A Bit More!

31st August to 11th September
Starcross-Poole-Cherbourg-C.I.-Starcross

(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/113736 )

That's it! 

After reaching home, it was extremely hard to settle! Spending time on a little sailing boat makes life ashore feel rather flat. Anyway, I was restless and remembered I hadn't included the Channel Islands in rounding most of the rest of Britain. So the little loop at the bottom of the map shows the last outing to France and Dependencies.

Early September was hot and sunny, and the sail to Poole via Mupe Bay and Studland was bliss compared with the same journey in April. I enjoyed a beautiful day with old Bristol friends out of Poole.

Then, quickly to Cherbourg for water, wine and yummy cheese. Goodness the marina is crowded.

Thousands of boats in a charming Cherbourg mrina
Then, as I'd not been to Herm before and a friend said it was his favourite of the Channel Islands, I went there. Anchoring in the dark in a spot the chart shows near 'isolated boulders', was taxing and I awoke around low tide, to find I was very near a few.

"Isolated boulders"

Next night, the wind had changed so the pretty anchorage at Belvoir Bay was pleasant and warm.

Anchored off Belvoir Bay, Herm

La Greve de la Ville, Sark

Force 6 into Torbay

On entering the Exe yesterday, the Exmouth lifeboat was being launched to join the search for a missing fisherman south of Brixham. It's chilling to listen to the Mayday communications, but a trawler had capsized and one crewman was still missing.

Launching Exmouth lifeboat

That's it! Enough blogging for one year. Be warned, if you sail round Britain or spend a few months on a boat anywhere I guess, you may find it troublesome to sleep peacefully ashore. It seems paradoxical that the body needs movement for its mind to rest!

Then, quickly over to Sark for a brisk walk and sleep, before leaving at 2am for fast sail to Torbay (well over 70 miles in 12 hours, with 2nd reef and well-furled genoa all the way). Here's the only other sailing boat I saw.

Summary

Saturday 25th August
Home, Exeter

This is just a brief summary of the trip in 2012, not reflections on the joys of sailing!
(The blog for 2013 sailing trip (Devon-Shetland return) is at Misty2013 )

If you have Google Earth, this link will show the 2012 route, and allow you to zoom in and see detail.  
 Misty's Track

Total distance over the ground: 2,687 nautical miles
Longest passage: 139 miles
Overall average speed: 4.6 knots
Nights away: 125

Gentle sailing in the Irish Sea. (Photo from Speedwell of  Rhu)

At anchor: 45
Marinas: 26
Pontoons: 22
Swinging Moorings: 19
Quayside: 11
At sea: 2
Single-handed: 65
With crew: 60

Day 1 - Launching alongside main rail line

Cawsand to Starcross

Sunday 19th to Monday 20th August
Cawsand-Salcombe-Starcross

(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/112008 )

After 122 nights aboard and 2,687 miles over the ground, we're home. The final mooring (Misty's residence) was one of the trickiest: firstly, I couldn't find my mooring because I don't recognise the spot now there are so many boats on the water; then, the pick-up buoy had sunk! Landfall, i.e. setting foot ashore, was this morning. A lot of clothes are going through the washing machine now.

Final leg - into the Exe, passing Exmouth

First day - east across Lyme Bay

Sailing gives wonderful contrasts: leaving on 19th April, we wore five or more layers, had goose pimples, and we raced along with just a furled genoa; returning four months later, we had t-shirts or less, very sunburnt noses, and Misty moved gently with goose-winged cruising chute. I love both, and can't wait for another trip.

Last day - east across Torbay

Thank you to everyone who has come along as long-suffering crew. You've taught me lots and, though I make plenty of mistakes, I reckon most sailors always will!

Falmouth to Cawsand

Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th August
Ruan Creek-Truro-Ruan Creek-Cawsand
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/111801 )
Progress has been slow because the weather's been horrid and I don't want to go home anyway! But, if the weather has to be wet and windy, then Falmouth and Truro are fine places to visit. In Truro, Misty sat in a soft muddy berth, close to both the Cathedral and a giant Tesco store which, between them, provide most human needs I suppose. (No, I'm not being serious, not very.)

