Today, next, A Coruna & miscellaneous photos

Today was a jobs day on the boat. These included a temporary repair to a spreader guard that disappeared somewhere between Ramsgate and Dover and which necessitated a repair to the Genoa in Plymouth. Unfortunately the local Chandlers here did not have the right size guard so I had to just tape it up. Also a temporary repair to a signal halyard that tore off the spreader somewhere on the Biscay crossing.

Other jobs included repairing the tail light wiring, repairing the food locker catch and reinforcing other locker stops, getting more gas and perhaps most importantly (hopefully) attending to window leaks. I'd previously made some improvements but during the rough weather the constant cascade of water down the coach roof sides penetrated particularly through the window above the chart table resulting in water logged charts and over Tony's bunk, resulting in a damp bed!

Another rather late start and a couple of hours of rain, meant that was about all we got done.

Tomorrow the wind vane is the priority. We'll try making the adjustments recommended by Chris. On the tiller pilot front, I'm going to order another and get Sharon to bring it over with her. We won't make Lisbon by boat in time to meet her and Sue unfortunately and will therefore have to train it down there from Vigo, to where we hope to get by the end of next week via a few day sails. The plan is leave here early Monday morning and catch the ebb west along the coast and head for Camarinas, then the Ria Muros and then Vigo.

A Coruna has been a good port of refuge and whilst it does have some impressive architecture, the overall impression has been one of slight disappointment. The old part of town lacked a wow factor and the major works going on around the water front meant we were in a bit of building site. Finding good eating holes was more difficult than we expected. Loads of Tapas bars and Ham Jaoneria's (?) but few attractive restaurants - most had gone down the very modern look which left us both a bit cold. It was a joy however to find proper shops rather than supermarkets on every corner. Not a Tesco, Sainsbury, Aldi etc in sight. The real find was the Ferreteria (the Iron Mongers) long extinct back home.

The people have all been very friendly of course.

From Biscay...

A long haul to A Coruna

We were bound for Vigo but in the early hours of Friday morning about 80 miles north of A Coruna the wind had got up from the south west to an estimated strong force 6 necessitating 3 reefs. The sea was up too (although not as bad as it had been in the channel during the first 2 days). That made Cape Finisterre which we would have to round the get to Vigo, a lee shore, not somewhere we wanted to be in rough weather. We had also not been able to get a forecast for the area and therefore did not know whether the conditions were likely to deteriorate still further. With both of us being pretty tired from the constant helming required due to the failure of our self steering systems, the decision though reluctant was the only sensible one in the circumstances. It meant our rendezvous with the ladies in Lisbon by sea would now be unlikely.

We will have to get the steering systems sorted out before we undertake any further long distance passages and it's looking like getting the Tiller Pilot repaired and/or replaced will require us to get to Vigo. The local Agent here appears to have closed down and I think we may have to get one shipped out to Vigo which we could get to in 3 one day hops if the weather allows.

Meanwhile on the wind vane front, I have spoken to Chris who has advised on potential adjustments which we will try and test out on departure from here. If that fails, I then face the prospect of either having to buy another or get the previous one shipped out from home! I know the it works but removed it in favour of the current one because of concerns about the weight. Either of the above will incur considerable delays and expense!

The first two days of the passage out in the channel were really quite unpleasant, consisting first of strong head winds and lumpy seas and then calms and lumpy seas through which we motored for 12 hours.

The only saving grace was that hard on the wind the boat will steer herself with the helm lashed and we therefore had temporary respite from the chore of constant helming. The motion of the first 24 hours was so unpleasant that I was sea sick for the first time in my life.

Once we had Brest abeam going south however,  we picked up the forecasted easterlies and the seas subsided. The next three days were a mixture of light to moderate easterlies punctuated by calms through which we motored to start with but then conscious of the need to preserve fuel we had to just wait for the wind to return. Sometimes we made good speed but often the winds were so light that we were down to 2-3 knots and therefore our average speed was significantly reduced over the passage. We covered roughly 450 nautical miles over the ground in 6 days 6 hours giving an average of only 3 knots. Not fast!

