Back in Poole

Here we are back in Poole after a wonderfull trip around the British Mainland.

We arrived sfely around 13.30 at the Haven to be met first by Jim and Mary Stevenson in their very luxurious tender, just by the training bank, followed by many flag waving friends at the Haven, where it was quite busy with the ferry leaving and fishing boats drifting around. Then we met a sand carrying vessel giving lots of toots as a stupid fishing boat wouldn't get out of the way. Soon sorted by the pilot boat at high speed. Then ten or more marine fast boats returning from Weymouth where they had been providing Olympic security. Next was our friends Rob and Wendy, also returning from Olympic duty having "borrowed" an Olympic RIB to come and meet us.

We were soon tied up again on our berth in PYC since when many of you have sent congratulations.

Olly and family were waiting at home with a bottle of FIZZZ and we are now off to Gill and Ian's for more food and we hope more FIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

I will post a couple of pics and hope to do a blog summary when I have more time and help with computer skills.

Les. and Gail

Nearly home

We left Dover on Thursday on a misty morning with little or no wind and headed towards Eastbourne. We motored all the way passing Dungeness on the way where we saw a few porpoises which I am sure had a flourescent glow about them.

Apart from that there was not much to report untilwe arrived at Eastbourne where we joined the queue for the loch which opened every half hour. There were about ten boats "jilling about" when a boat behind us said he couldn't stop because he had lost his engine. Luckily the lifeboat was just discharging it's crew to a rubber boat and were able to take him into the loch safely.

The marina was enormous, not what we have been used to, with shops a plenty and even a cinema.
Next day we set off for Portsmouth on a lovely sunny day with a gentle breeze for once behind us. We put up the cruising chute and gently sailed for about four hours before having to fire up the faithfull Yanma to make a sensible time and get in before dark. Entering the solent we realised how busy the south coast is, hpassing the Queen Mary ii and two other cruise ships leaving. Coming through the narrow channel into Haslar Marina there were boats everywhere.

This morning we were joined for our penultimate sail by Olly and Marin who came up on the train. They enjoyed perhaps the best sailing of the who;e trip, with a cracking force 5 easterly down the solent. As it was the start of Cowes week we had to sail through hundreds, perhaps a thousand, boats starting their races up the solent. Pretty lively.

We decided to sail into the Beaulieu river and up to Bucklers Hard where we werejoined first by Melissa and Skipp, then by our friend Robin Long bearing a bottle of champers, which we followed by a meal in the Master Builder pub with Olly and family.

They have all now left to go home so we will sail the last leg hopefully tomorrow back towards Poole. We anticipate arriving around lunch time.

Thanks to all who have followed our blog, which has been a really nice way to keep in touch with all our friends and family.

Dover

We slipped Suffolk yacht haven around seven having had the Garmin re fitted
I was furious when we found we had no AIS and even more so when the radar said there was a fault. And no depth or wind readings either. So much for electronics. I was minded to return to Suffolk Y H but Gail wanted to press on, even though we would be crossing the Thames estuary with fog patches forecast.
We sailed a little and as usual motored a lot as the wind died completely. The intention was to go to Ramsgate, but as the sea was flat and we had made good time with the tide under us, we pressed on towards Dover. As we approached thick cloud enveloped the white cliffs, and ferries appeared ghost like through the mist. Eventually we were given clearance to enter port , and tied up in the marina 11 hours after leaving Felixstow. We are now enjoying a drink in the Royal Cinque Ports Y C before finding somewhere to eat.
No pics yet as on 3G

Ready to move on

The replacement Garmin has just been fitted so we are hoping to leave towards Ramsgate in the morning when the tide is right, around 06.00 tomorrow morning.

We need to shop for some up-wind food. Pies, soup etc. which is easy to heat up, as the weather is still pretty grotty and fairly cold here today.

Of course the Garmin agent at first said fitting of the replacement unit would be covered by Garmin, as it was a software fault. Now though, it seems that since we bought it from Force 4, and had our own electrician fit it, who are not actually Garmin registered dealers, we shall have to pay for the installation. Sometimes one gets the feeling big companies are very good at hiding behind the small print. Certainly we wern't told by Force 4 that we needed a Garmin dealer to fit the unit. They said you simply plug it in. As always, we live and learn.

