Here we are. Chichester Marina. Looks sunny but about Zero Celsius.
I painted while Jean warmed and dried the boat with a hairdryer.
Nice colour?
Saturday 18 December 2010
Anti-fouling? Well, who would be in favour?
Here we are. Chichester Marina. Looks sunny but about Zero Celsius.
I painted while Jean warmed and dried the boat with a hairdryer.
Nice colour?
Friday 3 September 2010
Not quite to the Scillies
The trouble with The Scillies is that they are in the middle of the Atlantic.
The Atlantic is often windy, wavy and wet.
We reached Falmouth quite quickly and spent the next 5 days waiting for a safe weather window to get to The Scillies and back. Being late August in England, not surprisingly the weather got worse.
Anyway, Falmouth Harbour is lovely. So is the Truro River.
Perhaps to The Scillies next year.
This is us in Mevagissey on our way back east.
Friday 13 August 2010
Off to the Isles of Scilly
Another voyage!
Today we set off from Itchenor for The Scillies. Probably via Portland, Dartmouth, Falmouth and Newlyn, but the weather will decide.
Mark and Gill are with us but Bonzo is staying at home.
Today we set off from Itchenor for The Scillies. Probably via Portland, Dartmouth, Falmouth and Newlyn, but the weather will decide.
Mark and Gill are with us but Bonzo is staying at home.
Monday 19 July 2010
Home again
Saturday: Left Portland 0615 (without hitting anything). Broad reach or run all the way to Chichester West Pole. Picked up mooring 1745. We've had a great trip.
Sunday: Another epic journey today. Water taxi to Itchenor. Bikes mainly along Salterns Way .. lovely. Train to St Haywards on the Heath. Bikes to home.
Monday: That's now!
Sunday: Another epic journey today. Water taxi to Itchenor. Bikes mainly along Salterns Way .. lovely. Train to St Haywards on the Heath. Bikes to home.
Monday: That's now!
Thursday 15 July 2010
Portland
Thursday .. still in Portland now in the marina.
Wind F8 maybe F9 later.
Spent the day baby sitting Isabel and helping to modify the van for the Bramah Family Holiday.
Wind F8 maybe F9 later.
Spent the day baby sitting Isabel and helping to modify the van for the Bramah Family Holiday.
Monday 12 July 2010
Portland
L'aberwrac'h to Dartmouth to Portland.
Sunny days with Helen, Andy and Isabel.
Lovely to meet up with Peter and Sara.
We are moored off Castle Cove and visit The Bramah's by flubber (wheel barrowing the flubber to and from the beach). Haven't been in a car since late May.
Will probably set off again from home later this week.
Sunny days with Helen, Andy and Isabel.
Lovely to meet up with Peter and Sara.
We are moored off Castle Cove and visit The Bramah's by flubber (wheel barrowing the flubber to and from the beach). Haven't been in a car since late May.
Will probably set off again from home later this week.
Wednesday 7 July 2010
To Dartmouth on Thursday
Now back in l'Aber Wrac'h.
In the last few days have seen Porpoises and a turtle.
Today a dead whale.
Tomorrow we have the 115 mile crossing to Dartmouth.
Then to Weymouth probably on Saturday.
Saturday 3 July 2010
Friday 2 July 2010
South Brittany
It’s pouring with rain and I’ve got a free Internet connection … so back to the sacred blog.
We left Loctudy (first major marina on the left after you get to South Brittany ) on 21st June and headed south. We tried anchoring off Pomfret (?chips?) Island but decided on the basis of a (wrong) weather forecast to press on to a proper port called Port Tudy. We arrived bit late and ended up rafted with 6 other boats on two mooring buoys. The Glenans (local boaties) had been out racing and now were out drinking (Glenans are Island sailors cum terrorists who appear to control this neck of the woods). Anyway after a noisy night, the boat inside us on the raft announced it was leaving, disconnected all our ropes and set us adrift at the same time as the island ferry came in … well, we survived and got away having lost only one fender and a lot of sweat.
Next to Belle Ile. Belle indeed. Moored outside the harbour (Sauzon). Very nice. (Must be good because David sent me a text of approval.) Hot and sunny. 2 nights there. Nice walk along the coast. Swim off a sandy beach with nasty man-eating jelly fish.
Next to the little island of Houat. Anchored off the beach. Nice walk through the “town”, down to the harbour, over to a lovely sandy beach, nice swimming (no jellies).
Now Hoedit. Beautiful little island. Lovely beach (nasty giant carnivorous jelly fish). Beer in café.
