Bank Holiday Swailing Blues

As predicted the weekday weather was scorchio last week as we returned to work and true to form it deteriorated rapidly into heinous rain and winds just in time for the bank holiday weekend.

Having been cabin bound for a week on our hols we didn't fancy that again so all swailing plans were abandoned for the weekend although das captain is off there today to catch up on some boat maintenance. Me.....catch up on some house maintenance and have a purge.

Hope the weather picks up for the annual Dartmouth regatta next week which is always a spectacle and a huge gathering of boats in the most beautiful setting. The sail into Dartmouth is one of my favourites, past the infamous Start Point and then down through up into the entrance past the castle with the Naval College in full view...stunning...we can but dream at the mo.

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All Packed Up

Yep we took on the old boxing expression yesterday and threw in the towel. Any excursion onto dry land made us feel we were jumping up and down like lunatics after a wk of being tossed around like sardines!

The wind and gales finally stopped but was followed still by large swells and total wipe out with fog and mist...time to go home. At least we had some some great sailing in wk one to console ourselves with.

Here's to an Indian September.....

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Hunkering Down With A Good Book

After a bright start yesterday, as forecast the wind picked up and rain came lashing and lashing down....rock n roll, rock n roll. Wind over 40 knots plus at the breakwater.

So what to do when cabin bound.....hunker down to some good old reading. I have blasted through some books in the last 48hrs which has been some great r n r.

No boat books though have been reading all things cycling...Brad Wiggins, Mark Cavendish and the rise of British Cycling. Have thrown in the odd chick flick book here and there for good measure.

Wind is dropping, still raining outside, it's supposed to dry out later this am and then allegedly dry for the next 48hrs with civil wind and a heat wave.....we,ll see. Might get in a final sail before packing up for home and work on Monday!



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Rock A Bye Baby

Hmmmmm.....this bot didn't half rock last night from a hooley and a half! The wind gradually wound itself up over the course of the afternoon to a point where I hadn't ever seen the pontoons sway and ripple like they were.

Through the binoculars we could see the waves crashing over the breakwater and the sea just getting angrier and angrier. The rain held off but it wasn't pretty out there despite the beguiling sunshine.

It's fair to say its been an uncomfortable night and although the wind has dropped this am, there still is a very large swell so we are still rocking n a rolling.

Still waiting to here what the outcome of the mayday call was over the radio yesterday afternoon where someone jumped off the back of the Tamar ferry. Didn't sound good by all accounts.....despite the heroic efforts of everyone.

So it may be a swelly calm of sorts...but bracing ourselves for the winds to pick up again later today before they finally blow themselves out.

Million dollar question is will we be getting any more swailing in before the end of our hols?


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Whoosh.........Malade!

Not a great day in paradise yesterday for me. The plan was to take the inlaws out for the day on their boat to get them used to the feel for her.

Nice and sunny light winds this am perfect......The calm before the storm.

Instead of cereal this am I really fancied an egg sandwhich.....it's my holiday too so with das captain up I made him a bacon buttie and duly indulged myself in an egg one. Quick pack up and we were off across the other pontoons to drop the lines.

No sooner than they were dropped than I began to feel all peculiar, a cold sweat and I mean a cold sweat dripping from me, down below I went not to return for some time. I shall spare everyone the gory details but needless to say the sail was shortlived and I returned to shore totally wiped out and back to our boat where I crashed...literally.

The rest of the day was spent wiped out, perking up to test out some supper and then crashed out again.

Feel fine today but that was weird and have never experienced anything like that before. For the record the eggs were still two weeks in date but that is all I can put it down to, don't think I,ll be eating them again in a hurry.

That was my storm for the day, shame as Mairadon was enjoying her jaunt out on the water. A other storm has brewed here overnight, the rain started about seven, the wind about eight and its been blowing a hooley ever since.

We are in for a treat today up to a force nine, batten down the hatches time. I shall be defiant though I am still going to wear my shorts!

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Mass Exodus

When there is a decent weather window the masses depart and that's exactly what happened yesterday in Fowey.

A huge flotilla left one by one making the most of it before the new low front hit last night.

We had a cracking sail back in a moderate sea with big swells as we approached Rame Head. The skyline was littered with boats in full sail, a lovely sight.

