipping - both fishing-boats and industrial vessels.
Peterhead must once have been a picturesque harbour. It even has a sandy beach. Now it has been overwritten by the shipping and infrastructure of the oil industry. The marina entrance is hard to see in the wide harbour, but once we were inside it we were greeted in by a friendly harbour-master who called me Captain and shook me by the hand. He even gave us rough directions to the nearest pub - a mile away in the town centre. The town was obviously once quite grand, with substantial stone houses, but has a somewhat down-at-heel look now. In the pub we were greeted by another friendly local, this time one who had been enjoying the inn's hospitality on a grand scale. He claimed to be the best karaoke singer in town, but the evidence he produced did not back this claim up.
Which brings us almost up to date. Today (Wednesday) is 24th June, traditionally Midsummer's Day. The weather seems not to be aware of this fact: it is grey, far from warm, and occasionally rainy. We have had a day off sailing today. I took the opportunity to get on a bus and visit Crimond, a little place about five miles away which is famous for having a well known tune named after it, usually sung to the words of The Lord's my Shepherd. I was met at Crimond by a friendly lady who showed me round the church and told me some of the history.
Must go now, it's my turn to cook supper.
Sunday 21 June 2015
Sunshine on Leith
Friday 20th June
The weather seems to be following a regular daily pattern of starting with an unwelcome northerly, which then moves round by lunchtime and then dies off in the afternoon. Today was no exception. We left Eyemouth and headed north into a lumpy sea and under a low overcast. However by about eleven and when we were halfway across the Forth, the sun broke through and the wind came round to give us an excellent sail for the rest of the way. The coastline is really rather beautiful with rounded
green hills and sandstone cliffs.
We arrived mid afternoon in Arbroath. Another fishing port, this time with a reasonably straightforward entrance. Unfortunately a tyro powerboat owner came alongside and smacked into our topsides just as we were enjoying a post trip cuppa. A scrape rather than any major damage but nevertheless annoying. Apparently his 'throttle levers were sticking'...
Dinner on board included the delicious and obligitary Smokie which everyone enjoyed.
We now have a couple of days in harbour while we wait for our new crew member Mark to join us. Sadly, our 'Bosun' Des leaves us for home and work on Monday. His expertise and enthusiasm will be much missed.
The weather seems to be following a regular daily pattern of starting with an unwelcome northerly, which then moves round by lunchtime and then dies off in the afternoon. Today was no exception. We left Eyemouth and headed north into a lumpy sea and under a low overcast. However by about eleven and when we were halfway across the Forth, the sun broke through and the wind came round to give us an excellent sail for the rest of the way. The coastline is really rather beautiful with rounded
green hills and sandstone cliffs.
We arrived mid afternoon in Arbroath. Another fishing port, this time with a reasonably straightforward entrance. Unfortunately a tyro powerboat owner came alongside and smacked into our topsides just as we were enjoying a post trip cuppa. A scrape rather than any major damage but nevertheless annoying. Apparently his 'throttle levers were sticking'...
Dinner on board included the delicious and obligitary Smokie which everyone enjoyed.
We now have a couple of days in harbour while we wait for our new crew member Mark to join us. Sadly, our 'Bosun' Des leaves us for home and work on Monday. His expertise and enthusiasm will be much missed.
Wednesday 17 June 2015
Goldfinch in Scotland
Another early start this morning. We left Amble at 5.30 am to continue north and passing by the Farne Islands with their spectacular bird populations and on to Lindisfarne where we had hoped to anchor overnight. Unfortunately a pessimistic weather forecast ruled out this idea and we had to content ourselves with a slow 'fly-by'. Another day perhaps.
In fact, the predicted southwesterly didn't materialise and we motored most of the way to Eyemouth. Fortunately the engine seems cured of its incontinence after our ministrations at Amble and performed admirably.
The entrance to Eyemouth harbour is 'interesting'. A very narrow channel between hard prickles upon which the surf was breaking, and then through a narrow gap between two breakwaters. The rocks to the north are named "Hairy Ness" and the nearest and scariest one "Hard Rock". No kidding...