Otherwise, all well and looking forward to getting moving again. Even managing to watch a bit of the Olympics on BBC iplayer.

Pictures show Felixstow container port and some more details on Spirit yachts.

Back in the Orwell

Well here we are once more at Suffolk Yacht Haven where we hope the electrician will receive our Garmin chart plotter back tomorrow or the day after.

We spent three very enjoyable nights with our friends Geoff and Sue Sinton at Woodbridge. We moored on Geoff's mooring on the Deben, and used his boatyard launch to travel back and forth from boat to shore. We stayed with Geoff and Sue and as always probably ate too much. We also managed to watch quite a lot of the Olympics. Glad to see us doing so well, although I would prefer the commentators to give more credit to the silver and bronze medalists rather than seeing them as a failure to win gold.

We visited Sutton Hoo which is in my book of the 100 most important places that made Britain. We've managed to tick a few off on this trip, and sailed past a couple more.

The weather looks like it might settle down a bit after Tuesday so we shall be hoping to progress back towards Poole by the middle of August. Fingers crossed.
The pictures show Geoff and Gail, Woodbridge, and my next yacht under construction.

Going Back

Well, we've decided to turn round and head back up the East coast.

Not really, but we are going to head back towards the Deben tomorrow to take up Geoff Sinton's kind offer to use his mooring for a few days.

We had an electrician look at our Garmin chartplotter today and the conclusion was that it must be sent back to Garmin for replacement, hopefully under warrenty. This means we shall have to wait about five days, so better to use Geoff's mooring rather than pay to stay in a marina. And the Deben should be interesting. Geoff is going to come round to sail the boat with us, so no navigation problems.

Just off to order my new yacht from Spirit Yachts lower down in the marina. Just the odd couple of million £ required.

Ipswich

We left Lowestoft for the second time at 07.45 on Monday, 30th July. Although we knew we would be punching the tide, and have to head towards Harwich instead of the Deben due to tide, we figured we woud try to move before the clouds built up. The wind was still from the South West, probably backing South later.

We had a tight fetch for the first 20 miles, with the wind up and down under the building clouds, meaning first one, then two, then one, then no reefs, and the same again for the whole trip. Reefs in and out.

Rounding Orwell Ness lighthouse, we had to start beating, and having decided to take the inside passage, were tacking within a few metres of the shingle beach (a bit like Chessil). The wind was still increasing to force 6 and dropping under clouds to about 2 to 3.

With Tom on board we had the best sail of the trip, with sails being trimmed all the time to get the best speed. We eventually crossed the traffic separation scheme off Harrich around 16.00 when the chartplotter went blank. It had done this a couple of times in the previous legs, but this time didn't come back.

We checked into Suffolk Yacht Haven at 18.30 where our friend Geoff Sinton, from Cadet days, drove over from Woodbridge, where we went back for a glass of champagne and supper in the pub where we met another old friend from Cadets, Anthony Mason. He had just returned from a three and a half year trip to the Caribean. Geoff had just returned from a trip to the West coast where his boat and team won the Tilman prize, and second overall (despite being a smaller boat than the winner), in the three peaks race.

We have now moved up to Ipswich where there are better facilities since we will have to stay a few days as the weather A boat previously owned by our friend Robin Long, and on which I had many happy sailing days, helped by copious quantities of great wine and beer.

Back to Lowestoft

We set out towards the Deben after fuelling up at around 12.30 into a force 4 Westerly/South Westerly. Sails up straight away for a really good sail, just off the wind. Of course, this was not to last and the wind went further South so we started to beat. The wind was pretty shifty and there were a few dark clouds about.

The wind dropped so we used the engine to go further out to sea to pick up a bit of wind. We were soon going along nicely. Too nicely for Gail when the lee rail was under water, so in went a reef. Then another. Then the jib was furled in a bit. There were white horses all round and black cloudes overhead, with the sea getting rougher. It became very squally. As we realised beating was not going to get us to the Deben in time for the right tide, two hours before high, we deployed the iron donkey again, motoring into by now a very choppy sea. We were even then not making enough speed to meet the tide restraints and realised the only sensible thing to do was to return to Lowestoft.

