The idea of sailing around Great Britain I had in my mind for years and more recently in my daily thoughts as I dealt with the mundane aspects of work. I wanted to do the trip in my own way, quietly with good intentions, having a disabled crew but without the pressures of publicity, fundraising or the like.
Planning and preparation started in earnest during the latter part of 2009 when, after some persuading, I convinced my father it was essential to let me go on an adventure of a lifetime, taking two months off work. Peter Lowrey, my best friend & disabled sailor with his partner Cathy Edwards and I sat around the table by a crackling fire one winter evening with a blank whiteboard to plan our route. {In hindsight we discovered how accurate our plan was!}
We wanted to sail clockwise from Cornwall to Wales, up the Irish Sea, into Clydeside, through both the Crinan and Caledonian canals, down the North Sea, over to France and along the Channel, back home.
The first thing to do was establish the dates of our journey, I particularly wanted to go in the early part of the year when the weather might be better; I had unfortunate memories of holidays in August over the last few years. Unavoidable work commitments like payroll (21st of the month) and vat would have to be taken into account along with my commitments as a Magistrate and Chairman of the Magistrates Association in Cornwall, there were a number Shanty festivals locally and in Waterford, Southern Ireland to work around. Finally we realised that there would be only 50 sailing days, including any stormbound losses, to complete the trip – a tight schedule.
Our boat “Valhalla” Meudon hotel’s yacht, a ‘Bavaria 34’ was to take us on our epic journey. Built in 2000, in the heart of Germany, she is a light displacement (4.5 tons) modern sloop (one mast two triangular sails) designed for the Baltic, Mediterranean and UK cruiser / charter market. I have sailed her from new for the past 10 years, sometimes in Storm force conditions and knew her sea keeping capabilities well. Although perhaps not the boat of choice for blue water, ocean or global circumnavigation I was confident that she was suitable and would look after us on extended passages.
I drew up an extensive equipment shopping only to slash it again as the budget ran out of control; it would have been lovely to have integrated Radar & GPS Plotter but at £5000.00 a luxury too far. Valhalla’s original chart plotter was obsolete and although functional no further electronic charts were available. I bought a Standard Horizon CP180i with chart covering Europe from Greenland to Gibraltar for £450.00, a bargain, along with Imray paper charts. I added a Nasa Navetex for £200.00 that would give weather information 24 hours a day in text format.
Valhalla’s spring refit would have to be a good one; antifouling, servicing the sails & rigging, engine, electrics and toilet. Effort spent now would ultimately paid dividends on our trip around Great Britain; nothing would be left to chance. Lists were made, ticked off and added to. Safety equipment; lifejackets, danbouys, lifelines, floating lights and horseshoe floats were checked, tested and replaced where necessary including new flares (they last 4 years) and a 4 man liferaft.
Valhalla was lifted back into the water on 7th April 2010 and put on her summer swinging mooring I20 in Falmouth Harbour; between the Prince of Wales Pier and the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club where I am a member and keep my tender. Peter, Shona and I went for a test sail to see that all our preparations were in apple pie order and to learn how the new equipment would work.
We set sail from Falmouth on 26th April aboard ‘Valhalla’ the hotel’s yacht, a “Bavaria 34”, on a voyage around Great Britain. The route would take 54 days visiting 6 countries and covering 1874 nautical miles.
My crew in the main were to be disabled; Peter Lowrey a paraplegic wheelchair user and three blind sailors with friends completed various legs of the journey. We learnt to get up early (04.00) to catch a favourable tide; to wrap up warm against the penetrating cold, to navigate unfamiliar waters into strange harbours and enjoy the company of others in a confined living space!
The highlight of the journey was the ever changing scenery, particularly on the West coast of Scotland, that and the pleasure of travelling at 6 nautical miles an hour by the power of the wind is so peaceful. The scariest part was navigating the Humber in a hail storm with thunder and lightening surrounded by shipping in zero visibility. The funniest (and there were many) was in France when the tide went out leaving the access ramp to our marina at a 45 degree angle. Peter in his wheelchair with me pushing lost control and narrowly escaped ending up in the drink. Or was it when Suzie did fall in from the dock?