Eyemouth itself is very much a fishing port and we tied up in the middle of an attractive small town with old red sandstone buildings. There is just a tiny sprinkling of tourism and everyone is very welcoming. This seems to be a common theme of the trip so far. There is a small selection of shops and a 'serious' chandlery whuch sells massive shackles and anchors for trawlers rather than the usual selection of boutique yottie clothing.
We are just planning our next move. This will either be to Anstruther (accidentally called 'Ann Summers by Mike - I think he has been at sea too long!) or direct to Arbroath where we will be making some crew changes. In any event, a day off is called for tomorrow (Wednesday) and we will decide later.
Off for a pint o' heavy and a deep fried Mars bar.
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| Mike at Lindisfarne |
The entrance to Eyemouth harbour is 'interesting'. A very narrow channel between hard prickles upon which the surf was breaking, and then through a narrow gap between two breakwaters. The rocks to the north are named "Hairy Ness" and the nearest and scariest one "Hard Rock". No kidding...
Eyemouth itself is very much a fishing port and we tied up in the middle of an attractive small town with old red sandstone buildings. There is just a tiny sprinkling of tourism and everyone is very welcoming. This seems to be a common theme of the trip so far. There is a small selection of shops and a 'serious' chandlery whuch sells massive shackles and anchors for trawlers rather than the usual selection of boutique yottie clothing.
We are just planning our next move. This will either be to Anstruther (accidentally called 'Ann Summers by Mike - I think he has been at sea too long!) or direct to Arbroath where we will be making some crew changes. In any event, a day off is called for tomorrow (Wednesday) and we will decide later.
Off for a pint o' heavy and a deep fried Mars bar.
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| Mike & Des on a walk from St Abbs Head to Eyemouth |
Monday 15 June 2015
The Amble scramble
Because of some annoying misinformation about bridge opening times we were late leaving Whitby, and to make matters worse, exited the harbour into some of the largest rollers I have encountered in this boat. Fortunately the seas looked a bit smoother further out and so we pressed on.
The wind continued as the rare north easterly which has been a hallmark of the trip so far. This further slowed our progress, and although by early evening we were sailing well in sunshine and calm seas it begain to look doubtful that we would be able to reach Amble in time for the tidal 'window' we needed to enter.
Fortunately, this coast has many alternative harbours available and we decided instead to head for Sunderland which was only an hour off our course and easily accessible. I'm delighted to report that the natives there are friendly and hospitable and that the Harbour Master really did say "Whaye aye man" in response to my questions over the radio! We passed a quiet night at his marina and headed on to Amble the following morning.
After a couple of hours motoring, the wind picked up a little from the South and we were able to hoist "Heather" (don't ask!) our cruising chute sail. This made for a very satisfying run until we reached Coquet Island and turned to head into Amble harbour. Amble (also known as Warkworth) is a very pretty small town with a castle which we plan to explore tomorrow.
Shortly after arriving, we learned that an elderly man on a nearby boat had fallen down a hatchway and was thought to have broken several ribs. I thought for a moment that my first aid skills were going to be put to the test, but another bystander turned out to be a Theatre Nurse so I was happy to be outranked!
The wind continued as the rare north easterly which has been a hallmark of the trip so far. This further slowed our progress, and although by early evening we were sailing well in sunshine and calm seas it begain to look doubtful that we would be able to reach Amble in time for the tidal 'window' we needed to enter.
Fortunately, this coast has many alternative harbours available and we decided instead to head for Sunderland which was only an hour off our course and easily accessible. I'm delighted to report that the natives there are friendly and hospitable and that the Harbour Master really did say "Whaye aye man" in response to my questions over the radio! We passed a quiet night at his marina and headed on to Amble the following morning.
After a couple of hours motoring, the wind picked up a little from the South and we were able to hoist "Heather" (don't ask!) our cruising chute sail. This made for a very satisfying run until we reached Coquet Island and turned to head into Amble harbour. Amble (also known as Warkworth) is a very pretty small town with a castle which we plan to explore tomorrow.
Shortly after arriving, we learned that an elderly man on a nearby boat had fallen down a hatchway and was thought to have broken several ribs. I thought for a moment that my first aid skills were going to be put to the test, but another bystander turned out to be a Theatre Nurse so I was happy to be outranked!