The worst part of the passage which really did take the fun out of it was the constant helming. We were both so knackered after our 3 hour stints that all we really wanted to do was sleep even during the day. Social time was therefore limited to hand-overs some of which were extended when one of us became sufficiently hungry to cook. We did get a bit more used to things by the last sunny day in the bay and hove to in gentle winds to have a decent lunch together. The day before that or perhaps the day before that we were visited by dolphins - the same type of small ones on both occasions. They cheered us up.

Late afternoon on Wednesday we had a period of calm after which the winds went round to the west and gradually built, requiring one, two and eventually, by the early hours of Thursday, 3 reefs. That's when we decided to alter course to A Coruna. Another notable experience of the Bay, half way across (as the winds were getting up) was the amount of shipping. By the Thursday night, we had a constant stream of north bound traffic to port and south bound traffic to starboard and felt like a hedgehog in the central reservation of the motorway. We realised that we'd stumbled into an unofficial separation zone used by the ships going to and coming from the formal zone at Finisterre. If you imagine how difficult it would be for the hedgehog to cross the motorway, that's rather what it was like for us. We were very glad we had the AIS transponder because we at least that meant the ships could see us and occasionally we called one up on the radio to clarify who would pass whom where. Most of the time though we just tried to keep out of there way. Eventually we made a dash across the north bound traffic and made it after about an hour. Soon after that the third reef went in and we headed for Coruna. Our approach there was similarly dogged by heavy traffic going up and down the coast, including numerous fishing vessels that apparently were engaged in fishing and therefore had right of way.

We entered the marina at 2100 BST to find we were the only other visitor...

This is the other ....

Penguin ii a lovely Colin Archer design, sailed by Bob and his wife, from, of all places Gillingham. So the only two visitors were from the Medway. They will be heading back north soon having wintered here.

Coruna has some impressive architecture, none of which I have photographed yet!!

Today has been spent walking around and trying to find a local Raymarine Agent in an attempt to get the Tiller pilot repaired. They've closed down!

We've also taken advice from Chris who built the wind vane on possible adjustments which we will make before we head out next.

It's beginning to look as if we will coast hop down to Vigo in a couple of days (subject to the weather) and get a new tiller pilot shipped out and hopefully get the existing one repaired when we get there. Vigo is apparently the place for boaty technical support.

Last night we had moderate local fast food because most places were closed. Tonight we hope for more success and that's where we headed soon so that's it for now.

We're off.....

At long last after a long if fairly mild winter of jobs on the boat, we started our cruise to the Azores via Lisbon and Madeira on Monday. Mind you we've started during one of the coldest springs I can remember.

It was also something of a scramble to get the boat even partly ship shape. This is what she looked like on Sunday lunch time..

Unfortunately I didn't get round to taking any "after" photos but things had improved a little.

Maybe it was the cold or more likely my native ineptitude but we suffered a number of minor incidents.

First I could not start the engine. We appeared to have a flat battery but I knew it was fully charged on Sunday. After 20 mins of angst I suddenly realised I had forgotten to turn the battery on. We just managed to get to the Marina lock on time.

I'd overlooked bending on the Genoa but given the strong winds was happy to use the smaller jib instead. It was that sort of sailing.....

However during the course of Monday the winds lessened and therefore I decided to bend on the Genoa under way. All appeared be well until the winds got up again and it was time to furl the Genoa. Of course it was stuck and would not move. The only choice in increasingly strengthening winds was to get the Genoa down completely. Murray and I got a good soaking on the Foredeck but managed the task without further incident.

We got Ramsgate on Monday evening just before the really strong winds arrived and discovered that I had attached the Genoa halyard directly to the sail rather than to the swivel, which of course accounted for why the sail would no furl.

We then discovered that because we had arrived out of hours we could not get out of the Marina on the land side - or more accurately we could get out but would not be able to get back in again because there was no one around to tell us what the code for the gate was. Fortunately we were well provisioned and so Tony proceeded to cook a splendid Roast Chicken dinner that was enjoyed by all.

My friend Chris who left Chatham at the same time at the start of his long sail back to New Zealand, had decided to only go as far as Stangate Creek on the Medway that night and reported he'd had  a night from hell at anchor there!  Marinas have there benefits even when stuck on the boat.

