Marica goes clockwise

Vessel Name: Marica
16 December 2017 | Slipper Sailing Club
08 November 2017 | South coast
07 November 2017 | Newhaven
06 November 2017 | Beachy Head
05 November 2017 | Rye
04 November 2017 | Rye
03 November 2017 | Rye
02 November 2017 | South Coast
01 November 2017 | Thames Estuary
31 October 2017 | Harwich
30 October 2017 | Southwold
27 October 2017 | North Sea
25 October 2017 | Lincolnshire Coast
18 October 2017 | Yorkshire Coast
17 October 2017 | Bridlington
16 October 2017 | Flamborough Head
15 October 2017 | Whitby
12 October 2017 | Yorkshire coast
10 October 2017 | Geordieland
09 October 2017 | England!
Recent Blog Posts
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 Whitehills

19 September 2017 | Rattray Head
Dry and chilly
I stayed in port yesterday. I had been planning to head for Fraserburgh, ready for an early start round the corner to Peterhead. A few people, including Bertie the harbourmaster, advised me that Fraserburgh was not a great place for yachts. The day was a bit bleak and the sea looked similar to the uncomfortable day before. I worked out that leaving today before 7 I should hit the tide right to get round the corner to Peterhead. I got an early night.

I woke a few times during the night and checked the time. I was up at six and away by 6:30, putting my navigation lights on as the sun was not yet up. I believed that Heron and Fiesta, the bridge deck cat, were also planning to head the same way, but they didn't need to start as early.

The sea was fairly smooth and the wind settled to being mostly off the starboard quarter. We sailed past a tanker anchored in deep water. The wind was pretty light so I kept the engine on to make the tide gate at Rattray Head. I saw that Fiesta had set sail on Marine Traffic, but Heron were not showing up. However, I spotted their tall mast when they were about four miles away, and they gradually overhauled Marica. We were making over 8 knots at times with the tide pulling us south. I think Heron must have been doing over 10.

Coming into Peterhead I called the harbour for permission to enter. I had the radio on dual watch, monitoring channels 16 and 14. I assumed (wrongly) that my transmission would be on channel 14. The harbour did reply, and on 14 they told me to hold my position as a ship was about to exit the harbour. I stooged around for about five minutes and saw the ship exit. I was then invited to enter the outer harbour. It is rather large, and the marina is right at the end. I contemplated how much of today's journey was actually through the harbour.

I came into the narrowish entrance to the marina. I had already spotted Heron's mast and there was a starboard side to pontoon close to them. Kevin took my bow line as I came in.

I kept an eye on Fiesta's position and heard him call the harbour. I also heard a boat called Unsinkable 2 request permission to enter. I wondered what had happened to Unsinkable 1. I took Fiesta's bow line as he came into the next berth.

The marina is lovely, there is a sandy beach on one side. The showers are nice and hot and don't need old pound coins, or any coins. The forecast for tomorrow is southerly winds. So it would be wind against tide is heading south. I'd contemplated Stonehaven, or even Montrose. Here is good though, I need to catch a plane from Aberdeen on Thursday and the transport links work from Peterhead. So we are stopping here for the moment.

I've wandered into town and the local Weatherspoon's to expand my beer repertoire. Not very encouraging but haggis, neeps and tatties with a pint for £6.95. My first taste of haggis in Scotland.

The photo is of the gas terminal in Rattray Bay, and the big flare stack that suddenly engorged to produce its own cloud system within five minutes.
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