As you can see being a retired GP is quite demanding.
After all this island hopping, it was time we found a shop and generally filled things up. So off to Piriac (Known locally as “Piriton”). Nice seaside town. Good food. A supermarket and a proper market-market .. bought some beans (French ones).
2 nights in Piriac. Hot and sunny.
Next to the “Morbihan”. This is huge inland sea, full of islands and channels and boats and mud banks with water gushing in and out (known locally as “tides”). Anchored off the Ile d’Arz. Lovely.
Now off back to Belle Ile. Looked in at Palais (the Island’s capital) We were horrified at the (tiny) parking place (berth) we were offered and (wisely) ran away (sailed back out to sea) and up the coast to good old Sauzon (see above). Sauzon, you will remember has nice, easy to pick up mooring buoys, excellent weather, good food, pleasant walks but some big jellies.
Now, throughout this time, when sailing fast or motoring at all, we’ve been hearing this “tick tick tick (etc)” from under the boat. Was it a Glenian bomb (“Berm” in French)? Or something stuck to the propeller? I’d had a look (very briefly) in Guernsey harbour and noted that the water was very cold and dirty and the bottom of the boat was also .. well .. cold and dirty and also well .. under water. I’d had a second look at Houat and noted that not only was it cold under the water under the boat but that there were jellies. Anyway, curiosity plus the will to survive (we wouldn’t like it if something important dropped off the bottom of the boat mid channel (the propeller for example). Anyway, so I had another look. To my horror the prop anode (technical boring bit … sorry, more boring bit coming up) was loose and had slid down and was banging the P bracket when the prop went round.
Jean and I had a crisis meeting.
I had to think of a really good reason why I shouldn’t swim under the boat and unscrew the offending anode. Reasons like: Jelly fish, cold, cold and dark, cold dark wet and fully of jelly fish etc all sprang to mind. Next morning, in a vain attempt to impress Jean, I braved the jelly fish and managed to saw off the offending anode, leaving us without our ticks and without an anode.
After such gallantry and terror, we sailed off to L’Orient (which I thought was a 1960s 4th division football team) but which turned out to be a big comfortable Marina (complete with anode shop).
From L’Orient with 3 hours of rain but some good sailing we are now back in Loctudy and ready to wend our way slowly back towards UK.
We left Loctudy (first major marina on the left after you get to South Brittany ) on 21st June and headed south. We tried anchoring off Pomfret (?chips?) Island but decided on the basis of a (wrong) weather forecast to press on to a proper port called Port Tudy. We arrived bit late and ended up rafted with 6 other boats on two mooring buoys. The Glenans (local boaties) had been out racing and now were out drinking (Glenans are Island sailors cum terrorists who appear to control this neck of the woods). Anyway after a noisy night, the boat inside us on the raft announced it was leaving, disconnected all our ropes and set us adrift at the same time as the island ferry came in … well, we survived and got away having lost only one fender and a lot of sweat.
Next to Belle Ile. Belle indeed. Moored outside the harbour (Sauzon). Very nice. (Must be good because David sent me a text of approval.) Hot and sunny. 2 nights there. Nice walk along the coast. Swim off a sandy beach with nasty man-eating jelly fish.
Next to the little island of Houat. Anchored off the beach. Nice walk through the “town”, down to the harbour, over to a lovely sandy beach, nice swimming (no jellies).
Now Hoedit. Beautiful little island. Lovely beach (nasty giant carnivorous jelly fish). Beer in café.
As you can see being a retired GP is quite demanding.
After all this island hopping, it was time we found a shop and generally filled things up. So off to Piriac (Known locally as “Piriton”). Nice seaside town. Good food. A supermarket and a proper market-market .. bought some beans (French ones).
2 nights in Piriac. Hot and sunny.
Next to the “Morbihan”. This is huge inland sea, full of islands and channels and boats and mud banks with water gushing in and out (known locally as “tides”). Anchored off the Ile d’Arz. Lovely.
Now off back to Belle Ile. Looked in at Palais (the Island’s capital) We were horrified at the (tiny) parking place (berth) we were offered and (wisely) ran away (sailed back out to sea) and up the coast to good old Sauzon (see above). Sauzon, you will remember has nice, easy to pick up mooring buoys, excellent weather, good food, pleasant walks but some big jellies.