Next morning we got ashore for a light breakfast  snack.....

It continued to blow hard all day so we stayed put, had a look round the town and did a few odd jobs around the boat. That evening we found an Italian restaurant on the front and had an excellent meal despite being the only customers for the  majority of the evening.

On Wednesday we stocked up with another hearty (and late) breakfast and left for Dover at about 1330. We had a cracking sailing in a strong westerly breeze under a double reefed main and the No 2 Genoa. 

On our approach to Dover we were hailed by name by Dover Harbour control over the VHF thanks to the new AIS transponder I had fitted. It was comforting to know they could both see us and identify us easily and  ensure we stayed out of the way of the big boys entering and leaving the harbour.

We  went out for a Curry that night and I made the mistake of ordering the"Staff Curry"  and then chewed on a hot chilli pepper. I thought I was going to die much to the amusement of the rest of the crew!

The following lunch time with more moderate winds we departed for  Chichester. Indeed the winds were a little too light and we motor sailed most of the way. Even when the wind got up when I was off watch Tony was keen to make good progress and continued with motor sailing. I didn't sleep and noticed we were heeling a fair bit but left him to it. However, when I got back on watch at 0400 to find us making 9 knots over the ground, I decided enough was enough and turned the engine off (we still made 7 k). It was true we only had another couple of hours of tide to get us to the Looe Channel some 15 miles off but if we got to Chichester too early we wouldn't have enough water to get in, so there seemed little point in rushing. 

We were through the channel before day break and then had to slow the boat down so as not to get to Chichester bar too early. Even then we did and had to kill time for another hour before we had enough water to get in. We moored up at Sparks Marina at 0800. Murray and I headed home for the Easter weekend and Tony stayed on the boat.

See the Yellow Brick Blog Page for updates...

The blogging app on my phone is useless so will use the YB one for most of the time

Destination Azores first stop Ramsgate

After months of preparation including ditching the Aries and replacing with much lighter home made (by Kiwi Chris) Hebredien, we (me Tony and Murray, cast off from Chatham on Monday morning and despite numerous cock-ups made Ramsgate before the storm arrived. Stayed put today with the wind howling and sorted out various jobs on the boat and got reasonably ship shape. Tomorrow may have enough of a weather window to make Dover. Will update properly from laptop soon but this from phone.

Scott's Front Garden 12-18/8

That's Scott's front garden with his boat - "Thistledue" and Arctic Smoke parked up!

Work pushed sailing into second place this year but I did have a week and decided to visit my friend Scott and his wife Margaret who moved to their new house on the River Deben a couple of years ago. I had to work on the Monday. The boys signed up for Tuesday to Thursday when we were due to over-night at Scott's and where Sharon was going to join us and return home with the boys on the Friday.

We formed a flotilla on the Tuesday when we met up with Howard (on Latitudes) and Tony on (The Hustler) and headed down river with a fresh westerly behind us at around 1300. The intention had been to make for the Colne but Howard was feeling a bit under the weather so we stopped off at Queenborough for the night.

First stop ashore was the House and Home for drinks:

 

 

Next day breakfast on board before heading up the coast to the Colne.



 

We had good weather and a good breeze and an enjoyable day...

 

 

We made the Pyfleet for about 1930, left Arctic Smoke and The Hustler on a buoy and took Latitudes in to Brightlingsea hoping to be able to get ashore for a meal. The tide was low but Latitudes was just able to sneak in thanks to her lifting keel. The bad news was that the water taxi stopped running at 2100. Plan B was therefore a takeaway consumed on Latitudes before we headed back to the Pyfleet to raft up with the other boats.

 

The next day was Thursday so Artic Smoke had to move to make our date with Scott. An early 0400 departure was required to work the tides and get up to Scott's for HW which is required to get into his garden dock.

 

 

As it turned out a change in the wind and tide had the boats grinding into each other at 0330 so I decided to leave then. Vince got up to help me man the boat and we motored down the Colne. We were soon sailing and had a great sail to Woodbridge Haven at the entrance to the Deben where we arrived at LW at 0930.

