Wash day

Excellent facilities at Bangor Mari...

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Strangford Lough

We've spent a couple of days in Strangford Lough, a large area of water separated from the Irish Sea by a narrow channel where the tide rushes in and out at a tremendous speed. In fact there is a tide turbine built by Siemens in the middle of the 'Narrows'.  We came though the channel with the tide and were making over 12 Knots (over ground), the fastest we've ever been in Bathia - the maximum...

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Back on-line

We had a fantastic sail up the Irish coast from Arklow to Dun Laogharie last Wednesday, the weather was great and the wind was a perfect off-shore breeze to sail all the way.  This was one of the few sailing days (so far) that we haven't needed multiple layers of thermal clothing! First mate at the helm Sailing past Dalkey The weather then became a bit dreary as we visited Dublin...

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Gone overseas

After a 16 hour sail we made it to Ireland and are tied up in Arklow.  We stayed Sunday night in Dale Bay, just inside Milford Haven and rose at 4am to get as long as possible in daylight to cross the Irish Sea.  The winds were force 3 to 4 and rising to force 5, we sailed about half the way and then the wind moved to the North (ahead of us) so we motor-sailed for the remainder of the crossing. It...

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Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins

We left Padstow harbour just after the harbour gate opened at 5:45 and made our way down the Camel Estuary and out into the Bristol Channel.  The sea was flat calm and there was very little wind, I hoisted the main in anticipation of some wind but after an hour of useless flapping I took it down again and settled into a relaxing motor crossing. At 9:30 we were joined by a few dolphins, which...

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Day in Padstow

We allowed one full day in Padstow to rest a little before pushing on to South Wales, the weather had improved so we wanted to keep moving on. On the advice of our neighbours (thanks Dave and Wendy) we took the small ferry over to Rock and took a walk along the coastal path to Polzeath and St Enodoc Church (where the poet  Sir John Betjeman is buried).  The weather was great and the...

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Left Penzance!

Short update: The weather improved and allowed us to round Lands End, a 5am start to make Padstow before the harbour gates closed. The weather was pretty good and we had a great sail along the north Cornwall coast. We made it into Padstow and were tied up in the harbour by 6pm. I'll add some more soon, I need to get to sleep soon, another 5am start tomorrow Padstow to Milford Hav...

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More troublesome weather

The met office warning today "Gale force westerly winds are likely to affect parts of southwest England and south and west Wales this afternoon and evening giving gusts of 50 to 60 mph." Staying put in Penzance for at least this weekend! The weather has not actually been that bad today, quite bright but very, very windy.  We walked to Mousehole, a small pretty Cornish village about a six mile...

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Why didn't I wear my sea sickness bands?

So we set off at 5am with our bellies full of porridge 10 knots of wind and the sun rising in the east. An hour later as we were approaching the Lizard (passing a little too close to the wRigglers - an area of sea marked on the chart), the wind was 20 knots and rising as was the swell, and Katie's porridge. Five and a half hours later we made it into Penzance harbour just before the lock gates closed...

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Helford River ++

A few quiet days on on a mooring buoy on the Helford river.  Yesterday evening in the pouring rain we were amused by a visiting French yacht who was having problems picking up a mooring buoy and then ran aground, they managed it in the end and we're gone first thing this morning. I'm not sure we could have helped and it was raining very hard at the time. This afternoon we went for a coastal walk...

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Fal Mooring

Peaceful mooring on the Fal, a couple of miles up river from Falmouth. The sun has made an appearance in time for a sun downer, in an otherwise overcast day - still, no rain is a good day. We visited another National Trust property today, Trelissick, a short dingy ride away.  I'm pleased to say the dingy and outboard are all working fine, it's the fist time they have been used since last season. We...

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