Monday 26th April 2010
Falmouth to Newlyn 40.6nm Total: 40.6nm
I woke at 07.00, at Meudon, to pack and go through the final check lists. Cas Sandal, a member of Falmouth Shout who was to crew fro me on the first leg, had slept over to get a lift into the boat, we ate a full Cornish before going to Asda for the shopping (£50) then onto Royal Cornwall Yacht Club (RCYC). We arrived at 10.15 and meet up with Malcolm Jenkins also from Falmouth Shout who was to crew as far as to Scotland. We took the Club Launch with all our gear out to Valhalla, sitting on her mooring I20. We stowed the food and put our bags into cabins. I went through a safety briefing; engine start up and controls, the operation of the VHF Marine Radio including MAYDAY procedure and emergency Digital Selective Calling (DSC), stowage of life-raft, life-jackets and flares.
We slipped our mooring I20 at 11.10. Engine on, sail covers off and made way to Black Rock. Called coastguard at 11.30 with passage plan – heading for Newlyn, ETA 18.00. Set main and genoa. Check weather with Navtex; S or SE3-4. The sun shines, we were a little late for the tide on the Lizard but made fair progress. Sailing across Mounts Bay picking up St. Michael’s Mount in the haze. Arrived Newlyn at 19.30, greeted by Harbour Master, £12.00 AB pontoon. Walk into town, visit costcutter for tomorrow’s lunch – interesting art and artist. Roast chicken for dinner. Ring Shona and off to bed. Early start.
Meet Frenchman Lawrence in his new DUFOR 345 also bound for Padstow, he has just retired and his wife has allowed him 5 months to go cruising. Lucky bugger.
Tuesday 27th April 2010
Newlyn to Padstow 58.2nm Total: 98.8nm
We left Newlyn in poor visibility 200 metres using the chart plotter. Slipped at 06.00 to catch the tide all the way to Padstow for the local gates. Lawrence was up and we wished him ‘Bon Voyage’.
All the way to Longships the fog was thick, we did not see “Tater du” but heard it, a mournful sound. Cas took pictures, mostly of fog but as we rounded Longships gaps appeared and more pictures were taken. We could see up the Cornish coast – Cape Cornwall and beyond to Pendeen. Such a dramatic coastline dotted with old mine engine houses and the old workings at Geevor with the pit head gear clearly visible from the sea, St. Ives bay and Godrevy lighthouse, the golden beaches of Hayle Towans. Cas took to his bunk complaining of his bad back but insisting he was aroused to pass by St. Agnes. More pictures taken but from a long way off. Trevose head stood out from the coast with its lighthouse.
Time to read the pilot book again for the final closing of the coast. The tide was running fast now sweeping us sideways as we closed the shore inside Gulland Rock keeping off Stepper Point to avoid a wreck. Port hand buoy now in sight followed by a starboard, we slowed off St. Saviours Point to hand sails, put out fenders and warps. As we entered the inner basin the HM called us on Ch12 and asked if we were there for the ‘MAYDAY’ – no just the night. Unfortunate use of words ‘Obby ‘Oss’ would have been better!
Tied up along side the wall at berth I5 and repaired the whipping of our brest line while Cas and Malcolm went to explore the town, returning with a refreshing ice cream. We chatted to Lawrence who had arrived 1½ hours earlier having never put up his sails!
Peter and Cath arrived by car and we dined upon fish and chips sat in the cockpit overlooked by emmets; twice a seagull shat right across the cockpit. I duly signed my electoral forms for my postal vote of the general election and gave them to Cath. Peter fixed the drive for the laptop, he is thinking of joining us in Scotland now as the bruising on his arm needs time to subside.
Wednesday 28th April 2010
Padstow to Milford Haven 80.3nm Total: 179.1nm
Early start at 04.30, departure at 05.00. £16.00. Dolphins for hours and plenty, red arrows style approach. Fog descends; do not see coast just breaking waves on shore/coast/rocks. Hear lighthouse. Report to MH Port Control. Visibility reduces to 50 metres and in some cases 30 metres. AIS works after no contact all day. MH Port Control ‘No Shipping Movements!’. Waiting at pontoon 20.15, lock gates open at 21.45. Harbour Master restaurant; burger and Guinness. Miss lock gates, next opens at 03.00! Rugby ball floating in harbour entrance – welcome to Wales!