 

I had viewed the new video of the ever changing entrance and it said there was 6 foot of water at the lowest at low tide and so decided to press on - passed and anchored yacht waiting for water - and get up the river. When 0 meters showed under the keel on the echo sounder we retreated! I thought perhaps we had drifted out of the deep water and so tried again but with the same result.

 

 

Common sense finally kicked in and I rang the Assistant  Harbour Master who advised waiting for 2 hours after HW. We dropped anchor and had a rest until 1130 and then carried on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got to the Tide Mill at 1330 and rang Scott. He told us where to pick him up so that he could pilot us the last mile or so to his front garden. We moored up there at 1430.

 

 

 

The rain that had threatened on our approach arrived shortly after Sharon did and so the Barbequed dinner was consumed in doors after a tour around Scott's impressive estate. After a delightful evening Sharon and enjoyed a proper bed and the boys slept on the boat. I got up 4 to ensure the boat took to the ground OK - which she did without my help.

 

After breakfast we all went up to Sutton Hoo and were impressed by museum and grounds.

 

Then we all returned for lunch before high water. I was keen to move off before the high tide so that if we went aground we would still have an opportunity to get off. Fortunately we were on very high springs so tides so there was more water and time to play with than normal. Sure enough however the first attempt to get AS out was foiled when her rudder grounded on the edge of the cut. After much heaving on we were able to reposition her in the middle of the cut and were able to reverse out on the second attempt. The nail biting was not over yet however because there was still a risk of the fast flowing tide setting the slow moving boat down on the bridge which was only a few meters away. We survived however and AS with Scott on board to pilot us the first mile made off down river.

 

 

In the midst of all the excitement I forgot to get off the boat to say good bye to Sharon properly. She later told me that I appeared very anxious during the whole operation!

 

I dropped Scott off after a mile or so and continued down river. After a while I passed "Try Again" the boat that first got me thinking about the possibility of getting a bigger boat - a process which culminated in the purchase of Arctic Smoke.

 

 

 

 

 

We continued down the river and set sail and made for Hamford Water where we arrived around dusk and anchored for the night.

 

I had decided on a lazy day for Saturday and so slept in. The next morning the breeze freshened and I went off in search of a quieter anchorage in The Walton Channel only to find the lee shore too close for comfort and so I returned to Hamford Water.

 

The next day Sunday, the wind was even stronger from the SW - force 6-7 was predicted by the inshore waters forecast and a gale in the full shipping forecast for Thames. However, I had to get back for my Mum's 80th Birthday celebrations and so left on the last of the morning's ebb.

 

 

An exciting close hauled sail down the coast followed. After a couple of hours we were down to 2 reefs but AS sailed well and easily punched through the steep chop kicked up by the wind over tide. It took me a while to figure out how to get the Aires to work properly in these winds and it was only once I had reduced the boat's weather hem by reducing sail that it was able to steer effectively. I realised later that adjusting the relative position of the chain connecting the steering lines to the tiller would have had a similar if less sensible effect. The fact that Arctic Smoke was sailing comfortably at 6 knots to windward in a force 6-7 indicated that the sail plan was probably just right.

 

At South West Barrow I decided to make for the Swale rather than the Medway. The latter would have required a beat. I picked up a buoy at 1755.

 

The next day - Monday I motored up the Swale and Medway and returned to Chatham.



Murray, Margate Hook and mother and child; 26-27 July

That's Murray at the helm.

Having stopped off at Margate Hook on the way west last year I decided it would make a pleasant overnight anchorage for our weekend. We had good weather if light winds and arrived at low water with the Hook exposed and giving us a smooth anchorage and so it remained through dinner. However, once the tide rose and covered the sands we were rolling too much for a good night's sleep.

The following morning we left with a decent breeze and had a good sail for a couple of hours. Then the breeze died away so we decided to motor up the Swale rather than outside Sheppey.

The Elmey buoy was occupied:

I'd seen a seal on the buoy a few years ago and couldn't help wondering whether mum was her!

A few hours later we were moored up in Chatham having had a pleasant weekend.