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| Whitby from the Cook Museum |
Friday 12 June 2015
Wells to Whitby
We had a really excellent overnight sail from Wells. A decent breeze of the right strength and from the right direction and a smooth sea. Oh yes, and the sun was shining too! The highlight was eating Mike's excellent boat-made shepherds pie while watching a gorgeous sunset. This is what we signed up for!
Goldfinch is really sailing at her best at the moment. We were quickly up to max speed and she kept this up until the wind died right off sometime during the night. That said, she has a minor engine glitch which we are going to have to deal with soon...
We arrived at Whitby rather early but were fortunate to catch an unscheduled swing-bridge opening into the Marina where again the staff are extremely helpful. A relaxing day and maybe a bit of sightseeing is planned. Whitby is of course "Dracula Central" and it was an unhappy coincidence that we learned of the death of the great Christopher Lee* just as we arrived. We shall commemorate his passing in a fitting way with a liquid lunch!
* Thanks for the correction John B. I was getting my Draculas in a twist!
Goldfinch is really sailing at her best at the moment. We were quickly up to max speed and she kept this up until the wind died right off sometime during the night. That said, she has a minor engine glitch which we are going to have to deal with soon...
We arrived at Whitby rather early but were fortunate to catch an unscheduled swing-bridge opening into the Marina where again the staff are extremely helpful. A relaxing day and maybe a bit of sightseeing is planned. Whitby is of course "Dracula Central" and it was an unhappy coincidence that we learned of the death of the great Christopher Lee* just as we arrived. We shall commemorate his passing in a fitting way with a liquid lunch!
* Thanks for the correction John B. I was getting my Draculas in a twist!
Tuesday 9 June 2015
Wells-quite-long-way-from-the-Sea-really
We are now at Wells-next-the-Sea. A rather lovely place but one I haven't been to for many years. It is accessed by a longish approach channel and only accessible near the top of the tide.
We left Lowestoft at 9:30 pm yesterday and headed out into a choppy and windy North Sea just as it was getting dark. It didn't look like it was going to be a pleasant night at sea, and so it proved. We had a headwind virtually all the way and this meant motoring. The swell produced a corkscrew motion which wasn't nice, but we settled down for the long haul, each of us taking breaks for catnaps occasionally.
Because we had motored, we found ourselves arriving off Wells at about 8 am and much too early to get in. In fact we could see the approach channel buoys lying flat on the sand! This meant that we had to circle around outside for a couple of hours until the tide was high enough to get in. Everyone was extremely tired at this point.
Around 10 am the Harbour Master came out in a launch to guide us though the tricky approach channel, and what a rollercoaster ride it was! There were quite sizeable rollers breaking all around us as we twisted and turned our way in with seemingly only inches to spare at times. Scary stuff!
Some time later we were able to tie up at a visitors pontoon right in the heart of this beautiful old town. A short sleep, a good hot shower and some excellent fish & chips, and all is well with the world again.
A day off is scheduled for tomorrow.
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| Wells Quay |
Monday 8 June 2015
D Day
Well in our case D = Departure day. And strictly speaking it was the historical D Day+1, but I did take a moment to think of my late Father driving his tank landing ship up a French beach all those years ago. This one is for you Dad.
Anyway, we left Ipswich as planned in the afternoon and headed down to Harwich harbour where we moored to a buoy to await the north going tide. At this point I regret to report our first (and hopefully only) casualty, as the telescopic boat hook slid into two parts at the crucial moment. The hook end has now been consigned to the deep.
Later, at what my aforementioned Dad would have called "Oh gawd double oh", but was actually 3am, we headed out northwards. After a short period of motoring in the darkness the sun came up and with it, a decent sailing breeze. Very decent in fact, as Goldfinch was quickly up to her maximum speed and kept this up for nearly all the rest of the trip. It was,in short, a superb sail in lovely bright sunshine. Perfect.
We are now in Lowestoft, about which little can be said other than it is geographically convenient. We leave again this evening for an overnight trip to Wells Next the Sea, which we expect to be rather nicer.