Thursday 29th April 2010
Milford Haven to Arklow, Ireland 84.5nm Total: 263.6nm
Early start 04.30, departure 05.00. In thick fog 30-50 metres visibility. Report to MH Port Control two large trawlers entering harbour two miles from entrance not on AIS. We passed 50 metres apart barely visible. MHPC kept us informed and cross tracked us on radar.
Excellent lift with the tide. Motor sail across St. George’s CH. AIS only works 3-4 miles. Arklow dock basin met the lifeboat 2nd coxswain mechanic – shower not available – note to Reeds for correction. Walked alone – went into strange pub for a Guinness. FV’s (the only one in the port working) left it’s mooring at 04.00! and our lie-in till 07.00 was gone!
Friday 30th April 2010
Arklow to Howth 29.7nm Total: 293.3nm
Depart at 07.10. Motor sailed out, passed the offshore wind farm, main and genoa. Scattered showers, light NW wind 2. Arrived Howth marina and Howth yacht club. Refuelled 58 Litres.
Lunch in club, Chowder very good and of course a Guinness! Took train into Dublin, 25mins. Walked around the city, saw Trinity College with fancy Georgian architecture and the ‘Spire’ 2003 touching the sky. Went into the wrong pub wearing a British Legion jacket!
Dinner in O’Neil’s pub (traditional Irish), lamb shank and Guinness. Back to Howth YC for Guinness nightcap and to sleep on board for an early start.
Saturday 1st May 2010
Howth to Ardglass 51.9nm Total: 345.2nm
05.15 slipped marina berth D9. Motor sailing, main and genoa. Inside ‘Ireland’s Eye’ island and the inside passage of ‘Lambay Island’ seeing an Irish (Trinity House equivalent) Ship building a new starboard Beacon light; later reported as operational by notice to mariners. Maintain safety info. Inside Rocabill Lighthouse.
Flat calm seas, overcast but bright. Arrive at Ardglass 15.45 AB in marina. Note to Reeds, East Cardinal not West. Dinner in golf club after a walk around the coast. Chowder, steak and Guinness. Tides wrong for an early start.
Sunday 2nd May 2010
Ardglass via Strangford Lough to Carrickfergus (Belfast) 57.0nm Total: 402.2nm
10.20 depart NE3 soon died away to NE F2 and we needed to motor again, tacked up north to Strangford Lough entering on the flood 10 knots SOG Speed Over Ground. Passing by ‘Isolated Danger’ a turbine for producing Hydro Electricity.
Picked up a mooring just by Porta Ferry for lunch watching the ferry cross to and fro in the strong tide. We left again at 14.00, 40 minutes before HW Belfast but unfortunately 2 ½ hours before HW Strangford. Bucking the tide we kept close to the shore to pick up the back eddies. As we passed South Rock at 16.00 the wind freshened N4-5 and by 20.00 N6. We put in 2 reefs in the main and similarly the jib.
As we entered Belfast Louch a black storm cloud headed South from the North. I decided not to make for Bangor in a squall from the North so we sailed across the Lough to Carrickfergus arriving after a soaking at 23.00 to be met by the night watchman.
Monday 3rd May 2010
Carrickfergus to Campbeltown 62.4nm Total: 464.6nm
Late start, showers, leisurely breakfast, waiting for a favourable tide. Shopping at Co-Op. Sailing close hauled (reef) as close to the northern side of Belfast Lough passing the power station and oil terminal and on past Black Point lighthouse. We tacked back inshore to avoid the worst of the tide against us. Then we were in the north channel.
The wind freshened to N 5 and Valhalla leapt along, beating up the windward as the tide changed in our favour our ground track took us northwards towards our destination of Campbeltown, the first port of call on the Mull of Kintyre.