By now there was thunder and lightening all round, and heavy rain showers. Not very nice. When we turned downwind we just poled out the jib and were soon making up to 7.8 knots on jib alone.

We checked back into the Roylal Norfolk and Suffolk where we are rafted up again on the visitor pontoon.

I guess we'll try again tomorrow. We are surrounded by cloggies. (Dutch people in case you were wondering).

Pics from Lowestoft

Just a few pictures.
Tom looking stressed out leaving the Humber. Spurn head in the background.
Sunset off the Wash

Lowestoft Ness lighthouse.

Furthest East

Well, we have now rounded the most southerly, weasterly, northerly, and now easterly points of mainland Britain. We rounded Lowestoft Ness at 07.00 this morning having left Hull at 13.00 yesterday.

On leaving Hull, with Olly's friend Tom on board, we hoisted sail and had a good sail for 2 hours down the 21 miles of the river Humber towards the North sea. The wind was light, but with three or four knots of tide under us we made good progress, contacting VTS (port control) to request permission to leave.

Before we reached the sea the wind did it's usual trick of flicking round to the nose and fading completely. Engine on, but as the silly woman in charge of the loch at Hull had been unable to work the diesel pump, we were aware that we only just had sufficient in the tank, although we did have spare cans on board.

We motored on ticking off the buoys I had used as waypoints. As evening approached Gail prepared a chicken Rogan Josh with rice which we enjoyed in the cockpit. I went for an early lie down, knowing I was unlikely to get any sleep that night, and dozed in the forward cabin, with the slopping of the waves keeping me awake.

When I got up again about ten o'clock, I was just in time to see the last of the sunset, and what looked like Blackpool illuminations with all the lights from the wind farms we were passing. Very difficult to pick out the lights on the buoys, but the chart plotter again came to the rescue.

We shared watches through the night. I was on from 22.30 until 02.00, when I was slightly alarmed to see several lobster pots pass close by. I even tried picking them up on radar. They are not good news when motoring in the dark.

Luckily, a bit of wind kicked in, so I was able to kil the engine and do some sailing. Tom came up on deck when he heard the engine stop, and I tried (unsuccessfully) to get some sleep.

We continued gently sailing through the night, Gail and I having hot pasties at 05.30 whilst Tom slept, until just after dawn we sailed gently passed Lowestoft Ness, fired up the iron jib, dropped sail, and asked permission to enter Lowestoft harbour. We were tied up at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Y.C. by 07.30, having done 115 miles, all got our heads down for a bit of shut eye, showered and I have just demolished a very good ham, eggs and chips. Lovely. The Nuttall food fest continues.

Hope to head south tomorrow towards either the Deben or Orwell.

Pics when downloaded.

East of Greenwich

Well, just before lunch time on Tuesday, 24th July, we counted down as the GPS showed we were nearing the Greenwich meridian, until we saw 000.00.001 West, change to all zeros and then 000.00.001East.

We left Scarborough at 07.00 on a glorious sunny morning with a lovely Westerly breeze, around force 3. We put the sails up and had a lovely reach down the North sea with no swell for just about the first time since Orkney. Great. We tried to hoist the cruising shute, but had a bit of trouble when the sheet snapped off the clew, necessitating a quick drop, when unfortuneately when I grabbed a handfull of the foot, the cloth ripped. So a bit of repair now needed. We reached along at 6 knots before the inevitable happened, and the wind swung South and dropped, the engine went on, and the sails packed away. But it was a sunny day and calm sea so still pleasant.

We had arranged to meet Tom at Hull, so rounded Spurn Head, an interesting spot, and headed up the Humber. We were amazed how big it is. You could fit ten Poole Harbours into it. About 6 miles across at the mouth and a distance of around 21 miles up to Hull. The stream was about 4 knots, so we were pleased we had the timing right and had it with us all the way.