Now, throughout this time, when sailing fast or motoring at all, we’ve been hearing this “tick tick tick (etc)” from under the boat. Was it a Glenian bomb (“Berm” in French)? Or something stuck to the propeller? I’d had a look (very briefly) in Guernsey harbour and noted that the water was very cold and dirty and the bottom of the boat was also .. well .. cold and dirty and also well .. under water. I’d had a second look at Houat and noted that not only was it cold under the water under the boat but that there were jellies. Anyway, curiosity plus the will to survive (we wouldn’t like it if something important dropped off the bottom of the boat mid channel (the propeller for example). Anyway, so I had another look. To my horror the prop anode (technical boring bit … sorry, more boring bit coming up) was loose and had slid down and was banging the P bracket when the prop went round.
Jean and I had a crisis meeting.
I had to think of a really good reason why I shouldn’t swim under the boat and unscrew the offending anode. Reasons like: Jelly fish, cold, cold and dark, cold dark wet and fully of jelly fish etc all sprang to mind. Next morning, in a vain attempt to impress Jean, I braved the jelly fish and managed to saw off the offending anode, leaving us without our ticks and without an anode.
After such gallantry and terror, we sailed off to L’Orient (which I thought was a 1960s 4th division football team) but which turned out to be a big comfortable Marina (complete with anode shop).
From L’Orient with 3 hours of rain but some good sailing we are now back in Loctudy and ready to wend our way slowly back towards UK.
Sunday 20 June 2010
Saturday 19 June 2010
South Brittany
We've made it at last ! South Brittany. Nice lighthouse on the Raz de Seine.
We arrived at Loctudy yesterday evening. Had to wait outside the harbour for 2 hours because I thought it wasnt deep enough (tides and stuff). It was hot on deck so we dropped the anchor and I had a brief snooze.
Have developed a new and cunning plan for getting into marinas.
1. Drop Angela on a pontoon and motor away again.
2. Angela recruits a team of burly sailors to catch our boat
3. We motor in to our berth
4. Aforesaid sailors try to stop us from hitting anything.
Unforunately, Angela is setting off for home today as she has to be back on Sunday.
This will leave just Jean and me ... unless any of you avid blog followers would like to join us?
Confusion in Camaret
Arrived Camaret Thursday afternoon.
Sunny and warm at last.
Had a good sail down the Chanel de Fours (see picture) then across the Rade de Brest (NE F5 …lovely).
Spent an enjoyable hour helping single-handed English sailors bring in their huge boats. No damage done.
Now the problem.
We’ve been to Carentan, we’ve been past Carentec and not far from Carteret and I think we’re in Camaret but it might be Cabaret or possibly Camenbert.
Surely the French can make this a little easier for us.
Perhaps a port beginning with “B” or “P”. Please not Crawley next.
Jean and Angela have gone shopping; leaving me to “play with my ropes” … Oh, if only they understood the loneliness of command.
I think I’ll have a small beer.
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Monday 14 June 2010
L'Aber Wrac'h
Picked up Angela in Morlaix on Sunday.
Anchored outside that night. A bit wobbly.
Up at 7 today (well, Jean was up at 6.30 to make the tea)
Arrived L'Aberwatsit at 1400 F5-6 all the way. Some big waves, but Angela managed to stop me getting wet. Safely tied up now in the marina. Boat looks like a laundry.
All well
Anchored outside that night. A bit wobbly.
Up at 7 today (well, Jean was up at 6.30 to make the tea)
Arrived L'Aberwatsit at 1400 F5-6 all the way. Some big waves, but Angela managed to stop me getting wet. Safely tied up now in the marina. Boat looks like a laundry.
All well
Thursday 10 June 2010
Treburden
Thursday.
Raining, windy and foggy in Treburden Marina.
Drinking tea and eating Pain au Chocolat on the boat.
Cosy and warm.
Raining, windy and foggy in Treburden Marina.
Drinking tea and eating Pain au Chocolat on the boat.
Cosy and warm.
Tuesday 8 June 2010
Lezardrieux
Here we are 7 miles up a French river in a lovely little town surrounded by aged yotties from Lymington.
We had an easy trip from Guernsey. We were moored near a boat called “Déjà vu”. I have this odd feeling that I’ve seen her before.
Next stop Treburden, hopefully tomorrow. Gales forecast for Thursday, so we’ll stop there for a couple of days.
The baguettes are good. France is lovely; so is Jean.
We had an easy trip from Guernsey. We were moored near a boat called “Déjà vu”. I have this odd feeling that I’ve seen her before.
Next stop Treburden, hopefully tomorrow. Gales forecast for Thursday, so we’ll stop there for a couple of days.
The baguettes are good. France is lovely; so is Jean.
Sunday 6 June 2010
Guernsey
After "racing" across the Channel, we sailed to Carentan.