At 19.00 we were coming up abeam Sand Island just as the sun fell down behind the low cloud, the wind dropped and we shook out a reef in the main. An hour later we shook out all the reefs only to put them back in again as the wind funnelled down Kilbrannan Sound. 21.15 engine on to buck the tide and take us north; Campbeltown is almost 10 miles north of Sand Island (2 hours) and it was getting cold. With 3 fleeces and waterproofs, a buff and woolly hat the cold seemed to find a way in. As darkness fell the coldness increased.
We were delighted to round Davaar Island lighthouse and bear away into Campbeltown Loch at 22.15 we were alongside and tied up to the visitors pontoon. We walked up into the town with a thought of fish and chips only to be content with a chicken madras and rice heartily consumed on board despite the residual smell of the Taj Mahal in the morning.
Tuesday 4th May 2010
Campbeltown to Loch Ranza (Arran) 26.3nm Total: 490.9nm
Interesting conversation with the MD of the pontoon company. I asked about the new yellow special mark and would he like me to report it to Reeds. ‘I am the Reeds compiler’ came the reply. He went on to explain about the sewage pipeline and diffuser which was now a hazard to navigation and that the northern lighthouse authorities were going to put a S cardinal mark there and that ‘HE’ will inform Reeds.
We paid a visit to the Tourist Information Office and paid our harbour dues of £16.00 and made our way up into town to the museum. Significant collection of model lifeboats from 1860’s to 1960’s (pulling and sailing up to Watson), collection of stuffed birds found around the Mull, fishing memorabilia; piano wire and weight to find shoals of Herring by feeling the fish bump into the wire. As we left the museum we walked around the corner into Linda McCartney’s memorial garden, beautifully kept in full bloom; daffodils, tulips, cherry blossom amongst Cordilynus and Dixonia Antartica so that’s why Wings sang Mull of Kintyre – it was Linda’s home.
We found our way to the Co-Op with directions from an employee of the same and stocked up with essentials; bread, milk as well as some luxuries, mars bars and nuts. Walking back to Valhalla I took more pictures of the wonderful landscape, stopping briefly by a red lorry to snap the loch. I spoke to the driver, a broad Scot, ‘pongs a bit – your lorry?’ ‘yes’ he said ‘deed beasts’ it was the local knackers lorry. Unusually for me I kept my conversation short, the smell was unpleasant and overpowering. He collects from all over the highlands and after correcting his pronunciation of ‘Peterheed’ I could not understand another word he said.
On board we made sandwiches and ate before slipping our lines at 14.30. Motoring through the harbour we observed the low green building, a pump house of the undersea pipeline fame. Under just a full genoa we surged up Kilbrannan Sound tacking as the NW 4 prevented a direct route. We were bound for Loch Ranza on the northern tip of Arran; recommended by our helpful ‘Reeds compiler’; 26 miles later at 19.30 just as the cold was beginning to bite we picked up a mooring in the loch.
I had been preparing our supper, spaghetti bolognaise with fresh veg; carrots, broccoli and cauliflower and a bottle of Cotes Du Rhone. Malcolm could only manage a glass and a couple of rum and shrubs, later we retired to bed.
Wednesday 5th May 2010
Loch Ranza to Rothesay, Isle of Bute 23.6nm Total: 514.5nm
Now that the distances were no longer an issue of early starts we were determined not to let the day slip away so we resolved to wake at 08.00 and be ashore to explore at 09.00. After porridge with sultanas we moved Valhalla from a swinging mooring to the AB on a now empty visitor’s pontoon.
We walked around the hamlet and found the bus stop with the next service due at 09.54 to Brodick, a single £2.60 took us on the most picturesque journey clockwise around the northern part of Arran. The bus driver, a relative of Sterling Moss, made sure no time was wasted on our Journey and despite sailing 500 miles in all conditions both Malcolm and I were glad to get off in one piece! We sought advice from the Tourist Information Office and set off on foot to explore Brodick, we met the local RNLI fundraisers in the church where the ladies were creating a hanging, celebrating the centenary of Brodick Church.