The entrance to Hull marina, via a loch, dries to 2.4 metres, so we needed 4.2 metres of tide in order to enter.Thank goodness for modern chartplotters with tidal calculations built in. I worked out we needed to arrive around 20.00. We contacted port control and he confirmed our calculations. He was just putting someone through the loch, so asked us to hold station in the river. Just a matter of turning into the stream and holding the speed at around 3 knots to stand still. When told to enter it was a ferry glide across the stream at 5.7 knots before knocking back the speed as soon as we cleared the entrance in order not to hit the mud. Then into the loch where we had to grab onto wire strops hanging down the wall. Not that easy and another experience.

We had a great day in Hull on Gail's birthday. Much changed from the days when the prayer used to say "God save us from Hull, Hell and Halifax" (that's what it said in the museum).

We visited "The Deep", an ocianographic experience with great aquariums. Then another museum, sat outside having lunch under the plane trees in the sunshine, and had an Italian meal in the evening followed by Champagne and a night of romance and passion. (That's my version anyway).

Now have to clean the boat and fuel up before Tom arrives. We then hope to head towards Lowestoft leaving at top of the tide around 13.00 tomorrow.

Sunny at last

After a month of dull wet weather (or was it more than that?) we now have sunshine.
We left Hartlepool on Friday the 20th July around 14.00 in order that we had enough water. We still only had 200mm under the keel exiting the harbour. Although dull, it was dry. As usual, what wind there was was again on the nose, so we motored the three hours or so to Whitby, where we got the last berth on the end of the river pontoon. An interesting entrance when you've not been there before, especially with the 2 to 3 metre swell we had.

We had a great day in Whitby, which was full of holiday makers on the Saturday. Lots of "Goths", though not as many as Goth weekend we were told, when they turn up in hearse with coffins etc.

We used out English Heritage cards, bought in Falmouth, to visit the abbey, where we were greatly entertained by three actors doing a Dracula play. Unfortuneately St. Mary's church was closed for a wedding, so we couldn't go in, so we had to visit the famous Magpie Cafe instead. Queues outside even at 2.30. It turned out the wedding was for one of their staff, and we saw the bride coming down the 199 steps from the church to the town.

We left Whitby getting the 06.00 bridge on Sunday morning and headed towards Scarborough. Again, little wind on the nose so motored the short distance, only 18 miles, and arrive in Scarborough and were tied up by 09.00 when the wind started to kick in. But we had needed to be there at high tide for as the entrance is shallow although the marina is dredged.

We had more castle bashing around Scarborough Castle, another good day, this time with another re-enactment.

After all the walking around the town, Rum and Coke followed by Dark and Stormy (Rum/lime/ginger beer) was called for. See picture of Gail. I'm told there have been too many of me enjoying a drink.

Today we took the bus, free bus pass, to Bridlington, which we shall not be sailing to as it is too shallow. As I type Gail is booking the theatre in Scarborough for, as you might guess, an Alan Ayckbourne play.

We hope to head towards Kingston upon Hull next, quite a long passage of 80 miles, where Olly's friend Tom will join us for a few days for the long passage to Lowestoff.

Return to Hartlepool

I hope this works as I seem to have lost the first attempt.

We got back to Hartlepool with a mountain of clean washing to find the forecast for the next couple of days is 5 to 6 possibly 7 with sea moderate to rough. Decided that although we would have a quick trip towards Whitby, getting in is not easy at the best of times, so we will wait a couple of days until the weather and sea state improve.

Had a look around old Hartlepool. We were asked by a local if we had seen the 'andycap statue. Idiot Nuttall was looking for someone in a wheel chair, until we found that the person who wrote the Andy Cap cartoon was born there.

Might go to the flicks tonight to see Spiderman in 3D. Not much else on.

Keep reading the blog and please add your comments as we do enjoy reading them. It let's us know someone is reading it.

Hartlepool

We had a good day in Newcastle despite it raining non stop for all night and all day. Went to the Baltic flour mill modern art gallery. One huge room had "art" by a Turner prize winner. Three things: A brick wall with about ten thousand bricks, each one numbered in sequence before being handed to the bricklayers randomly and built into the wall. Hence the numbers all jumbled up. This represents chaos. On the floor, a huge chequer board, each square of which has a pebble. About 680. This represents order. And a continuous film showing two scaffolders erecting a scaffold on a pebble beach, then taking it down again. I think scaffolders who used to work for me would say this represents a "bloody waste of time"!