The only blot on the landscape as far as das captain was concerned was the sight of Nowhere Island being towed towards Cornwall and her home for the next few days as part of the cultural
Olympics. Tax on being stupid more like according to das captain who lost his Olympic spirit for a moment.

We arrived back mid afternoon and after a quick sort out and some lunch we both crashed...knackered after a brisk sail.

Last night was spent watching the closing ceremony aboard the inlaws bot Mairadon....cracking and quirky what a magical two weeks it has been for Blighty.

Going back to das bot after midnight the new low front was well and truly in, it's been a rocky and rolly night aboard RedSnapper....at least it's now stopped raining and the wind has dropped for now.







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Adios!

The fleeting visit was over in 12hrs and we didn't have to set the crew from the pirate ship onto them!

Quite gracefully it pulled up its anchors and made its way up the river and back out to sea with its passengers waving madly from their balconies as though they would never see land again!

We watched from the yacht club and then headed back into a now very peaceful Fowey for supper.




















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Pirate Ship In Town

Look what the tide brought in, not only a very loud cruise ship but our very own pirate ship! It looked fab under sail yesterday at last light coming in.

It's all abit grid licked today, forecast is hideous and despite the sunshine there are big gusts ripping up the valley. Nothing bar the cruise ship has come in all day. We should be heading back out on the pond tomorrow.

Provisioning whilst big cruise ship is in is a tad difficult, managed to
get the last Cornish home made
pasty to avoid a mutiny onboard from das captain!

Have headed for the solace of the yacht club where I am viewing an afternoons racing from the balcony, pirate ship in view wondering if their crew can rid the town of the masses they have arisen since this am, so we can find and enjoy a hearty supper in town!




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Location:Fowey

Early Morning Wake Up Call

It's usually the Fowey cockerel that wakes us up on sparrowfart o'clock, not this morning!

I could ear the rumbling of what I thought was the china clay cargo either coming back or going out to sea. Quick peek over the washboards revealed this!



A flipping cruise ship! Well blow me down! In full reverse, tug to stern, anchors dropped and slowly but surely inching her way backwards to her rear buoy!

We,ve never seen one come in here in all the time we,ve been sailing here.

Fowey allows about six a year apparently. Should make for a busy day in town today. One yacht nearby has already made a run for it back out to sea. Now they are parked, please turn the ruddy engine off I want to go back to sleep!


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Fowey Gallants

Fowey is steeped in nautical history and no more so than the infamous Fowey Gallants.

During the 100 years war between 1337 and 1453, this small town found favour at court for its support at the siege of Calais and Battle of Agincourt.

Several men from the town were privately financed and given permission to attack and seize ships in the Channel
& Western approaches.

This was a magnet for piracy and attracted several seamen to the area including the well known Dutch pirate Hankyn Seelander.

Seelander and his motley crew were asked by the then government at the time to protect Cornwall from pirates!

So powerful and wealthy did the port become that the 'Gallants' of Fowey viewed themselves as above the law of the land and an embarrassment to Edward IV who decided to employ seamen from Dartmouth to bring back law & order and break Fowey,s infallible defensive chain.

The rest they say is history!




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Blistering!

What a swooper swooper day out on the water, there may not have been a squiff of wind but it was truely stunning.

We left the Yealm about 11 and headed back towards Fowey.

Our first treat was some basking sharks just beneath the water, we haven't seen any for a few years so lovely to spot them albeit from a distance.

The water was ultra glassy today and we then had our second treat passing Rame Head.....more fins!

Yep another basking shark this time in full view, mouth open grazing for plankton! Fabulous!

I sat out on the bow for ages on shark and dolphin patrol and from a distance came the third treat of the day...a pod of dolphins! I was willing them to come our way but no the didn't. Just had to watch from very afar as they swam alongside the yacht in the distance.

No more treats post that except the lovely sunshine and sound of the boat purring along. We have arrived in a packed , Fowey no bouts but have got onto a pontoon, I don't think we'll escape being rafted up against tonight as yachts are streaming in thick and fast.

Off to Fowey Gallants sailing club tonight for supper, in the interim cooling down with a scrumpy jack cider......it's scorchio here!


