Vessel Name: | China Girl |
Vessel Make/Model: | Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 41DS |
Hailing Port: | Ipswich |
Crew: | Ann and Steve Crome |
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Photo is of the Waverley, the only remaining sea going steam powered paddle steamer, which happened to pass us by after we had picked up a buoy outside the Royal Hotel in Tignabruiche in the Kyles of Bute. Short hop around here from Portavadie this morning took just under 3 hours in a mixture of cloud and sun and winds up to 25 kts. Boat speed up to 7 kts on half the jib and half the main.
Our plan for 2022 is a week of testing out Ann's hip - in progress and going well. If all good we will leave Troon on 1 July aiming to visit the Isle of Man and the Northern Irish east and north coasts, then on to somewhere up around Skye if possible. Back to Troon for the winter then around Ireland next year, at the third attempt maybe.
Ann's hip replacement on 19 March went brilliantly well and she is now only using a single hiking stick instead of crutches. So we decided to make a slow and careful return to sailing. We left Troon on Tuesday (14 June) for a slow careful meander around the Firth of Clyde, aiming to stay out of any significant waves. Tuesday was Troon to Lamlash on the east coast of Arran, 18 miles in 4 hours, most of it sailed. Wednesday was Lamlash to Lochranza on the northern tip of Arran, 18 miles in 3 1/4 hours, about an hour with cruising chute up; it was good to get some practice with that early in our season. Thursday was a dreary 11 miles from Lochranza to Portavardie on the mainland in drizzle, but we persevered and sailed almost all of it. Photo shows a wide shot of Portavardie marina with CG in the foreground. Today we spent the morning hiding from the rain (while you in the south sweltered in 32 degree heat, not sure I'm jealous). Tomorrow we are off on a quick hop round the corner to the Kyles of Bute.
Here we are in Troon where CG will spend her winter. We're doing the boring stuff, cleaning and bedding her down for the winter before heading home on Friday via Blackpool and Leeds.
12 September was our 40th wedding anniversary. We booked a massage and afternoon tea package in a hotel in Oban. I've had a couple of massages before but am not an affectionado. This one was great, very relaxing. Afternoon tea with Prosecco was upgraded to afternoon tea with champagne which turned [...]