Marica goes clockwise
| Vessel Name: | Marica |
16 December 2017 | Slipper Sailing Club
Epiblog
I met fellow Westerly Centaur owner Tom Bedford in Milford Haven. As it turns out we also share a fondness for real ale and the band Steely Dan. Tom is a freelance journalist and when I got back to Emsworth he suggested writing an article about my trip. I agreed without too much reticence and he sent [...]
08 November 2017 | South coast
From Shoreham
I checked the live wind at Chichester Bar this morning on the Chimet web site. Force 4 northerly. Hey! we could go somewhere, Little Hampton (LA) or even further. I might just make it for the 9 o'clock lock out. I called them and they said I would be going out of the smaller Prince George lock. I had [...]
07 November 2017 | Newhaven
From Newhaven
On Tuesday morning we wake to a southerly force 6. The sea state was expected to be 'moderate' and waves were crashing over the harbour breakwater. George and I had porridge and reviewed the situation. He decided caution was the better part of valour and I walked him to the train station.
06 November 2017 | Beachy Head
From Rye
My dad joined me on a frosty Monday morning for our leg from Rye. His name is George so he is the original George according to my sister, or he is George V for this trip. I thought Eastbourne would be a suitable port to make for, and could be completed in daylight hours. Dad had suggested Newhaven so [...]
05 November 2017 | Rye
More water problems
I started the engine this morning, whilst Marica was afloat, to check the repair on the throttle linkage. It was fine but there was no cooling water flowing through the engine. I assumed that mud was stuck in the inlet pipe. All the boats settle in this soft smelly stuff to the top of their keels. So [...]
04 November 2017 | Rye
Bailing Out
This morning (Saturday) I found the cutlery drawer full of water. It's just underneath the cooker. I was wondering where the water had come in last night. The boat had obviously been heeled over at a bigger angle at the top of the tide. There had been water in the washing up bowl, that I had not tested [...]
From Burghead
The wind had a bit too much east in it for sails. I kept an eye out for other sailing boats by eye and also on AIS. I saw a large boat behind heading towards me. I couldn't match them to an AIS track. As they got closer I recognised the boat as a 40 odd footer Jeanneau that I had shared four locks with coming down to Inverness. They waved as they came past and I made out the name, Heron. I called them on the radio and asked where they were making for. It had been Whitehills, but due to Trish feeling seasick they were going into Lossiemouth. I said I'd had similar thoughts, but I was going to press on. They are heading down to Essex, so we thought we might meet again.
Heading past Lossiemouth, I saw Heron was not turning, maybe a change of plan. My speed was down to about 4 knots, so it looked like it could be dark before hitting Whitehills. The wind had come round a bit more north, so I unfurled the genoa. That put the speed up to 5.5 to 6 knots. I still didn't want to be playing around at the mast getting the main up. A cup of tea I'd made had ended up with half splashed into the pan next to it. It looked like we should now get in before in night fall.
The harbour entrance is quite narrow with a sharp turn left then a small outer harbour leading into the inner by a sharp right and another left. As I entered the outer harbour I saw Heron on a pontoon with a catamaran. A man was waving me in to a berth on the pontoon. I had to restart the engine after slowing down, but came alongside and Bertie, the harbourmaster took my lines. His first words were 'Welcome to Whitehills, yes there is a pub". Kevin, from Heron told me that they felt they could not pull into Lossiemouth if I was continuing in a smaller boat, despite both of them being seasick. It had been a long uncomfortable sail. The weather forecast had been for a sea state of slight.
I had a hot shower, made some pasta and sauce, then headed for the pub. The photo is of Heron overtaking Marica.