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.

Sunday 20 June 2010

Padstow - Day 3

St Dennis is what they (a band member) call a 'Clay Village'. Close to St Austell where china clay is extracted and exported by ship from Fowey around the world to discerning customers – It’s the best apparently. Quite miraculously, or perhaps it isn’t, they have produced a Brass Band of some 22 players. Many of whom looked in their teens, who played at lunchtime on the Quay here in Padstow. Overheard conversations during a water break in proceedings alluded to Albert Hall appearances and all manner of musical success.

 Now, either this voyage has got to me more than I thought it had or, and perhaps much more likely, my nerves are far closer to the surface than I ever thought they were, but one soloist had me embarrassingly in tears. Quite the most moving piece of music I think I’ve ever heard played on an instrument – which I later learnt was a cornet. The young girl, maybe 19, who played the peice must be a protégé as she played seemingly without taking a breath for entire passages with vast musical range, depth, sensitivity and sheer technical brilliance – not that I know a damn thing about Cornet playing. But the rapturous applause from the bands family, there in support, the growing crowd together with her fellow band members, suggested I’d heard something quite out of the ordinary. Isn’t life full of surprises? The experience was complimented by a truly appreciative audience, who, like me, didn’t, I assume, have a clue what to expect, but who, like me, were held in rapture for two hours by a group who played their hearts out in the baking sun. Perspiration beading copiously on many a band member's forehead from their effort.
 Maybe, my state of mind has been influenced by the sheer relief felt ,when I heard this morning, that Equinox has been offered a RNLI mooring in the Pool at Appledore - one of very few in the entire Tor/ Torridge estuary complex. Equinox will now remain afloat in all states of the tide, where as before I had anticipated either using my beeching-legs or the associated risks or drying out leaning against some wharf or dockside wall for the duration of my week long Salmon and Sea-Trout Boys Fishing Week. I don’t however; want to take anything away from the St Dennis Brass Band, who will have me in their audience this evening when they again perform. I’ll try not to blub and even if the sun is long set, will wear sunglasses and a pulled-down hat!
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