Sunday, 28 October 2012
A "Valiant" Arrival
Having sailed from the Solent to Dartmouth in what was frequently gale force wind. Then endured a bitterly cold and wet day on the Dart, we listened with anticipation to the Met forecast for Sunday.
There were warnings of gales in Dover Wight Portland and Biscay (and the rest of the UK), but not Plymouth! We scoured the internet for more information – they all suggested the same – NE 5/7, backing N or NW 6/7, becoming 3/4 later. So we sailed!
The sky was blue and sunny, but still very cold. With two reefs in the main and a poled out jib we aimed at Ushant and romped across the channel at 7 – 8 knots, often surfing at up to 10. Night came early but the moon was full and bright. As the clouds scudded across the sky we surfed the waves below. The first light of dawn found us heading down the Channel du Four. By lunchtime the fleeces were off; we were sat in the sun having a beer.
Footnote: Good to find “Valiant” looking good and proudly flying her PSC burgee.
Friday, 26 October 2012
A Wandering Dream.....
The summer was wet and windy. Autumn looks set to continue the same. Now as the cold polar air gets sucked down by the passing depressions it's just getting colder!
Nothing much changes.... or does it? Sitting on the Folkboat “Mistress” during Folkboat week a month or so ago, I was delighted to see my old friends Alan and Jo on Wandering Dream, a Rival 38, quietly nosing up to the quay. I had first met Alan at Palmeira, on the Island of Sal in the Cape Verdes. He and Jo became good friends as we later cruised in company up through the Caribbean.
Friendships renewed, all it took was a phone call. It didn't take much to persuade me!
So it was that with the forecast of wind East force 6 to gale force 8, showers rain later, we slipped from the club pontoon aboard Wandering Dream, destination Lagos, Portugal.....and sunshine!
The tide swept us west, past the Needles, then Weymouth (the sailing venue for the Olympics), and into Lyme Bay. As darkness fell so did the rain, squally gusts of 33+ knots chased us down channel. We surfed the waves under double reefed main and a pocket hanky sized jib. Enough was enough – we hung a left and tied-up in Dartmouth for the rest of the night.
Nothing much changes.... or does it? Sitting on the Folkboat “Mistress” during Folkboat week a month or so ago, I was delighted to see my old friends Alan and Jo on Wandering Dream, a Rival 38, quietly nosing up to the quay. I had first met Alan at Palmeira, on the Island of Sal in the Cape Verdes. He and Jo became good friends as we later cruised in company up through the Caribbean.
Friendships renewed, all it took was a phone call. It didn't take much to persuade me!
So it was that with the forecast of wind East force 6 to gale force 8, showers rain later, we slipped from the club pontoon aboard Wandering Dream, destination Lagos, Portugal.....and sunshine!
The tide swept us west, past the Needles, then Weymouth (the sailing venue for the Olympics), and into Lyme Bay. As darkness fell so did the rain, squally gusts of 33+ knots chased us down channel. We surfed the waves under double reefed main and a pocket hanky sized jib. Enough was enough – we hung a left and tied-up in Dartmouth for the rest of the night.
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