Isle of Man to Lundy

13th to 15th August
Peel-Skomer-Lundy
Route (click left icon if link opens)

Turning a long ship in Peel Harbour

After a week, yes a whole week, on the Isle of Man, I felt I knew it well enough. All that time the winds were too strong and the wrong way (relics of that hurricane beginning with a ‘B’-name forgotten).

Peel Harbour was full. My neighbours, on a little Beneteau which they’d just bought in Ireland, were a colourful and enterprising young German couple with their two-year old daughter. We shared meals and European opinions, and they tell me they’re going to the Mediterranean for the winter – or until their money runs out. Time passed quickly, even though it’s the longest time in four months’ sailing that I’ve been stuck in one place.

Manx Agricultural Show

...judging feather and fur..

...a very pretty feathered foul...

...herding ducks with dog...

Peel Harbour

There was the Manx Agricultural Show (best I’ve ever been to), some memorable long cliff-top walks, and bus trips all over the place.

As soon as wind was down to about F5, and Peel Harbour bridge swung open, I left (along with two other boats – though they went north while I turned south). Refreshed from so much time in harbour, I sailed for the next 31 hours. And felt a lot less refreshed when I reached the little island of Skomer, S. Wales, next evening. Even the Irish Sea seems to have ships and boats sailing through the night, so with them to keep an eye on, and lots of reefing and de-reefing there was little chance to rest!

Next morning, really keen to see Skomer, I rowed across to a little beach and slipway. Alas! I’d just secured the dinghy and got five yards on land, as far as a sign saying “£10 to land”, and being hailed from the cliff-top…”it’ll be £10 for any more than five minutes”. I didn’t have my wallet, and could not face the windy return row to Misty. After landing on almost every other island in Britain without a charge, I was disappointed. Is Skomer really that special?

Company in the Irish Sea

Brief landing at Skomer..

Once tide slackened in nearby swirly-whirly Jack Sound, I left Skomer and sailed quickly past Milford Haven and over to Lundy – a beautiful warm sunny run under genoa – to reach Lundy as the sun set. Now there’s more days of strong wind forecast so I’ll stay awhile, ceaselessly rolling in persistent swell

Fine sunset sailing into Lundy………

......it was windy and rolly for three days and nights (“….unseasonably cool and breezy”, as the forecaster says). Walks and talks, and beer, on Lundy are therapeutic. Chloe, a seasonal warden with the National Trust, has been an informative guide; and one day, when the Oldenburgh ferry came over from Ilfracombe, there were more than 260 visitors. Lundy can feel very busy and is a charming place!

...a guided tour..

..a pretty and rolly anchorage

...I think its name is Boris