Cruising to Greece and back.

After sailing back from Greece to Portishead, in October 2019 Tobin Bronze was transported back to Wadswick for a major re-fit. In July 2022, TB was re-launched into Portishead Marina.

Vessel Name: Tobin Bronze
Vessel Make/Model: 35ft cold moulded plywood sloop
Hailing Port: Bristol
Crew: Peter and Judy Ward
About:
Launched in 1985. After one year sailing in the Bristol Channel, TB has been sailed for 22,500 plus miles by Peter, Judy, Charlotte, Ben and Sofie - firstly based in Dartmouth and then in South Brittany. [...]
24 October 2019 | Portishead Entrance Lock
08 June 2019
27 November 2018
30 June 2018
18 November 2017
03 July 2016 | Agmar Marine Boatyard. Partheni, Island of Leros
30 October 2015
01 October 2014 | Kilada to Orei
25 November 2013
19 July 2013
26 June 2013 | Koilada
01 December 2012
01 November 2012 | Koilada
29 September 2011

Winter lay up - Ria de Vigo

28 October 2009 | Cangas
PW
Lay up - Ria de Vigo - Oct 2009

Judy and I returned to Moana in October to lift TB out of the water for the winter. Originally, we were going to fly to Vigo on 05 Oct with Vueling Airline but they stopped those flights on 03 Oct. We took the Plymouth - Santander ferry instead. This gave Judy the opportunity to take Nelson with us. For those of you who have not had the privilege of meeting Nelson, he is Judy's Jack Russell terrier. He is a disgrace to the Jack Russell clan as he is totally placid, friendly and non-aggressive! He only barks when he is frightened and you can see when he is frightened as the hair down his spine stands on end. But I suppose even dogs are entitled to holidays; so it was off to Spain for Nelson. Finding out all the regulations and complying with them to get a doggie passport was quite a saga and is a major story in itself. I will not bore you with the details.

Admiral Nelson, on deck
Look in the Photo Album 'Ria de Vigo Oct 2009' for an enlarged image.
Admiral Nelson: Deck Inspection.

We arrived in Santander on a warm sunny day and had a lovely drive across central Spain for the first 350 miles. Then it bucketed down with rain for the last 50 miles. Which wasn't much fun when combined with the rush hour in Vigo.

We arrived on the boat at around 20:00hrs to find everything on board absolutely saturated. After a long hot August and September, the deck and hatches had developed a few leaks (to say the least!). It was so bad inside that I could not get the matches to light. I had to dig out a box of matches that I had stashed away in a sealed container before we could even make a cup of tea.

Everything in this boat is WET.
Look in the Photo Album 'Ria de Vigo Oct 2009'for an enlarged image.
"Everything in this boat is WET."

The first few days were still pretty wet but the last 4 days were glorious autumnal weather with clear skies and temperatures in the low twenties. We got on with the usual winter lay-up jobs (servicing the engine, etc) and also removing the fore hatch and sealing all the leaks.

Eventually, we lifted TB out in the small boatyard in Cangas where everyone was extremely friendly and helpful.

We drove back via a different route - north to Santiago de Compestella (where we visited the magnificent cathedral and had lunch) and then east along the north coast. We stopped overnight in a small holiday complex near Cudilleiro. The route we took out was all autovia (motorway) but on the northern route the autovia is still under construction in many of the sections.

The cathedral in Santiago.
Look in the Photo Album 'Ria de Vigo Oct 2009' for an enlarged image.
The cathedral in Santiago

At Santander, a very worried and nervous Judy was greatly relieved that her paperwork for Nelson was in order and we could take him back to the UK.

The return ferry voyage was slightly rougher that the outward leg but is was still fairly smooth - about a 20 hour crossing on Brittany Ferries' "Pont Aven".
Comments
Tobin Bronze's Photos - Main
Photos 1 to 3 of 3
1
Tobin Bronze going out in the 1967 Melbourne Cup.
 
1
A relaxed summer in the Bristol Channel.
11 Photos
Created 15 January 2023
A 34 year old Tobin Bronze was badly in need of an extended boat yard visit to undergo some serious maintenance.
10 Photos
Created 31 October 2022
Last leg along west coast of France, across the Channel, around Lands End and into the Bristol Channel
18 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
Last leg in the Med.
12 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
From Bonefacio up the west coast to Calvi
12 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
From Cagliari up the west coast to Strait of Bonifacio
15 Photos
Created 22 June 2021
Ragusa to Trapani including road trip to Mt Etna
46 Photos
Created 19 June 2021
Malta to Sicily May 2019
11 Photos
Created 15 May 2019
Leros to Malta. 30 Aug to 25 Sep 2018.
39 Photos
Created 19 November 2018
22 May to 19 June 2018
30 Photos
Created 29 July 2018
Sept 2017. Dodecanese Islands
20 Photos
Created 20 October 2017
Dodecanese Islands
23 Photos
Created 24 June 2017
Cruising from Orei. Evia to Leros in the Dodcanese in May, June
18 Photos
Created 30 October 2016
Launch from Orei, sail north to Thessaloniki, around the Khalkidhiki paninsula and Mt Athos to Nea Peramos.
17 Photos
Created 14 December 2015
22 Photos
Created 15 October 2014
Re-launch in Kilada to Orei, Evia in early July
16 Photos
Created 22 July 2014
13 Photos
Created 18 May 2014
A late summer cruise to the northern Cyclades
18 Photos
Created 20 January 2014
Cruise to Crete
11 Photos
Created 19 July 2013
Visits to Koilada May & june 2013
11 Photos
Created 9 June 2013
From Kalamata to the Argolic Gulf in July 2012
57 Photos
Created 12 January 2013
From Messolonghi to Kalamata May 2012
45 Photos
Created 10 January 2013
Italy to Zakinthos and Messolonghi
15 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Lipari, Vulcano and Stromboli - three of the Aeolian Islands
30 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sardinia and Sicily Sept 2011
19 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sailing from Cartagena to Sardinia
24 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sailing TB from Faro to Cartagena in June and July 2011
64 Photos
Created 9 August 2011
Sailing on John's boat 'Derby Lass'
20 Photos
Created 6 August 2011
Delivery trip with Woody from Vigo to Lisbon when John Q. met us. Then to Ohao where Judy replaced John for a trip up the Guardina River.
41 Photos
Created 1 October 2010
June - July in the Rias Baixas, Galicia
26 Photos
Created 8 August 2010
Six days on the "Dunmow Flitch" between Braunston and Market Harborough in April 2010.
26 Photos
Created 1 June 2010
Lay up for winter in Cangas
17 Photos
Created 27 October 2009
Newport R.I.,Cuttyhunk Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
48 Photos
Created 17 September 2009
Highlights of the trip from Viveiro to Ria de Vigo.
34 Photos
Created 2 August 2009
Hugh pod of dolphins encountered 10:30hrs 04 June at approx 44º24'N; 006º32'W
18 Photos
Created 23 June 2009
Between 02 June and 04 June 2009 from La Roche Bernard to Ribadeo in Galicia, Spain
11 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 18 June 2009
Port de Foleux is about 15 miles up the Villaine River, 6 miles upstream from La Roche Bernard
4 Photos
Created 18 June 2009