We took up the offer of 2 courses for £10 at ‘A Plate of Arran’ I chose squid with chilli followed by Arran kid in black bean sauce with rice and Malcolm had the cauliflower and cheese soup followed by aubergine mille feuille – both slices of it! Mine was particularly good and I contemplated if the ‘kid’ was in fact Goat Fell the magnificent hill dominating our view.
Back on the bus ‘ Stirling Moss’ was reinvigorated after his lunch break and we headed back to Loch Ranza at breakneck speed. At 14.45 we slipped, heading north to Ardlamont Point and into West Kyle with one reef in the main and similar sized jib we charged along at 6 – 5 knots allowing time to catch up with my book a Patrick O’Brian novel ‘The Reverse of the Medal’ concerning the exploits of Capt. Jack Auberry and his spy companion Dr. Maturin during the Napoleonic wars.
Tacking up the Kyles of Bute in a fresh NW breeze we topped the Island of Bute heading down East Kyle under just the genoa fully rolled out. On entering Rothesay Bay I spied a ‘Clyde Puffer’ “VIC32” and we sailed close by in order to take pictures. I am sure she is the last working example and has been immortalised in the film ‘The Tales of Para Handy’. We received a wave from the skipper as he downed a mug of tea.
Ashore in Rothesay I was saddened to see such poorly maintained and derelict buildings – no money here, except public expenditure on amenities such as the immaculate gardens and new facilities for ferries. Malcolm and I decided against the fish and chip shop and took dinner in the local hotel; very pleasant staff looked after us in an establishment stuck in the 1970’s but what we had was good and given in good cheer. The marina is empty!
Thursday 6th May 2010
Rothesay to Loch Long 17.9nm Total: 532.4nm
We woke up around 08.00 to a breakfast of bacon and eggs and decided to have one last walk around the town to pick up some fresh milk. We took pictures of the municipal gardens and stumbled across the Tourist Information Centre situated in the old pavilion; it also doubled up as a visitor centre with displays of life on Bute over the years.
11.00 we cast off our mooring lines after waiting for the ferry to depart and the harbour lights change from 3 reds to 2 greens and 1 white. Calm, slightly overcast but signs of sunny spells to come. We made our way under engine and sail around the lighthouse at Toward Point to head north towards the famous town of Dunoon. From here we entered into Loch Long.
Steaming up the loch under engine to Ardentinny we picked up a local mooring, ate lunch in the cockpit under a blazing sun only to find out ashore that the Ardentinny Hotel and Pub had closed for business some time ago and is unlikely to re-open soon. We walked inland, first to a caravan park for directions, then passing the polling station / village hall dating from 1906 MCMVI. Heading inland we came upon the Glenfinart Hotel and drank an extra cold Guinness whilst chatting to the landlord about how busy he used to be.
We returned to the boat stopping to chat to a local fisherman who had been trawling in Loch Long for prawns but had come back empty handed. We left Ardentinny with recommendations for eateries and a good pub down the Loch at Strone. However Malcolm remembered a castle now a country house hotel and we pulled into Knockderry, picking up the hotel’s private moorings. A most pleasant evening was spent dining in a 4* establishment with a justifiable reputation for excellent food. I had rib of beef on a mash with grain mustard and greens with chilli. We rowed back to Valhalla, perfectly sated for a peaceful nights sleep.
Friday 7th May 2010
Knockderry (Loch Long) to Rhu Marina, Gare Lock 10.7nm Total: 543.1nm
A late start, after a leisurely breakfast we set sail with 1 reef in the main leaving our mooring under sail. Gentle NE winds freshened quickly as we lost the shelter of the land rounding Kilcreggan beating up the Firth of Clyde towards Gare Lock. Taking further reefs into the jib we sailed up to Clydeport before tacking away to make the Gare Lock. Handing sail in the lee of Rhu marina, we came alongside the visitor pontoon reporting into reception and topping up our tank with diesel, only 36 litres.
We made contact with Garry and Debbie who live in Helensburgh and arranged to meet up with them in the evening. We cleaned ship, washed the decks, cleared the dingy and deflated it to stow away, topped up the water tanks and cleaned the bilges. Dinner and a chat with Garry and Debbie in a new Italian restaurant rounded off another great day.