Anyway, we left Ipswich as planned in the afternoon and headed down to Harwich harbour where we moored to a buoy to await the north going tide. At this point I regret to report our first (and hopefully only) casualty, as the telescopic boat hook slid into two parts at the crucial moment. The hook end has now been consigned to the deep.
Later, at what my aforementioned Dad would have called "Oh gawd double oh", but was actually 3am, we headed out northwards. After a short period of motoring in the darkness the sun came up and with it, a decent sailing breeze. Very decent in fact, as Goldfinch was quickly up to her maximum speed and kept this up for nearly all the rest of the trip. It was,in short, a superb sail in lovely bright sunshine. Perfect.
We are now in Lowestoft, about which little can be said other than it is geographically convenient. We leave again this evening for an overnight trip to Wells Next the Sea, which we expect to be rather nicer.
Tuesday 26 May 2015
Victualling
We spent most of he weekend doing still more boat prep. The first task was to try and remove as much unnecessary clutter as possible. This requires some negotiation between crew and Skipper as to what kit is, and is not essential...
That done, we motored round to the fuel berth and topped up to the brim with diesel and fill some spare cans. Back to the mooring and thence to the supermarket for a mega food shop.
While we intend to eat fresh food whenever possible and to eat out a couple of times a week, it seemed a good idea to stock up with cans and packets so that we have the flexibility to stay at sea or to use the more remote anchorages when he fancy takes us. Goldfinch's bilges are therefore now crammed with tins of various types of nosh. Chris (Mike's fiancée) had the brilliant idea of writing their contents on the tops so that they are visible from above. I'm sure that this will be a great help.
One slightly worrying development was the amount of brown rice, wholemeal pasta etc.. which was insisted upon by the Mate. This all sounds far too healthy to me. I wonder if MacDonalds are offering a drone based delivery service yet?
We were also delighted to see Rob Fisher again. Rob is an old friend who I did an Atlantic crossing with a few years ago. He happened to be in Ipswich and dropped by to wish us bon-voyage.
Other odd bits of maintenance took place, but with less than two weeks to go we would appear to be just about ready for departure. It is all really rather exciting!
That done, we motored round to the fuel berth and topped up to the brim with diesel and fill some spare cans. Back to the mooring and thence to the supermarket for a mega food shop.
While we intend to eat fresh food whenever possible and to eat out a couple of times a week, it seemed a good idea to stock up with cans and packets so that we have the flexibility to stay at sea or to use the more remote anchorages when he fancy takes us. Goldfinch's bilges are therefore now crammed with tins of various types of nosh. Chris (Mike's fiancée) had the brilliant idea of writing their contents on the tops so that they are visible from above. I'm sure that this will be a great help.
One slightly worrying development was the amount of brown rice, wholemeal pasta etc.. which was insisted upon by the Mate. This all sounds far too healthy to me. I wonder if MacDonalds are offering a drone based delivery service yet?
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| Mike changing the deck light bulb with the Skipper positioned below to break his fall if the halyard snaps. |
Other odd bits of maintenance took place, but with less than two weeks to go we would appear to be just about ready for departure. It is all really rather exciting!
Sunday 17 May 2015
Patronage?
I read yesterday that it is was St Brendan's Day. I never knew much about him before, other than that he is known as "The Navigator".
Apparently he was a 6th C Irish monk who set off with 14 other monks on a voyage to discover the Garden of Eden. On the way they have slag thrown at them by blacksmiths, encounter 'mountains of fire' (Iceland?) and light a fire on an island which turns out to be a giant sea monster called Jason.
He also preached a sermon from his boat to a group of highly attentive sea creatures.
They discovered Eden, although some say that it was actually North America (epic fail?) after which they all went home.
Amongst other duties he is patron saint of elderly adventurers, so hopefully he can also look after us!
Apparently he was a 6th C Irish monk who set off with 14 other monks on a voyage to discover the Garden of Eden. On the way they have slag thrown at them by blacksmiths, encounter 'mountains of fire' (Iceland?) and light a fire on an island which turns out to be a giant sea monster called Jason.
He also preached a sermon from his boat to a group of highly attentive sea creatures.
They discovered Eden, although some say that it was actually North America (epic fail?) after which they all went home.
Amongst other duties he is patron saint of elderly adventurers, so hopefully he can also look after us!