Anyway, we saw the milenium bridge raised and lowered (no-one went through..so another waste of time), then went to the Sage, where there was nothing on that day, then to the shops, then the pictures, and finally for a really good curry, Newcastle being the curry capital of the world. We then walked back to the boat in the rain.

We slipped around 08.15 the next morning and, without any wind, motored all the way to Hartlepool. An interesting entrance through a loch which we are only able to access when the tide is quite high.

We've now left the boat for a few days as we've sadly had to return home for the funeral of a dear friend who died very unexpectedly and suddenly. We hope to return to Fizzz on Tuesday to head towards Whitby.We managed to take quite a lot of weight off the boat as you can see.

Tyneside

We left Blyth with plenty of time for the ten miles or so to the Tyne. We had been recommended to stay in the St Peter Marina only one mile from Newcastle city centre.

We sailed gently down the coast and had our first success with fishing. One large and one small mackrell. We kept the large one for supper.

Nearing the Tyne we dropped sail and motored into the Tyne and fuelled up at Royal Quays, before going deliberately slowly up river as we couldn't get into the marina before 18.30. We arrived to find a man on the waiting pontoon who surprised up by saying he would lift the bridge. This was a surprise as no mention was made in any of the pilot books about a bridge. We must have just cleared the sill, before finding (again) that a marina that says it maintains a depth of 2m only has about 1.5m We went onto the mud just inside the entrance and had to sit there for an hour while the tide came in. We used the time to gut the fish and have a rum and coke, before settling down for supper and scrabble.

We are now exploring Newcastle. We hope to go towards Hartlepool tomorrow in order to leave the boat there a few days. The seal is in Eyemouth

Farewell Scotland

Well, we eventually left Eyemouth after an interesting few days. The Herring Queen festival, fistycuffs in the pub, two tables of drinks knocked over, but I was quick enough to snatch up our two, so not a drop of Nuttall drink spilt. Quite exciting for a while, before the fighters were taken outside and everything carried on as if nothing had happened.

The river Eye came up in spate after the Friday night rain. See pic. We then sat tight for a while as the entrance was not nice. We looked at the so called most unusual golf hole in Britain. See photo of the tee shot. A 170 yard par three, with a 155 yard carry over the sea inlet.

We leftEyemouth at 09.15 on Monday. A little nervous going out as the waves were pretty big. We hoisted sail and had an exciting sleigh ride downwind in force 5 with 3m+ waves. The boat screwed round more than once just about dipping the end of the boom in the water, with me trying hard to hold it down the waves. After about four or five hours the wind eased a little, but was now right behind, so we had a few gybes to do to hold our course. Eventually the wind dropped and we motored for the last two hours into Blyth, where we booked into the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club and took down the Scottish courtesy flag we put up many weeks ago.

We met some interesting Dutch people on quite large boats. Unfortuneately the club was not doing food, but the steward made us a very large platter of the best chips ever, which together with a large plate of bread and butter allowed me to introduce Gail and the Dutch to chip butties and a jar of cockles. Delicious.

After a quick walk along the sea front we slipped at 13.00 towards the Tyne. See next blog. By the way, the tee shot for the golfers is to the two small bumps on the horizon.

foggy Eyemouth

After much debate we decided to slip from Arbroath when the loch gate opened around noon, despite the fact it was still quite foggy.

We left the harbour and the leading line beacons disappeared into the mist within 100 metres. Shortly after, I must have knocked something on the chart plotter, and lost the route I had entered. With only 100 metres of misty sea to look at we were immediately disorientated. Quick panic to knock the engine back and re-load a route. Meanwhile drifting completely in the wrong direction.

Soon back under control however and motoring along. Viz was quite bad for a while before we neared Bell Rock lighthouse, the oldest deep water lighthouse in the world built by Robert Stevenson.
The mist lifted just enough for us to see the lighthouse about two miles away.

We continued motoring on for a total of seven hours. Gail called Eyemouth about two hours out, and was pleased to hear it was clear. Of course, as we got closer the mist rolled in again and we had fun and games with the AIS as about ten fishing boats left Eyemouth as we approached. We managed to just about see the Cardinal mark, from which we had to steer 174 degrees between jagged rocks. We were pleased when we could see the leading marks emerging out of the fog. The harbour master was very relieved when we arrived as he was a bit worried when the fog came in as he didn't know what equipment we had on board.

