Thursday 30 June 2011

Leg 14 - Hamble River to Brighton via Portsmouth

30th June

Presently in Brighton planning on leaving for Eastbourne tomorrow morning.

This challenge has brought home to me the amount of genuinely nice people there are out there, Brighton Marina staff have been brilliant, they can't do enough to make your stay a pleasurable one, even down to Ed assisting me to the fuel pontoon, just simply brilliant.

Also, a massive thanks to Mick from West Marine Services Ltd, who helped me change the filters on Zuma foc, thank you so much, as I missed most of my MVE lessons in school and engines aren't my strong point!!

Tuesday 28 June 2011

28th June

Left Portsmouth at 0900 hrs, weather forecast looking okish, then the fun started, thunder and lightning and winds. Don't know whether I had a strike, plotter and auto pilot went down after a very, very loud crack immediately after the thunder, so it was down to good old chart work.

Arrived at Brighton at 2000hrs, fantastic welcome from Ben and Richard, just what I needed as I must have looked like a rabbit in the headlights. I showered then cooked the fresh mackerel I caught.

Bed now bloody knackered..

Monday 27 June 2011

27th June

Arrived in Portsmouth at 17.00hrs, bit of a 'cyclonic' passage, but good to be here.

Haslar marina is very impressive.

Hopefully leaving for Brighton tomorrow.

Sunday 26 June 2011

26th June 2011

At present I am currently in Hamble River, hoping to leave tomorrow if the fog lifts.

A massive thanks to a very impressive Universal Marina for waivering the mooring fees at a very busy time, in aid of the Charity.

Had a fantastic race yesterday in the Round the Island Race, until we parked our bow into another boat's cockpit and had to retire from the race at the Needles ;(

Thanks to Allybuzz (Simon,Jez and Warwick) for a fantastic opportunity.

Thursday 23 June 2011

Wednesday 22 June 2011

Leaving Padstow



This video was taken by Bart de Bakker and Sietske Cnossen, as we all made a run from Padstow one early morning ages ago, they are going around Britain too, the easy way, clockwise ;)

I met them in padstow and hopefully plan to meet them on the East Coast.

Their Blog is http://folieadeuxopreis.blogspot.com

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Leg 11 - Brixham to Poole

Memorable moment !!

I have been fortunate enough to meet a true legend, moored up in Lymington.

Leslie Powles, three times round the world single handed, an absolutely amazing person. He heard about what I am doing and invited me onto his boat 'Solitaire' to have a chat over a cup a soup.

He gave me and signed copy of his book which I will truely treasure.

Thank you Leslie.


Born a coward, Leslie Powles claims, he saw no point in fighting - hence the title of the book, 'Hands Open' But god smiled benignly when the author who had never sailed in his life, decided to build a 34ft boat called Solitaire and take off single-handed around the world. He left Lymington after eight hours of sailing experience on his own. So ignorant was he when his boat was launched that he had not even the ability to put it on a mooring a few yards away.

Instead of finding the Caribbean he literally hit Brazil south of the equator. It was at that stage he decided he would have to salve his conscience by making a second circumnavigation after completing his first 34'000 mile east-to-west world voyage (August 18 1975 to April 30 1978).

The second circumnavigation, again from Lymington, this time non-stop, was the first west-to-east single-handed trip, 329 days and 28'496 miles alone at sea, rounding the five great capes including Cape Horn between July 9, 1980 and June 3 1981. This was the world's loneliest voyage without sighting land or communication (he was too poor to afford a radio transmitter).

For the last two months of his second trip he survived on a half a cup of rice a day, with a little milk powder and sugar added, and rainwater collected from the sail, losing 76lbs of body weight in the process.

21st June

Unbelievable weather, surely its got to ease soon, still in Lymington waiting for the break :)

Thursday 16 June 2011

16th June

Two capsized yachts, empty rib and one missing yacht, all in the Solent.
Not the day for a sail.

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Weh Hey

Left Poole at 1400hrs arrived at Lymington for 1900hrs.

Entering the Solent was interesting to say the least, fanstastic sail (Yes sail), in pretty shallow waters.

Dont really know were to go next, either Cowes, Portsmouth, Southampton or Chichester.

Hopefully get some time tomorrow to put together another Video.

Sunday 12 June 2011

Thursday 9 June 2011

9th June

I am starting to get that Padstow feeling again, the weather is so changeable.

I was hoping to leave early tomorrow morning, but a strong wind warning has just been announced which is going to prevent the early start.

However, Friday night upto Saturday 1200hrs is looking ok, so it may call for a night sail, but those lobster pots are cause for concern with their black (yes Black !!) flags in the night, they're not the easiest to see at night.

If I dont leave tomorrow, it may be a long stay. Decisions decisions.

The trip was on radio Devon today, thanks to Brixham coastguard.

Tuesday 7 June 2011

8th June

Currently moored up in Brixham, weather forecast not great, might be a bit of a stay.

Sunday 5 June 2011

5th June

Hopefully leaving for Brixham tomorrow at 1300hrs, provided F6 winds stay to the west.

Thursday 2 June 2011

Falmouth

Newlyn yesterday now Falmouth, its amazing what a bit of good weather can do for progress.

Lovely sail today, even if it was just in my Calvins, great to be in Falmouth and get a shower and finish the last of the mackerel off.

I'm hoping to get to Plymouth by tomorrow night then have a day off and try and put together a video of the last legs, some of the scenery has been breathtaking.

Wednesday 1 June 2011

Finally

Finally escaped Padstow at 0500 hrs this morning.

Lands End was interesting to say the least, good crossing though :))))))

Arrived at Newlyn at 1900 hrs, hopefully setting off for Falmouth in the morning to take on the Lizard.