Friday 15 May 2015
Less than a month to go
Introducing ourselves
Actually, if you have reached this page you will probably already know that Mike and I intend to sail Goldfinch around Britain in the summer of 2015. Quite a few people have asked how they can follow our progress, and so to save our other halves being beset with enquiries, I have (slightly reluctantly) agreed to create this blog.
While I don't promise to update it in anything like 'real time' I am setting out with the intention of creating fairly regular posts so that people can see where we have got to and if anything interesting has happened. If there hasn't been a post for a while, it probably doesn't mean that we have sunk, more likely that we are away from an internet connection, or (more probably) in a pub somewhere!
We also invite contributions from the various crew members and our friends who are reading this.
The plan
We aim to leave our home port of Ipswich on Sunday 7th June and to return in late August. We will be travelling anti-clockwise and will be going via the Caledonian Canal, the Hebrides, Northern and Southern Ireland and Lands End.
A more detailed plan is shown below.
The Crew
Bryan, Skipper and co-owner of Goldfinch is a sometime IT Programme Manager who took early retirement a couple of years ago. He will be joined by his wife Debbie and son Dan for some parts of the trip. Bryan began sailing as a teenager and has been mucking about in boats ever since. His job is basically to make sure that we end up where we started.
Mike, is a newly retired BT Manager. This trip is a (sort of) retirement present to himself and a good line when his soon-to-be-ex colleagues ask him what he is going to be doing with himself. As well as being First Mate, Mike has volunteered to be responsible for all the on-board catering. This may probably be because be once tasted Bryan's cooking, but may also be down to the fact that he is actually a very good cook. Slightly worryingly, Mike is a big fan of sailing fiction such as CS Forester and Alexander Kent so the rest of the crew are anxiously watching out for casks of salt pork and ship's biscuit being hoisted aboard.
The other protagonists will be introduced as they join us
The other protagonists will be introduced as they join us
The Route
As any sailor will tell you, a sailing boat sets off towards rather than to a destination and so the dates and places below are an approximate rather than a definite plan. It is certain that things will change quite a bit as we go along, but there are certain points and dates arranged for crew changes which we we will be doing our best to meet.
Several people have asked why we are going round anti-clockwise. In truth there is very little difference which way you go. We decided on this route because there is a very slight statistical advantage in winds and tides, but more because it gets the more boring East Coast bits out of the way at an early stage.
Date Location Miles
Several people have asked why we are going round anti-clockwise. In truth there is very little difference which way you go. We decided on this route because there is a very slight statistical advantage in winds and tides, but more because it gets the more boring East Coast bits out of the way at an early stage.
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Not to be used for navigation...
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| Sun | 07/06/2015 | 0 | Ipswich | |
| Mon | 08/06/2015 | 1 | Lowestoft | 40 |
| Tues | 09/06/2015 | 2 | Wells | 56 |
| Wed | 10/06/2015 | |||
| Thurs | 11/06/2015 | 3 | Whitby | 106 |
| Fri | 12/06/2015 | |||
| Sat | 13/06/2015 | |||
| Sun | 14/06/2015 | 5 | Amble | 65 |
| Mon | 15/06/2015 | |||
| Tues | 16/06/2015 | 6 | Eyemouth | 40 |
| Wed | 17/06/2015 | |||
| Thurs | 18/06/2015 | Extra stop at Holy Island? | ||
| Fri | 19/06/2015 | 7 | Anstruther? | 25 |
| Sat | 20/06/2015 | |||