We are now settled on the mud, as the tide goes out and leaves too little water for us. See pic.

Looks like we'll be here until the weather changes and the fog lifts. We are hoping to head towards Holy Island for an anchorage, but only if the weather is suitable.

The statue is Robbie Burns in Arbroath.

Oil change

Forgot to mention I managed to change the engine oil today. Not before time, but the first real chance to do so. For a donation to the RNLI I borrowed their oil extractor and they supplied me with some high quality oil. And not a drop was spilt, and not even a drop on my hands. The wonders of rubber gloves. Very pleased to have new oil as the engine has been used more than expected with the head winds 90% of the trip.

Off for another gourmet meal....cooked by myself. Rum cocktails nuts and crackers, melon, followed by  fresh fish cooked in butter with new potatoes and spinnach, then cheese , coffee and chocolate. Probably washed down with a gewurztraminer. Might eat outside again in the sunshine. Eat your heart out those in the rain.

Delayed by fog

Decided to spend the day in Arbroath due to the thick fog this morning. Luckily the sun shone by lunch time so we enjoyed frsh crab and French bread with a glass or two of wine for lunch, following Arbroath smokie kedgerie for breakfast.

Just spent an enjoyable couple of hours at the lighthouse museum. Hoping to see the Bell Rock Lighthouse when we travel south......but not too close.

Still sunny at the moment but a bit of sea mist. we shall see what tomorrow brings.

Smokies

Well we've just bought a couple of Arbroath Smokies for supper. They are smoked every day here in Arbroath.

We left Peterhead on the first of July hoping the weather would improve. It got worse. The trip to Stonehaven from Peterhead was another motor all the way into a light headwind. Sea not too rough, but by the time we got to Stonehaven the rain had set in.

We had fun and games tying up to the wall. The secret of walls is to have two very long warps, the longer the better, fore and aft, and no springs. You will then hopefully swing gently out from the wall when the tide is in, and drop without hanging from the warps when the tide drops. And plenty of fenders! This worked well, but the ladder climb still had to be done to get ashore. See pic. The tide was quite low and the bottom rungs very slippy.

We were met on arrival by two friends of our friends Don. and Audrey O'Donnel who joined us for a cup of tea whilst the rain poured down.

We decided a treat was called for so booked into the Toll House restaurant on the quay where we had a very nice meal. Second only to the Boat House in Bangor. I had crab soup followed by Monk fish and Gail Gravaldlax and Sea Bass. Had to resrict her wine consumption due to the impending ladder climb. Only allowed her one large glass in addition to the shared bottle.

This morning was not too early a start. We needed to arrive at Arbroath around high tide, 13.50, to get into the locked basin. The gates open and shut at half tide. It was still raining but we hoped for a bit of wind as it was from the East and would give us a tight reach. First problem to solve, how to cast off from the wall with the tide out. I climbed the ladder and re-arranged the warps. Our second longest rope was only just long enough to reach back to the boat. We cast this off, then found the longer rope jambed. Whilst tying the boat close to the ladder I had another climb and managed to reach across to free it.

As soon as we exited the harbour we hoisted sail and killed the engine and had a gentle sail for an hour or so until the wind again died so we motored the rest of the way in thickening gloom.

Now tied up safely in the small marina. The harbour man asked us to reverse in, which Gail did with no problem. We've just bought the smokies but decided on a cup of tea and blogging as the weather is still miserable. But it seems so everywhere.

Not sure whether we shall move south towards Eyemouth tomorrow. All depends as always on the weather.

Peterhead

After a pleasant afternoon in Wick we decided the weather was good enough to head for Whitehills the following day.

We slipped at around 09.00 and hoisted sail outside the harbour. The wind was as usual on the nose, having now gone South East having spent two months blowing from the North. We motor sailed for a couple of hours as there was not a lot of wind. The wind picked up to around 13 knots so we were then able to sail on a tight fetch for 35 miles. It was a bit lumpy as we approached Whitehills when I had to fix fenders and take sails down. The entrance is pretty narrow as you will see from the pictures (one taken by the harbour master as we came in). There are rocks on the West side of the channel so we had to keep tight to the wall. Once in shelter was good, and we met a lady, Elaine, on a boat of similar size to us who was sailing on her own. So we felt a bit whimpish worrying about berthing.