Soft mud and Truro cathedral

It was good to see Bill and Janet, the friendly helpful couple, who sold me my first cruiser, a Centaur, from a nearby creek a few years ago. They came aboard for supper.

A bus trip to Falmouth reminded me how beautifully maritime and bright it is, even in the rain. Falmouth and Cowes must rank as the two greatest sailing meccas of England. In Cowes though, the sailors are as concerned about their aftershave as their boat, in Falmouth I feel they'd prefer a can of WD40, and they gather to discuss their trip round Cape Horn rather than their thrash around the cans. The sailor girls are of course equally glamorous in both, and both towns seem to harbour identical boaty fashion shops and bunting.

Company for the sail to Plymouth

Cawsand - very peaceful

Yesterday, I slowly sailed and motored over to Cawsand near Plymouth. I was last here for the Silhouette Owners' Rally picnic in about 1967!

Scilly to Falmouth

Friday 10th to Monday 13th August
Tean-St Agnes-Bryher-Tresco-St Mary-Falmouth
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/111512 )

St Agnes

At this stage of the trip I have little wish to move back ashore, so look for ways to prolong the time afloat. The current strong winds help! But, most good things must eventually come to an end, so after five days, five Scilly islands, long walks, long talks, a few beers and my first swims of the year, I left Scilly yesterday with a locker full of 'hedge veg'.

Green Bay, Bryher

Old Grimsby Sound, Tresco

Watermill Cove, St Mary

Wolf Rock

Just ahead of a gale and with rain lashing down, we tacked round the Lizard, well reefed and very wet, for a quick reach into Falmouth. At dusk, well sheltered in a tree-lined creek near Truro, Misty shook her sails like a soggy dog, and I dropped the anchor.

Up to Ruan Creek - in the rain

And now, Wednesday, I've moved up to Truro, the only visitor at the quay!

Tom and Monica,
Of course I remember you and your beautiful boat! I can't find your email address or see how to reply to your query, except like this. Would be good to hear more of your trip. If you see this, please contact me via michael.sweet12@gmail.com

Padstow to Scilly

Monday 6th to Thursday 9th August
Padstow-St Ives-Tean
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/111027 )

Pretty Padstow street, in the rain

Practice off St Ives

If Padstow is the Rick Stein capital of Britain, then St Ives is the pasty capital. That's not why I loved the place, though! It was so charming that, after a day of drizzle and rain, I spent two days absorbing the peaceful, arty, convivial
surroundings. Even the thousands of visitors don't seem to penetrate the overwhelming calm of St Ives. I also enjoyed the local ice cream, apparently top of a Times "Best Ice Cream in Britain Award.

While enjoying St Ives, the wind slowly shifted to the east, helping an easy, warm and sunny sail to the Isles of Scilly. (People like it called this, or Scilly, rather than the Scillies - a bit like Orkney in that way).

Happy people on holiday, St Ives

East Porth, Tean

By sunset I was anchored off the uninhabited island of Tean (pronounced Tee-Ann), which, in a week or two, may have Britain's largest untouched mass of wild blackberries.

Sunset at Tean, IoS

Bristol to Padstow

Bristol-Porlock-Lundy-Padstow
Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th August
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/110718 )

Company down the R. Avon

Bristol is one of those rare places where narrow boats meet sea-going yachts. This one was heading for Portishead, though it wasn't a very calm day, so I hope they arrived safely.

Winds were strong and sea quite boisterous for the sail to Lundy - with a very rolly-poly night anchored off Porlock on the way!

Brisk sail to Lundy

 A gentle day on Lundy Island was a treat. It doesn't take long to walk the length and breadth of the island, and there are a few deer and seals who live there, alongside several hundred visitors, at this time of year.

Lundy W. Coast

 From Lundy, the wind eased and sun came out burning hot for the sail and motorsail to Padstow. It's now raining again but, earlier this morning, before crowds appeared and fish-frying started, all was bright and tranquil. (I'm tied up behind the boat with the sail partly hoisted.)

Padstow

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.)