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A Summers Day In The Yealm

After a late start from das captain (it's his holiday too)!, we headed out of Plymouth. Our no plans approach to this holiday made us head to the Yealm, the sun was shining and we haven't been there much this year.

Glassy seas and no wind to shake a handkerchief at, we headed out to across the Sound and across to Newton Ferrers.

As gorgeous as ever, we entered the entrance and across the sandbar with next to no nothing under the keel and into the peace and solitude that we love so much.

Lots of boats in so no free buoys for us so to a relatively free pontoon we went. Not for long as high water came the boats rocked in much to the delight of the harbour master who has been rueing the wretched season as much as we have.

Cold beefing hand we just chilled out watching the world go by. Locals swimming, gig practice and later the small yawls out for an evening of racing. More cold beer and supper aboard and reading a good book as the sun went down, it was just heaven.


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Location:River Yealm

United Blingdom

Bling Bling Bling! What an amazing day for good old Blighty yesterday at the Olympics and the icing on the cake was the real McHoy picking up a record sixth gold medal. Still have Spandau Ballets 'Gold' singing around in my head!

I am feeling remarkably well after a marathon day yesterday. On a wet, miserable day we decided to meet up for lunch with a friend and her kids over at Royal William Yard. Great fun albeit das captain was well and truely trounced in a post lunch game of Monopoly.

We walked back to the Marina in the pouring rain, both defiant in our shorts and both soaking wet to make it back in time to watch the action from the velodrome. AMAZING!

Thinking of heading back to das bot in walked a colleague of mine from work with her husband.....small world, they live just round the corner and JJ,s is their local! In all our time we have never seen them here but we made up for it! What a laugh and a very very late night!

Das captain is still asleep, the rain has stopped......at last and we should be on our way shortly. Nothing like a bit a sea breeze after a late night to get you back on the straight and narrow.




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Location:Mayflower Marina

Jester Is Back

So we are back on das bot for our hols. Car loaded up we left home yesterday mid-morning through the rain over the moor and arrived in a sunny Mayflower Marina.

Walking up the pontoons we were greeted by a fabulous visiting 53ft hallyberg rassy with its American flag flying high and next to us is.....Jester, back from a round trip to the Azores.

Whilst working on the reefing lines yesterday das captain gave its life history to some underprivileged kids that go out sailing through a charity here on the marina.

They were commenting as walking by her, about what an odd looking boat she was. She maybe but this ugly duckling as das captain told them has thousands of nautical miles under her belt and lots of stories to tell....they were gobsmacked.

She is looking good after her latest epic voyage and nice to have the opportunity to see her again.



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Location:Mayflower Marina

Big Ben

What an amazing week the Olympics have had, from the fabulous quirky opening ceremony to the courage, highs and lows of those taking part.

Whilst the rain poured down yesterday we sat and watched the sailing at Weymouth and Big Ben become the most decorated sailor in Olympic history. It was a nail biting match race, but he came through and those were amazing scenes out on the water and up on the hill over looking it all.

It reminded me of watching the Americas Cup last year up on the Hoe.....they were memorable weekends and superb crowds willing everyone one.

I doubt we,ll see Big Ben in a Finn boat again at the Olympics, what an absolute champion he is and hats off to him for his achievements. He is now off to join the Americas Cup and his own team....new chapter, new glory....we,ll have to wait and see.


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Super Saturday....

Well it may not have been super Saturday on the old weather front to set off on our swailing holiday, but it was a swooper duper Saturday for Team GB on the Olympic front. What a day.....made you feel so proud to be British! AMAZING!




As I type this, the predicted torrential rain is lashing down and the thunder and lightening has started. Das captain and I are sat watching the start of the medal races in the swailing.....let's make it a swooper Sunday boys!

The weather front should blow itself out tomorrow so we hope to be on our way.....somewhere.....

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Cursed!

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly - Strong winds are forecast

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time west of Start Point. Moderate or rough. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook:  Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in west. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time in far west. Rain or showers. Moderate or good.

Need I say more..........a lovely Atlantic low is heading our way.........

AAAAAARRRGGH.....that was the polite version...no channel hopping for us this weekend me thinks!