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.

Friday, 20 August 2010

Whitehaven - Day 2 - August 19th

A glorious sunny day which, would have had me ploughing North; were it not for a weather forecast heralding Severe Gale Force 9 for SW Scotland and gusts of F8 here in Whitehaven. It's hard to believe, as I sit here in glorious sunshine, taking a breather, in shorts, hot and sticky after pumping up the tender. Richard and Ann Wood, are joining me for dinner tonight, back at the same Chinese restaurant; so hope yesterday's excellent meal wasn't a one off; as they live over an hour's drive away! He's one of the Taw fishers. Before they arrived, I spent the rest of the day shopping and giving Equinox another 'once-over'. The starboard lockers, yet again, were emptied and a final drying session given to their contents, following the last watery mishap. Hopefully a task not to be repeated!
   Whitehaven is a 'must visit' for yachtsmen. Close to the town centre with some great pubs and a wide choice of places to eat. The harbour complex is massive with huge 21ft thick dock walls providing superb protection from all the Irish Sea can throw at it. The first dock was built in 1633, a second in the 1700's making Whitehaven the third largest port in Britain, exporting coal from the nearby and deepest mine in world to Ireland, manufactured goods and slaves to America and importing tobacco from Virginia and Rum from the West Indies. Considered so vital, it was attacked by the Americans during the War of Indepedence. Over a thousand ships were built here during the period up to 1832 from 300-3000 tons when the outer harbour, pier and  a lighthouse were built; then finally in 1876 Queens dock was built. Steam trains running along the huge docksides and 400 horse drawn waggons daily moving goods around the complex and into warehouses. Fortunes were made; but time has since taken its toll as Whitehaven lost out to other ports better connected to the railways, the demise of the slave trade and finally to steam powered ships just too big to dock here. It was not until 1990's with grants given to update the docks, dredge the outer harbour and install a new Sea Lock and huge, state of the art, boat repair shed that the site again started to prosper; and now boasts hundreds of pleasure craft berthed here with room for many more. So well protected were we last night, despite a gale blowing over our heads and rain thrumming on the cabin roof, we barely tugged on our lines.
  Simone, the manager is a treasure; nothing is too much trouble for her. My shore power went off at some point during the night, so popped up to report it. Offering and making me a cup of coffee, she had someone address it instantly, while we chatted. Within minutes a colleague returned to report he had to use an extension lead to marry Equinox to another source further away; and power was back on.  Not only does she have a smile that would melt any sailor's heart she runs a tight ship too. The showers and lavatory areas are absolutely spotless; as is, the laundry room. All deliciously warm and welcoming and even boast a rack of paperbacks to borrow; for the storm bound. The cleaner, who I met, and had a chat with, this morning is a real diamond who takes enormous pride in all she does.  
  May I suggest to the Isle of Man Harbour Management, that they invite this team over and get a lesson in hospitality and human relations? They might just learn a thing or two!
  Meeting up with Richard and Ann was a delight as we caught up on each others news in Equinox's cabin, drizzle preventing us from sitting outside. After a few drinks aboard we had a fabulous meal at the Orchid House. By the time they left, it was tipping down, so rather than getting a soaking, took shelter in a pub, for a 'cheeky one', while watching a very good Karaoke version of Hendrix's 'All along the wachtower'. The young drinking like fish, presumably after getting their 'A' level results! It's certainly very different here; and I love it!
  The rain never let up, indeed it became torrential, so got a complete soaking durng the 400 yard dash back to the boat.
  I'm getting rather tired of being damp!
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1 comment:

  1. qwerty27 January 2018 at 08:56

    I know you did this trip years ago but I kind of wonder why you left it so late in the year... May and June are amazing months... Huge amounts of daylight and probably the best weather of any year. To me I' ve always felt August is the beginning of Autumn.. Daylight shutting down real fast strong winds everywhere packed with holiday makers. No August is not my favourite month.
    Fun reading you story.

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