Cardiff to Bristol

Thursday 26th July
( Route and photos http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/110173 )

 It was a treat to have Tom and George (younger sons) with me for the sail across to Bristol - though it was another very early start to catch the Bristol Channel flood tide.

Although I lived in Bristol for many years, this was my first local sail. The water flows so briskly up and down that sediment never settles, and the sea looks like oxtail soup (cf. Thames Estuary is more the colour of caramel). Never mind, it was flowing fast enough to get us into the beautiful lower reaches of the River Avon by lunchtime. Here's the well-known Clifton suspension bridge.

 Once through the lock and bridges (you feel awfully privileged when they open them for you and your little boat!), we paid our dues and found a mooring near the middle of the city, alongside the illustrious Matthew.

Now I await expertise to help fix engine trouble; do some minor repairs; visit family; tidy up; await new crew....so no more blogging for a while. We'll head for the Scillies next.

Solva to Cardiff

Saturday 21st to Tuesday 24th July
Solva-Dale-Barafundle Bay-Mumbles-Cardiff

(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/109823)

Life aboard on the Costa del Bristol Channel is pretty good. We're going to run out of sun cream (It's the same tube we've had for the last three years!)

We sailed gently from Solva to Skomer for lunch with the puffins, who come there in their thousands to breed. They stand like proud sentries, alert outside their burrows. (And, to think that until this year, I don't think I'd ever seen a single puffin). There are thousands more afloat, in this picture.

After lunch we sailed through Jack Sound. Well, we were flushed through actually, at around 10 knots, by energetic tide. Then anchored for the night off Dale, grateful for a country walk, then welcome shower at the local yacht club.

Next night was rather rolly - anchored off Barafundle Bay (That's 'Misty' at anchor, in the distance). The sand on the beach is like warm sugar and it's fantastic to see so many people out enjoying the sunshine.

Tuesday evening racing in Cardiff Bay

Leaving the Mumbles before dawn

Tidal streams are quite strong now it's near spring tide so I get up early to get moving (crew in bed!). After a long stop at Port-Eynon (not a port any more), we reached the Mumbles, off Swansea, for next night; then on yesterday to Cardiff. After too many 4 am starts, it was good to stay in bed till 7. We're lucky to have a berth at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, and we watched the cruisers racing yesterday evening. Now...a day of chores, and a diesel leak to stop.

Dublin to Solva

Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th July
Dublin-Wicklow-Wexford-Solva
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/109535 )

 After a successful rendez-vous with Anna on O'Connell Street, we left Dublin and sailed, south again, to Wicklow. There are lots of murals of boats, including this one, on the harbour wall at Wicklow. The local sailors were a resilient crowd, not deterred from their Wednesday evening cruiser racing by strong wind and heavy rain showers. I was impressed that most sailed off and on to their moorings without motors.
We were inspired to get our cruising chute out again for the sail across to Wales - not forgetting a sleepless anchorage off Wexford the night before.

 After an uneventful sail through Ramsey Sound, we arrived at Solva Quay with just enough water. (It's a drying harbour, but exquisite in the hot summer's evening.)

Belfast to Dublin

Saturday 14th to Tuesday 17th July
Belfast-Copeland Is-Strangford Loch-Rogerstown-Dublin


(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/109534 )


After a thorough look round the excellent and popular Titanic exhibition in Belfast, we enjoyed a fresh afternoon sail out to a windy anchorage off Copeland Island. Then, south next day to Strangford Lough. After waiting a few hours for favourable stream into the Lough, we passed this. It's Britain's first commercial tidal turbine. Beneath the water, I gather there's 1,000 tonne, 43 metre diameter turbine the revolves in the current, generating up to 1.2MW. (Can that be right?!)

Anyway, we lay on a mooring at Strangford and could judge the speed of current by hum of the generator. It didn't seem to bother the resident seals and energetic local terns.

We had to leave around 4 am next morning to get out before tide turned, but then sailed on to cover about 65 miles and anchor north of Dublin that afternoon. Next day, into Dublin (city docks now closed, despite almanac advice). After a thorough look round the excellent and popular Titanic exhibition in Belfast, we enjoyed a fresh afternoon sail out to a windy anchorage off Copeland Island. Then, south next day to Strangford Lough. After waiting a few hours for favourable stream into the Lough, we passed this. It's Britain's first commercial tidal turbine. Beneath the water, I gather there's 1,000 tonne, 43 metre diameter turbine the revolves in the current, generating up to 1.2MW. (Can that be right?!)

We were given a berth at PoolBeg YC marina, opposite the busy Dublin docks, where there was customary Irish hospitality and helpfulness.

Firth of Clyde to Belfast

Monday 9th to Friday 13th July
Millport-Troon-Lamlash-Sanda Is.-Glenarm-Copeland Is.-Belfast
(Route, with errors, http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/108768 )
From a soggy start the week has improved and we're now in the warm sunny heart of Belfast.

Here's that blue sheep again! Three men and a sheep this time (no.3 man a bit hidden). 

He's on the little island of Sanda, which seemed deserted for our visit. You can see this sheep/goat, a real one, at another corner of Sanda, was very surprised to see anyone. The little hump in the background is the island of Ailsa Craig.

As ever, there are highlights too frequent to cover, but here is last night's sunset off the N. Irish Copeland Island, and a cruise ship parked nearby as we entered Belfast docks this morning.

Crew have been fantastically efficient so we've had the cruising chute out again (and I can now get it hoisted, touch wood, in less than half an hour.)

Firth of Clyde

Wednesday 4th to Sunday 8th July
Campbeltown-Lochranza-Kyles of Bute-Millport
Route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/108353

Apparently, this is one of the most photographed boats in Britain, if not the world. She's the paddle steamer Waverley and she hurried past me through the Kyles of Bute, cloaked in drizzle on a calm sea. She was built in 1946 and travels very fast. Yes, it's the same boat that often appears in Bristol in the late summer.

Light winds and lots of rain and drizzle has been a reason to go walking, so I haven't moved far in Misty, just brief visits to Arran and, now, Millport on Great Cumbrai Island (where most of the known world is listening or watching the Men's Final at Wimbledon). There have been some pretty sunsets though, and we've met some lovely people on pretty boats. 

Tomorrow, I'll have new crew and must think about moving on!

Jura to Campbeltown

Sunday 1st July to Tuesday 3rd July
Craighouse-Gigha Is.-Sanda Is.-Campbeltown
http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/107994

Sanda Island is tiny. It was recently bought by a Swiss couple who live in Stockholme. They've added colour with the sky-blue sheep and vivid pink ornate plastic armchairs. They'vealso employed a very young fascinating couple of Belgians to manage it; though the Swiss couple visit every week. (Don't ask me how!) The (Flemish) Belgian girl's language skills include the English for razorbill, which is impressive.

For a sailor as indecisive as me, Scotland is a nightmare as I can never decide where to go; there are far too many wonderful choices. I seldom end up where I aimed to go. Sanda Island was one example. But when the wind died and I felt hungry and the tide was rather strong, it was conveniently in just the right place.

Now, two days later, it's very misty, drizzly, windy, and pretty horrid, so it's good there's a distillery to visit, a laundrette and some points of interest. This is a picture of the Linda McCartney memorial garden. Campbeltown is busy with boats; after my company on Jura (below), that's good.