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, 14 July 2010

Fun in Fishguard

  Antony, Nicolas and Richard proved to be excellent company and over the next three days we sailed in Antony’s Moody, visited pubs, fixed Nicolas’s ancient Kingfisher diesel engine, newly installed in his Drascombe which, had not run for years and shared a great many laughs – mostly at each other’s expense! It's made much easier, when you have many common interests – fishing, shooting, dogs and sailing and, as is often the case, shared values too. I hope we keep in touch, as indeed I do with Ant's friend Nick who joined us for a meal, early sail and got a ducking while disembarking into Nico's tender for his troubles.
   Fishguard, once a major hub for shipping cattle and horses to and from Ireland, prior to the railways, suffered from it’s remote location and unsuitability to be added to the rail network; so lost out to Holyhead further North and Cardiff to the South - exacerbated by the breakwater being built in the wrong place – and the suicide of the man responsible. On the plus side, it is largely unspoilt with wonderful sailing along the coast with numerous bays, inlets and fishing villages to explore. One or two of these villages have become Chelsea-by- the-Seas, full for a few brief months and populated largely by those who can afford second homes. A reflection of the times means that quite a few are up for sale; but still at absurdly high prices, although 30-40% less than what they were selling for two or three years ago.
   There’s talk of a new marina being built, which could be a great success with easy access to Ireland and wonderful sailing nearby.
   Nicolas, the only one of the musketeers, who lives nearby, remains; the others have left for the Midlands. So alone again, I sit on my mooring in bright sunshine one moment and torrential rain the next. Aberystwyth, some 40 miles away; is my next destination, but first the wind, gusting madly, with worse forecasted, means I may be stuck here for a further day or two yet.
   Of some concern, I’ve just discovered my milk has gone off and my bread mouldy in the damp! Stocks of Speckled Hen are dangerously low too. The crew will, I'm sure, be forced to mutiny.
   It’s time to call it a day!
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