| Sun | 21/06/2015 | 8 | Arbroath | 46 |
| Mon | 22/06/2015 | 9 | Stonehaven | 34 |
| Tues | 23/06/2015 | |||
| Wed | 24/06/2015 | 10 | Peterhead | 35 |
| Thurs | 25/06/2015 | |||
| Fri | 26/06/2015 | 11 | Banff | 34 |
| Sat | 27/06/2015 | 12 | Inverness (canal entrance) | 60 |
| Sun | 28/06/2015 | Caledonian canal | ||
| Mon | 29/06/2015 | Caledonian canal | ||
| Tues | 30/06/2015 | Caledonian canal | ||
| Wed | 01/07/2015 | Fort William | 60 | |
| Thurs | 02/07/2015 | Loch Aline | 30 | |
| Fri | 03/07/2015 | Tobermory | 13 | |
| Sat | 04/07/2015 | |||
| Sun | 05/07/2015 | Iona | 50 | |
| Mon | 06/07/2015 | other places in Hebrides? | ||
| Tues | 07/07/2015 | other places in Hebrides? | ||
| Wed | 08/07/2015 | other places in Hebrides? | ||
| Thurs | 09/07/2015 | other places in Hebrides? | ||
| Fri | 10/07/2015 | Port Ellen | 52 | |
| Sat | 11/07/2015 | Glenarm or Ballycastle NI | 50 | |
| Sun | 12/07/2015 | Bangor NI (Belfast) | 30 | |
| Mon | 13/07/2015 | |||
| Tues | 14/07/2015 | |||
| Wed | 15/07/2015 | Ardglass | 33 | |
| Thurs | 16/07/2015 | Peel (IoM) | 70 | |
| Fri | 17/07/2015 | |||
| Sat | 18/07/2015 | Carlingford Lough | 80 | |
| Sun | 19/07/2015 | |||
| Mon | 20/07/2015 | Malahide | 46 | |
| Tues | 21/07/2015 | Dun Laoghaire (Dublin) | 13 | |
| Wed | 22/07/2015 | break | ||
| Thurs | 23/07/2015 | break | ||
| Fri | 24/07/2015 | break | ||
| Sat | 25/07/2015 | break | ||
| Sun | 26/07/2015 | break | ||
| Mon | 27/07/2015 | break | ||
| Tues | 28/07/2015 | break | ||
| Wed | 29/07/2015 | break | ||
| Thurs | 30/07/2015 | break | ||
| Fri | 31/07/2015 | Arklow | 40 | |
| Sat | 01/08/2015 | Milford Haven | 81 | |
| Sun | 02/08/2015 | (Poss via Padstow?) | ||
| Mon | 03/08/2015 | Falmouth | 133 | |
| Tues | 04/08/2015 | |||
| Wed | 05/08/2015 | |||
| Thurs | 06/08/2015 | River Yealm | 44 | |
| Fri | 07/08/2015 | |||
| Sat | 08/08/2015 | Dartmouth | 35 | |
| Sun | 09/08/2015 | |||
| Mon | 10/08/2015 | |||
| Tues | 11/08/2015 | Weymouth | 65 | |
| Wed | 12/08/2015 | Portsmouth | 50 | |
| Thurs | 13/08/2015 | |||
| Fri | 14/08/2015 | Brighton | 50 | |
| Sat | 15/08/2015 | Dover | 89 | |
| Sun | 16/08/2015 | Ipswich | 80 |
The boat
Goldfinch is a Beneteau 36. She was built in 1997 and has been in our ownership for six years. She sleeps six people in reasonable comfort and boasts some reasonably modern facilities such as an oven, hot shower and central heating.
Under sail, she can cruise at around 6-7 knots and has a big (for her size) 40hp diesel engine for when the wind doesn't blow as we would wish it to. This is usually!
Slightly unusually, Goldfinch has a centre cockpit and a hard windscreen. There are some pros and cons with this configuration, however it does give us the ability to sit on-watch out of the wind and rain most of the time.
We have two working sails. An in-mast furling mainsail and a large foresail or genoa. There is also a cruising chute which is a bit like a spinnaker and this is very handy when there is a lightish wind bowing from somewhere roughly behind us.
The ability to 'reef' or reduce sail without leaving the cockpit is a very useful safety feature and means that the boat can be comfortably sailed by just two people. As we shall have three on board for most of the trip this means that one can be below getting some rest when needed.
We have had a fair bit of work done over the winter to ensure that all is reasonably well with the boat maintenance-wise, however one of the challenges of such a trip is that some things are bound to mis-behave and part of the fun will be learning how to fix or do without them...
We have had a fair bit of work done over the winter to ensure that all is reasonably well with the boat maintenance-wise, however one of the challenges of such a trip is that some things are bound to mis-behave and part of the fun will be learning how to fix or do without them...
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