The rain and drizzle came, and with the forcast threatening we stayed just the one night before heading out in thick mist and rain towards Peterhead. Again, the wind was totally on the nose, and although the wind was 15+ knots, we decided to motor again as a 40 mile beat into the rotten weather didn't appeal.

Seven hours later we called harbour control in Peterhead for permission to enter. There are a lot of large oil industry supply vessels here, coming and going 24/7, so the harbourmaster always has to be told if you are entering or leaving.

We contacted my cousins son, Simon, who works in Aberdeen, and he drove up to see us and kindly took us out for a nice meal. The following day we took a bus to Aberdeen (expensive without the OAP pass) where we again met Simon for coffee before visiting the excellent maritime museum, free entry. We were very impressed by all the oil industry ships and information. The day was foggy all day, so the trip around the harbour was missed. We couldn't see the tops of the ships.

We travelled back on the top of the bus, but could see no further than 100 metres.

Waiting for the wind to go to the West, hopefully Sunday, before heading towards Stonehaven and Arbroath. Stonehaven is untennable in South Easterlies, as we shall have to tie up against the harbour wall in the outer harbour. Most of these East coast harbours are shallow for us. People on the East coast tend to sail bilge keelers that can take the ground. Should prove interesting.

Round the corner.

Well, we had a very easy passage across the Pentland Firth from Stromness to Wick on the East coast of Scotland.

I must have got the tides and weather right!

We slipped Stromness at 08.30 planning to cross Scpa Flow and arrive at Cantick Head at low water. We put the sails up as soon as we cleared the tidal effect of Hoy Sound, but we were only making around 3 knots. As my passage plan required 5.5 to arrive at low water at the start of the Firth, we motor saoled in overcast conditions through the Flow. Still very pleasant though. We were glad to be leaving the Orkneys after a very enjoyable six days, despite the not very nice weather. We did attend a very good concert yesterday afternoon by the Aranowich Ensemble, better than the football.

When we rounded the point into the Firth we switched off the engine and sailed for about 45 minutes before the wind died again and the engine was engaged. The Firth was rearkably smooth, with wind and tide together. At one point we touched a speed of 11.9 knots over the ground, despite doing only 5.9 through the water.

Rounding Duncansby head the wind picked up so we killed the engine and had a very enjoyable two hour reach to Wick, where we are now tied up in the new marina in the old fishing quay.

At one time Wick was the largest herring harbour in the world. One day in 18something, nearly 1,000 boats landed 24 million herring, which were all gutted and packed by 3,000 gutters in one day. Must have been a bit smelly.

For the first time for a couple of weeks the sun is now shining and we have just had a delicious meal outside in the cockpit. Not as brave as the French crew on the adjoining boat who bought and cooked three large crabs from the local boats.

Should be heading towards Whitehills tomorrow. We have just had a call from my cousin's son, Simon Hunter, who is working for the oil companies in Aberdeen. We hope we shall be able to meet up in Peterhead or Stonehaven later in the week.

When to move

Well it's blowing pretty hard here at the moment, so I've been trying to work out when to head across the Pentland Firth towards Wick. The main thing to consider is wind and tide. Tides of up to 16 knots have been recorded in the Firth.

We had a meal at the Skerry's bistro last evening on a trip around Orkney mainland, and had a good chat with Hamish, who takes birdwatching and nature trips around the firth in an old lifeboat. He advised:

Never go with an Easterly Wind. (We've had nothing else for two months)
Go into the firth around low tide. conveniently, he told me that low tide Dover is the same as the Firth.
If you find yourself being swept North East, go round the East side of Swona.
He also said a North westerly is due on Monday.

All of which means we are hoping to leave around 08.30 on Monday 25th June if the wind is not too strong. force 5 forecast by some. It might be a bit lighter on Tuesday, but swings back to the East on Wednesday.

Here are a few pictures of Orkney.

Watch this space.