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 Wexford?
So goodbye to Richard, the hardworking galley slave, for now. I had a much needed shower at the harbour office. I set out just after low tide. The ground is soft mud so no problems if I ran aground. The wind was much more North than East which was not great and a bit stronger than I was expecting.
A slow meander out of the harbour to the Safe Water Buoy and time to get the mainsail up if I wanted to get to Arklow with the tide. I was up by the mast and found a bit of a knot with the main halyard. Undoing it I let the other end go. It disappeared up the mast and the sail then started to disappear over the side. I pulled the sail on board and lashed it down. The end of the halyard had wrapped around the Slipper burgee and curtesy Irish tricolour. I tried pulling them down to recover the end. No joy.
Options were to continue to Arklow on the headsail and Honka, try to climb the mast to recover the halyard or return to Wexford and sort things out. I choose the sensible option and headed back in. The navigation was easier this time. I moored a little further away from the fishing boats and in shallower water.
Sorting the halyard was a bit tricky. I climbed the mast to grab the end but it was still threaded around the shrouds and the wrong side of the spreaders. I tied a monkey's fist in a bit of rope and managed to throw it through the triangle between the top of the mast and the spreaders. I could then pull the halyard back to the correct side and untangle it.
A number of onlookers had come and asked questions or offered advice such as 'you should always have a dummy rope in case you lose one'.
I decided today I would change the oil in the Honka, it probably needs it. A lady watched me struggle getting it on board. She said I should visit the local sailing club up the road that was very friendly and had a bar. I thought I ought to go and pay my respects.
The boat and tennis club was super. Friendly people and some kids courses going on all week. They offered showers (maybe I do smell) and some friendly banter. They also suggested a couple of pubs in town worth visiting: Maggie May's and The Crown. I'm now in Maggie May's. Getting my last pint of Guinness the barman offered his, already poured but without the wait, good man!
Wexford is such a welcoming place, the harbour is right in the centre of town and they are trying to build a big Marina. A lovely stop I'd recommend to any sailors. Contact Phil the harbour master if you need any advice on coming in, where to moor, or anything else.