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.

Saturday, 19 June 2010

Padstow - for a second day

After a bottle of Champagne on Equinox with Tim nad Fiona we went and ate at Rick Steins Cafe last night - surprsingly empty becuase of the football. The food was fabulous, as one would expect and the staff first rate - no gorgeous! Went to bed feeling mellow and full on a Far Eastern themed fish three course meal.
The lock gate sank at around 10:30 so jumped into the tender with the Seagull and a gallon of fuel and went an explored, not before sampling a handull of RickStein's breakfast pastry products - when in Rome......! Scrumptious! The estuary needs constant dredging and even so they barely keep up, but fun to poodle about with the trusty Seagull warbling away for mile after mile the tide taking me upstream. A gallon of fuel later and both banks explored for miles my appetite returned, so Rick's fish and chips, seemed in order! First class too! A couple of Speckled Hens and I need props to keep the eylelids open; which, I didn't have. So I've now got burnt legs from falling asleep in the cockpit. Lucky I had a hat on! What an ass!
Clovelly is the target for tomorrow and a quiet spot to recover and rub cream in to the sore bits! First I must wash the boat down, the seagulls here all seem to have the trots. Everything is also gritty - muck blown of the quayside.
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1 comment:

  1. Sue Finlayson20 June 2010 at 09:59

    Hi Simon - at last coming to grips with blogs. You certainly are living it up - what a wonderful meal at Rick Stein's PLUS fish & chips later and pastries. Well you're burning up the calories and I'm sure never one to sit still!! You've certainly had tales to tell - that sail up from Scillies was a real test of nerve and skill. Coincidence or what? that the Crabber outfit was over in Padstow and could supply you with the required water tank - my daily hot line to God is working!! Hope the winds on your leg up to Clovelly look favourably on you.

    I was in touch with the Mary How Trust and they will be watching your progress on your website and linking in to theirs.

    Love and God bless

    Sue Fin

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