A quiet day as I start to rig Pipedream, my Loch Broom Post Boat. A virtual calm in the bay, but the boats out on the lake were enjoying a light breeze. Ideal sailing out there; enjoyment without drama. Boat into water. Hoist mainsail, foresail and jib. Leave topsail behind. Push boat off and jump in. Sit on floor on lee side. Heel boat and fill sails with what little air was moving. Drift slowly out into the breeze.

Sails filling properly now. Shift uphill onto weather side of boat. Breeze picks up. Western shore of lake gradually comes nearer. Rain starts to fall. Haul in mainsheet, trim foresail and jib. Once close hauled helm alee and around she comes. Let the jib fly and back the foresail to push her through the wind. Shift to the new weather side, trim the sheets and off she goes on the other tack. Right across the lake to the eastern shore. Going splendidly. What a marvellous sail for what might turn out to be the last of the season. Tack again. Notice a wooden Tideway proudly carrying her DCA burgee. Back across the bay and then bear away down the lake and off towards the distance. Should it be to Pooley Bridge or shall I settle for Howtown?

Wind seems to have picked up a bit more. Need to sit on the bench now, Pipedream surges forward. The rain has certainly increased. This could turn out to be a damp sail. Is there any point in going to the far end of the lake and having to beat back for 8 miles? Probably not. Shape course for Lingy Holm. Wind picks up again. Boom right out now and mainsail pressing hard against shrouds. Yard twists a bit further round and spills air off the top of the lug sail. Rain pours down. That settles it. Not Pooley Bridge today. If it keeps raining like this rain water will come up above the ceilings by the time we get there! On we go. Both the northbound and southbound steamers loom through the rain but they are at a safe distance. Steady as we go.

More rain. The surface of the lake is beaten smooth as the winds picks up. Pipedream has probably run far enough. Time to start to beat back. Tack across to the western shore and back. Across and back again. In the lee of Purse Point now. The rain has eased off, but the sky above Helvellyn and Kirkstone looks foul. Shall I take the jib off while in the shelter of the bay? No. There really is no need. Back towards the western shore. Round she goes through the wind perfectly; sheet in again. Foresail sheet secured in cam cleat, blowing harder now and jib sheet hard to secure. Finally get it tamed and trimmed. Foresail and jib are both drawing hard. Mainsail flaps a warning — the wind is gusting now. It won’t be long before Ullswater’s north-south-east-west wind sets in as it blows off the fells, first down one valley and then down another.

On the far side of the lake white crests are breaking. Can’t do anything about that. On we go. Need to play the mainsheet now and the tiller to keep on the wind. Tack again and make a board halfway across the lake to Wall Holm and then back to the western bank. A gust roars across the water turning the surface dark and ugly. Pipedream heels and drives forward. Gunwale looks to be near the water. Ease the mainsheet and back she comes on an even keel. Look around — a dinghy appears to have lost her mainsail but the safety boat is on the way to her. Another gust arrives and the boat heels again. Ease the mainsheet but still Pipedream heels and heels. Ease the sheet again as the gunwale seems to meet the water. Push the tiller away. No worries. She is still in control of herself and as she surges forward comes back towards an even keel. Western shore coming up at a great rate — good job the shore is steep to. But even so I must tack now for there will be little room to bear away and try again if she misses stays. Helm alee and round she comes. Hold on to mainsheet, sheet home foresail. She surges forward again. Everything has to be done quickly in these conditions. Jib sheet jams and won’t run free. Why now? Jib takes charge of itself and the bowsprit whips and bangs and bangs and bangs. Where has the sheet caught? Frantic scrabble to sort things out. The noise of the flapping jib and banging spar must have attracted attention. The National Park Warden’s boat slows down to watch. More scrabbling around my legs. Offending jib sheet comes free and the jib is back under control and doing its share of the work. See that the Whammel Boat (a much larger boat) dropped her jib in that last gust. That cheers me up. In a busy part of the lake now. Must keep a sharp lookout. Back we go on the starboard tack charging across the troubled waters of the lake. Better put the helm up and pass behind this one — she doesn’t look too certain of the rule of the road. Time to tack again. Ready about. Round she comes, and round she comes, and round she comes. Not so much a windshift as a shifting wind. Find the wind and back we go close-hauled on the reciprocal course now!

The wind falls back to force 2-3 and the urgency has gone. Is there time to run down the lake after all… the sky does look lighter… perhaps we could make Norfolk Island rather than Howtown.