Launch Day

Back in the water again.

Galmpton to Noss.

Cold but happy.

Winter lift-out

Anticipation. Execution. Refection. 

 Another epic voyage. 

 Anticipation. 

Has Gampton (aka Galampton) remembered that we've booked to be lifted this week? 

Will it be deep enough in their dock? 

Will it be too windy? "Yes, all booked, Sir" "It should be deep enough" 

"What is the drying height?" "1.7 Metres, Sir" 

"What do you draw". "2.0". 

Tidal height 4.3. Should be fine ...... 

The weather. 

BBC said 43 knots 

Met Office 37 knots 

XC Weather 25-37 knots 

Pocket Grib 35 knots. 

Usually, if one forecast looks bad you can find one that's better. 

I checked all 4 every few hours for a week before our lift-out booking. 

They fluctuated mildly but all 4 continued to look rather worrying. 

Would we be able to get to Albatross, moored 3 miles down river in our trusty "Green Thing" (2.4M plastic boat) powered only by its little electric motor before dawn against the tide with the wind gusting about a gale? 

 Execution. 

Dawn broke. 

We were already up. 

The river was flat calm. Wind about 10 knots. 

 The incoming tide was running downstream. (So much rainwater flooding down from Dartmoor that the moon had given up and the tide was going out.) 

We wizzed down to our mooring, boarded Albatross and set off for Gampton (Galampton) Quarry (where lift-outs happen on the Dart). 

 Would it be deep enough? 

 

Tidal predictions Greenway Quay: HW 0946 = 4.18 metres 

Atmospheric pressure 1015 mB Add "2 inches" "because it's been raining a lot on Dartmoor". 

 Therefore depth = 4.18(tidal height) plus 0.05(raining a lot) less 1.7 (drying height) equals 2.53 metres. 

We'd arrived at HW and the atmospheric pressure was 1015, so, as the boat draws 1.95 we should have 0.58 metres depth under the keel. 

 In the event the depth read "0.2" very briefly just before we docked, though it was 0.4 when we got right in. Anyway we survived. 

 The crane lifted Albatross out of the water and this time I remembered to turn the boat's engine off (this is really very important). 

We jumped back in the Green Thing and wizzed back to Stoke. 

 Reflection. 

Sailing and boaty stuff is rather mysterious. The weather is unpredictable and is sometimes even better than you (and everyone else) expect. 

Tidal height calculations are best left to the dog, if you have one aboard). 

A hot bath after sailing is good. 

 Next week: Aunty Fowling and polishing ones topsides.

2023 has arrived !

The New Year is here. Time to plan this year's cruise. To Scotland again. The weather's going to be great so we're aiming at The Northern Isles again. Orkney, Fair Isle and Shetland (perhaps). We hope to leave Dartmouth about 17th April and head West. Coast-hop to Penzance, across the Bristol Channel and over to Ireland. Arklow ideally. Arrive in Oban about 8th May. And Stromness by the end of May. Then ... who knows?

Portland, Teignmouth and autumn

25 July 2022 

To Portland ! 

0645 Up 

0730 Car to river 

0732 Arrive at river 

Green Thing to Albatross 

0930 Leave Dartmouth 

1900 Anchor Portland Harbour 

 (We sailed half the way) 

Chicken stew for supper 

Two nights in Weymouth Harbour. 

Lovely to see the family 

28 July 2022 To Dartmouth. 

It is worth noting that the innermost tidal streams turn much earlier than than the outer at The Bill. 

We sailed almost all the way. This was remarkable. 

3 August 2022 

Mabel Mari Retief      (6lbs 2oz) 

12 August 2022 To Teignmouth 

We moored on the Visitors' Pontoon. Strong tides, even arriving at almost HW 

Remember to berth pointing upstream. 

Parkrun. 

Lizzy, Johannes + 4 came aboard for lunch. It's good to introduce children to sailing while they are still young.

14 August 2022 

Home via swims at Scabacombe bay. 

31 August 2022 

This was to be  Our Late August Cruise 

 

We made ready and headed out to Albatross. 

After a night on our lovely mooring, we went home again. It had been a short, but happy cruise.

I blame the blogger

My Reader will remember that back in July we were about to set off from Kilmore Quay towards Blighty.

I was about to explain why 2-hour watch systems never work. And so on. 

Anyway, we made it to Lands End (130 miles).

Proper sailors know that it is a good idea to get the tides right near Lands Ends. 

We didn't, but the engine saved the day again. 

2 nights in Penzance Marina. 

We really do like Penzance Marina. 

We motored to Fowey, then to Dartmouth. 

 It had been very good trip to Scotland and back.

From Bangor to Dartmouth

The wind eventually dropped in Bangor, but not before some enthusiastic rowers had had to be rescued nearby after getting into difficulties in the gales.  Anything with an F7 in it is far too much for us  ... and we have a keel.  We like our keel.

Martin went home.

We set off for Ardglass (Northern Ireland).  We like Ardglass (and NI generally).

We motored all the way (again).

Next to Greystones.  We tried using the big white flappy things again for a few minutes, but to no avail.

Greystones was built during the Celtic Tiger Years (just before the Financial Crash).  It has very modern facilities and nice pontoons and is surrounded by modern flats, many of which may be unoccupied.  Now that The Next Recession is about to start, building is underway to create another big block of flats. You get used to the pile-driving (apparently).  We liked Greystones, mainly because the berthing was easy, even without Martin's assistance.

Greystones 

Next to Arklow, or maybe further.  We made it to Arklow.

Arklow is good for chatting to people about the weather.   I did.  Several boats were planning to go on to Kilmore Quay.  I thought it was a bit windy.  We chatted.  We all decided that another night in Arklow would be just fine.

4th July 2022

To Kilmore Quay.  We set off accompanied by two other boats.  Using my utterly un-honed yacht-racing skills, I cleverly let the other boats get there first.  As a result, the first boat to arrive was directed to a ridiculously tight and challenging berth and the second boat was squeezed in between others on the main hammerhead.   When we arrived, it was a simple matter to tell boat number two that we would be berthing alongside (rafting), and perhaps they would kindly "take our lines" and provide us with any necessary assistance.  We berthed with ease and (possibly) had a beer.

Next off .... 130 miles to Lands End and why a Two Hour Watch System doesn't work. 

Bangor NI, today.

Gusting 41 knots.

Continuous heavy rain.

Will drink a lot of tea today.