During the first day of June 2010 I set sail in 'Equinox' my 24ft 6' Cornish Crabber from Chichester Marina and headed West down the Solent on a once in a lifetime adventure. Three and a half months later I completed my challenge; having sailed solo around the entire UK; visiting the Scillies, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the Hebrides; going with huge trepidation over the top via Cape Wrath - the 'big right turn', before the next 'big right turn' heading south, at John o'Groats. This blog is my diary, written most evenings as I took stock of the day's progress; often with a huge lump of Cheddar cheese in hand and a pint of Speckled Hen to keep it company. Sometimes I was almost in tears; tiredness and frustration having taken its toll. Other nights exhuberant after breathtakingly beautiful passages along our stunning coastline with favourable following winds. It describes the ups and downs; the tears and laughter; the extraordinary kindness shown by complete strangers who offered a tired sailor in their midst refuge, solace, warmth and company; their generosity often humbling. My hormones were, I'm sure, in a mess making me perhaps rather vulnerble; as just six months earlier I'd endured the surgical removal of a cancerous prostate gland; laprascopically - a six hour procedure that left me physically weaker than before. You can read the background to the illness and the reasons for the challenge - to raise awareness of this terribe disease; that could have so easily have killed me elsewhere on this blog.

I am indebted to many; and recorded their names elsewhere; but as I reflect on the voyage many months later, I have not fully sung the praise of Cornish Crabbers, the builders of my sturdy little yacht and Roger Dongray the yacht's brilliant designer who drew upon a hull shape that had developed over hundreds of years by men who worked and fished at sea and whose very life depended on their vessel's seaworthiness. It's long keel, sail configuration and weight distribution in seemingly monsterous seas; quite incredible for a yacht so small. A Crabber 24 is not the swiftest yacht to be had for her size, for sure. But what she lacks in that respect she makes up for by her abilty to take heavy weather and harsh conditions in her stride. Built solidly without compromise, Equinox delivered me safely home after a voyage of well over 2500 miles in some of the most hostile and dangerously tidal waters you can find anywhere in Europe. In Wales, for example, the RNLI were phoned by an experienced commercial fisherman watching Equinox from his harbourside office; reporting to them, that a yacht was struggling in heavy seas and a F7 a mile outside the harbour entrance. By the time the lifeboat had been launched, I was tucked up in Aberystwyth marina; a little bruised and battered it has to be said, but safe and sound; I never even saw the lifeboat!

I've recently set up the blog so that readers can cover numerous diary entries in one go. To access earlier diary entries just click on the link 'Older Posts' at the foot of each page. Only a few clicks are needed to get to the entries at the beginning of the voyage and my preparation beforehand.

I hope you enjoy reading it; and if you do, or have done, please be kind enough to leave me a message. For which, in anticipation, I thank you.
The voyage also raised over £10,000 for the Prostate Cancer Charity - not my main goal but those who donated on my 'Just Giving ' page made a huge contribution too; as I was notified by email of each donation as it was made; each raising my spirits immeasurably. My main goal was to encourage 2500 men to get PSA tested - one for each mile sailed; and I beleive that goal was achieved too. And finally, I would also like to thank the growing number of men who have, both during and after the voyage ended, taken a PSA test, as a result of the publicty the voyage attracted; been diagnosed with the disease and taken the time and trouble to email me.

Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Douglas Day 1 - 17th August

One year ago, on this very day, I went into hospital for my Prostate surgery! It was also the eve of my 30th wedding anniversary! Where better to spend it, than in Douglas!
  Letting myself out through the electric gate, at the push of a button, wash bag and towel at the ready, I sought out the Inner Harbour Office, where I was rather unceremoniously handed an empty form asking for exactly the same information given over the radio yesterday. Err, why? A plastic card pass was proffered and begrudgingly a shower card purchased for £1.10 for a 4 minute shower! Full of anticipation at the thought of a hot shower after yesterday’s exertions, I used my newly acquired pass to let myself into the showers. Where do I begin? The showers were a disgrace after Holyhead. Incredibly smelly, with black mould growing around the metal shower tray and appallingly badly lit by a token number of low watt energy saving bulbs, they reminded me of 1970 motorway service station. My 4 minute shower turned out to be less than three minutes, because only cold water reluctantly made a weak multi-directional appearance for the first minute or so, before it barely became hot enough to climb under. Feeling a little better, all the same, I headed back to Equinox to breakfast on a handful of muesli; reluctantly unable to face a fry up, just yet. First,having popped into a chandlers with a clearance sale on - just in case I found something that I didn’t know I needed, until I stumbled upon it; and had to have it; and there, met a delightful and helpful couple.. After which, I headed into town to stretch my legs, knowing that strong winds had been forecasted for today, so was stranded!
   A mega-sized Costa Coffee cheered me up no end, as did a very breezy walk around the town’s extensive shopping area; spending a delightful 15 minutes watching unseen footage, expertly edited, of the recent Isle of Man TT on a huge screen, before feeling I’d overstayed my welcome.
   Back on Equinox, over a Pork Pie and Hen lunch I plotted my escape... or tried to! There’s a sill that’s raised and lowered to keep a sufficient depth of water in the Inner Harbour located under the road bridge which, in turn is raised and lowered at quarter two and quarter past the hour, on request. The gate or sill rises tomorrow at 8:15am + or – depending on conditions, so I have to be out of my berth by 0730 and loitering close by, when the bridge opens at 0745. Miss it and I’d miss my chance to escape off the Island for a further 24 hours. I discovered this, after talking to the Outer Harbour Office on the radio – saving myself another long walk - as ludicrously, the Inner Harbour Office is closed outside normal working hours! Quite how visiting crews from yachts, coming in this evening , after the gate was lowered and long after the Inner Harbour office had closed, venture out into town and get back to their boats is beyond me!
   I also asked, while on the VHF radio,  how I should pay my dues and was told ‘Pay next time, send a cheque or, you could come down here with a ‘if you must’ intonation and pay!
   You can send me the bill!
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1 comment:

  1. Anonymous20 August 2010 at 17:46

    Hi

    I stayed in the inner harbour last year, had to move to the battery pier pontoon in order to get away at low water. I walked up to the harbour office to pay my dues (Inner harbour offic closed), just about got a bollocking from duty watch keeper because I was taking him away from his other duties!!!Great isn't it, you are giving somebody money and he is chewing your n---s!!! I returned the pass key for toilet block at the same time only to learn from a friend that my vessel name had been put on a "wall of shame" for not returning the toilet pass.

    I recall a few years ago, Philip Dunn, editor of Sailing Today magazine visited Douglas, lets just say he was not impressed with their customer handling skills! Shame as it is such a nice place to vsit.

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