Carentan is a lovely little town 5 miles up a canal about 4 hours sail from Cherboug.
Next to St Vaast. Bike ride. Good food. Met up with David and Susan. Said "Goodbye" to our friends from CCRC .. what a wonderful week!
Then back to Cherboug. Lovely weather. Anchored in the harbour.
Up at 5 a.m (why so early? must be the tide). Warm and sunny by 7 but no wind. Motored to Guernsey. St Peter Port. Nice food.
We are having a day off here.
Next on perhaps via Lesardrieux and Trebourden to Morlaix where Angela will meet us on Sunday 13th for a week hopefully heading with her round the corner and South.
Carentan is a lovely little town 5 miles up a canal about 4 hours sail from Cherboug.
Next to St Vaast. Bike ride. Good food. Met up with David and Susan. Said "Goodbye" to our friends from CCRC .. what a wonderful week!
Then back to Cherboug. Lovely weather. Anchored in the harbour.
Up at 5 a.m (why so early? must be the tide). Warm and sunny by 7 but no wind. Motored to Guernsey. St Peter Port. Nice food.
We are having a day off here.
Next on perhaps via Lesardrieux and Trebourden to Morlaix where Angela will meet us on Sunday 13th for a week hopefully heading with her round the corner and South.
Albatross crosses Channel
Race Report
CCRC Passage Race Friday 27th July Chichester (England) to Cherbourg (France)
NB notes in (brackets) are for the benefit of our American Cousins.
Being complete novices at this sort of thing we weren’t s sure what to do when we got up at 3 a.m. Have an early breakfast or a late supper? We opted for neither. In an attempt to maximise our sleep we had anchored overnight at East Head (England) after leaving our mooring on Itchenor Reach on Thursday Evening.
Anchoring (dropping the hook) involved:
1. Running aground (I don’t know the correct US Naval term for this, but they must have one),
2. Refloating,
3. Dropping the hook.
We slept briefly.
Pre-dawn beckoned (it was still night), we motored out to the starting line, this was between Yacht "Gunshot" and a local mark.
Gunshot was late for her own start on account of a generalised electronic equipment failure. Fortunately, she found her way to the start line using extreme seamanship and general resourcefulness (wisdom) .. she followed all the other boats who were out there waiting for her..
Following some generally technical but otherwise unremarkable VHF traffic (does anyone else remember watching “Whirlybirds”), the hooter was hooted and off we all went.
The main things about this race were Breakfast, Lunch, Tea and Snacks. In our case mainly tea and Eccles cakes (editorial comment, no American equivalent).
As a new member of The Club (Chichester (England) Cruiser Racing Club) it is normal, I understand, at this stage to mention the progress, exploits and achievements of other club boats. As however, they quickly disappeared ahead over the horizon (and I therefore had no idea what they were up to), I’ve decided not to bother (sorry Commodore) ... but read on, if you must.
It was lovely sunny day with a 12 knot SW breeze. Albatross floated along pleasantly. For readers wondering why Albatross currently stands utterly last in the CCRC 2010 league (Super Bowl), there are two possibilities.
First, Mass. We carry 400 litres of water, 2 bicycles, enough chain to hold the Ark Royal in an F10, a library, an (empty) wine cellar and nearly 10% of my wife’s shoe collection.
Second, Incompetence.
Gunshot, Arcadia, Sikoflex, Intrepid, L’Aquarelle, Allegra, BT, Pheon, Saphire, Egret, Red Apple, Geofon (Commodore said to drop in a few boat names) all seemed to be luckier with the tide, wind, tactics and general overall mass and as a result of this luck arrived in Cherbourg (France) in good time. Meanwhile, Albatross’ race team (Jean and me) on our tenth “Trans-Manche” almost made it for the first time without using the engine. Sadly we were thwarted (blocked by a wooden seat?) by a sudden, uncharted and unpredictable tidal anomaly 300 metres before the finishing buoy.
Thus, we retired and finished last which resulted in the achievement of my ultimate, cunning and secret plan. … which was to arrive at a pontoon lined with the smiling faces of CCRC members who, ably instructed by Keith, managed to prevent any serious damage from resulting from our arrival (we didn’t hit anything).
CCRC Passage Race Friday 27th July Chichester (England) to Cherbourg (France)
NB notes in (brackets) are for the benefit of our American Cousins.
Being complete novices at this sort of thing we weren’t s sure what to do when we got up at 3 a.m. Have an early breakfast or a late supper? We opted for neither. In an attempt to maximise our sleep we had anchored overnight at East Head (England) after leaving our mooring on Itchenor Reach on Thursday Evening.
Anchoring (dropping the hook) involved:
1. Running aground (I don’t know the correct US Naval term for this, but they must have one),
2. Refloating,
3. Dropping the hook.
We slept briefly.
Pre-dawn beckoned (it was still night), we motored out to the starting line, this was between Yacht "Gunshot" and a local mark.
Gunshot was late for her own start on account of a generalised electronic equipment failure. Fortunately, she found her way to the start line using extreme seamanship and general resourcefulness (wisdom) .. she followed all the other boats who were out there waiting for her..
Following some generally technical but otherwise unremarkable VHF traffic (does anyone else remember watching “Whirlybirds”), the hooter was hooted and off we all went.
The main things about this race were Breakfast, Lunch, Tea and Snacks. In our case mainly tea and Eccles cakes (editorial comment, no American equivalent).
As a new member of The Club (Chichester (England) Cruiser Racing Club) it is normal, I understand, at this stage to mention the progress, exploits and achievements of other club boats. As however, they quickly disappeared ahead over the horizon (and I therefore had no idea what they were up to), I’ve decided not to bother (sorry Commodore) ... but read on, if you must.
It was lovely sunny day with a 12 knot SW breeze. Albatross floated along pleasantly. For readers wondering why Albatross currently stands utterly last in the CCRC 2010 league (Super Bowl), there are two possibilities.
First, Mass. We carry 400 litres of water, 2 bicycles, enough chain to hold the Ark Royal in an F10, a library, an (empty) wine cellar and nearly 10% of my wife’s shoe collection.
Second, Incompetence.
Gunshot, Arcadia, Sikoflex, Intrepid, L’Aquarelle, Allegra, BT, Pheon, Saphire, Egret, Red Apple, Geofon (Commodore said to drop in a few boat names) all seemed to be luckier with the tide, wind, tactics and general overall mass and as a result of this luck arrived in Cherbourg (France) in good time. Meanwhile, Albatross’ race team (Jean and me) on our tenth “Trans-Manche” almost made it for the first time without using the engine. Sadly we were thwarted (blocked by a wooden seat?) by a sudden, uncharted and unpredictable tidal anomaly 300 metres before the finishing buoy.
Thus, we retired and finished last which resulted in the achievement of my ultimate, cunning and secret plan. … which was to arrive at a pontoon lined with the smiling faces of CCRC members who, ably instructed by Keith, managed to prevent any serious damage from resulting from our arrival (we didn’t hit anything).
Monday 17 May 2010
News Flash .. Peter and Jean considered "Competent"
After a wonderful day of instruction with Keith Feltham, during which be both learnt new techniques for coming alongside (without destroying the pontoon or the boat) and some excellent instruction and practice in Man Overboard ... remarkably we are now both certified as competent.
Many thanks Keith!
http://kcf-sailing.mysite.orange.co.uk
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Where are we going .. . approximately
28 May ....CCRC Spring Cruise to Cherbourg and beyond
4 June ..... Braye (Alderney)
7 June ..... Trebeurden
10 June ... L'Aberwrac'h ........... Not too far from Brest Airport
12 June ... Camaret .................. ditto
14 June ... South Brittany ........ Accessible from Nantes Airport
4 June ..... Braye (Alderney)
7 June ..... Trebeurden
10 June ... L'Aberwrac'h ........... Not too far from Brest Airport
12 June ... Camaret .................. ditto
14 June ... South Brittany ........ Accessible from Nantes Airport
Planning the Summer Cruise
Good Morning All,
The Summer is almost here and we have started to plan our Summer Cruise.
The channel beckons and in just a few weeks we will be in France.
We plan to start our journey from Itchenor in the excellent company of other boats and members of the Chichester Cruiser Racer Club, before leaving them and heading off to the Channel Islands and then to South Brittany.
Sadly we've had to leave our German Shepherd Bonzo at home as we'll be landing in France, but I'm sure he will be happy with Sue's company and his daily walk.
We look forward to welcoming friends and family during our cruise.
The Summer is almost here and we have started to plan our Summer Cruise.
The channel beckons and in just a few weeks we will be in France.
We plan to start our journey from Itchenor in the excellent company of other boats and members of the Chichester Cruiser Racer Club, before leaving them and heading off to the Channel Islands and then to South Brittany.
Sadly we've had to leave our German Shepherd Bonzo at home as we'll be landing in France, but I'm sure he will be happy with Sue's company and his daily walk.
We look forward to welcoming friends and family during our cruise.
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